University of Idaho General Catalog » Departments of Instruction » Department of Biological Sciences

Biological Sciences

Biology (B.A. or B.S.) Pre-Medical and Pre-Dental Studies Pre-Nursing Studies Pre-Physical Therapy Studies Biochemistry (B.S.Biochem.) Microbiology (B.S.Microbiol.) Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (B.S.M.B.B.) Bioethics Minor Biology Minor Biochemistry Minor Microbiology Minor Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Minor Reproductive Biology Academic Certificate Biological Sciences Graduate Degree Programs

James J. Nagler, Interim Dept. Chair (252 Life Sc. Bldg. 83844-3051; phone 208/885-6280; www.uidaho.edu/sci/biology). Faculty: Onesmo B. Balemba, John A. Byers, Joseph G. Cloud, Douglas G. Cole, Larry J. Forney, Elizabeth (Lee) Fortunato, James A. Foster, Peter G. Fuerst, Luke J. Harmon, Patricia L. Hartzell, Paul A. Hohenlohe, Jill L. Johnson, Craig P. McGowan, Tanya A. Miura, James J. Nagler, Scott L. Nuismer, Barrie D. Robison, Deborah L. Stenkamp, John M. (Jack) Sullivan, Eva M. Top, Holly A. Wichman. Research Faculty: Celeste J. Brown, Craig Miller. Lecturers and lab instructors: Candi Heimgartner, Lisa Harmon, Bruce K. Mobarry, Tim Steffens. Coordinator of advising: Pat McCarroll. Adjunct Faculty: James R. Blackman, James J. Bull, Henry A. Charlier, Jennifer R. Chase, Michael W. Doebeli, Sara J. Heggland, Patricia Heglund, Cheryl L. Jorcyk, Kathy R. Magnusson, Peter L. Meserve, Nils O. Pellmyr, Andrew Pierce, Erica B. Rosenblum, R. Francis Rosenzweig, Irvin R. Schultz, Ronald W. Strohmeyer, William P. Young. Affiliate Faculty: Timothy J. Teyler.

The biological sciences deal with the basic biological principles of all living things. Courses in the Department of Biological Sciences reflect the increased awareness that subdisciplines within biology are merging into a broad principles-based discipline that recognizes the similarities among living organisms. Students will be presented with approaches that are based on unifying biological principles. This will provide them with information that can then be applied to a vast array of novel situations.

The B.A. and B.S. degrees in Biology offered by the department reflect this integrated view of biology. The Biology Core curriculum involves exposure to concepts fundamental to all living things at several levels of organization. Upper division electives allow students to emphasize natural history, anatomy/physiology, molecular/cellular/developmental biology, or quantitative/integrative biology.

The Department of Biological Sciences also offers B.S. degrees in Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. Students may choose to emphasize general microbiology, molecular biology and biotechnology or biochemistry by appropriate course choices. In each case, the curriculum emphasizes the need for a broad cultural base and specific training in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics, in addition to courses in the specialty area.

Courses offered by the Biological Sciences Department are available to students majoring in other disciplines, who wish to increase their knowledge of science, or who wish to obtain an academic minor. The department offers both Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in biology and in microbiology, molecular biology and biochemistry (MMBB).

Well-equipped laboratories are available and advanced students are encouraged to undertake research projects with the faculty. Graduates from the department enter a variety of fields and many continue their education. Recent graduates have entered allied and public health professions, primary and secondary teaching, agribusiness, medical school, veterinary school, graduate school, law school, state and national agencies that deal with biology (e.g., forestry and fish and game departments, EPA), as well as a variety of environmental consulting agencies and biotechnology companies.

Graduate and undergraduate research concentrations are available in ecology and evolution (animal behavior, genetics, microbial ecology, systematics), medical biosciences (infectious disease, development, neurobiology, reproductive biology) and their intersections. Possibilities for multidisciplinary research are further enhanced by interdepartmental graduate programs offered in neuroscience, and bioinformatics and computational biology.

A wide variety of ongoing projects have produced a stimulating environment for graduate and undergraduate research. These projects include areas such as: pathophysiology of diseases that affect gastrointestinal functions (OB); gene regulation changes in response to selection, and the evolution of disordered proteins (CB); behavioral development, play, sexual selection and female mate choice (JB); understanding germ cell development in salmonids and the establishment of a germplasm repository for threatened and endangered fish (JC); intraflagellar transport (DC); the diversity and distribution of prokaryotes (LF); mechanisms behind morbidity and mortality in infants congenitally infected with human cytomegalovirus (EF); characterizing evolutionarily permissible ecological structures in microbial ecosystems and on developing bioinformatics for very large sequence datasets (JF); molecular cues that promote development of the nervous system (PF); studying patterns of species diversification across the tree of life (LH); motility systems of the complex prokaryote, Myxococcus xanthus (PH); the genomic architecture of evolving populations (PH); protein structure and function (JJ); neuromuscular biomechanics of vertebrate organisms (CMcG); models of adaptive evolution and experimental evolution in viruses (CM); regulation of the immune response to coronavirus infection in the lung (TM); effect of environmental factors on fish reproductive biology (JN); genetic architecture of complex traits, the evolution of locally adaptive phenotypes, and genomic analysis of behavioral variation in fish (BR); cellular and molecular mechanisms of vertebrate retinal development and regeneration (DS); phylogenetic methodology and comparative phylogeography (JS); the ecology and evolution of prokaryotic organisms (ET); adaptive evolution and mammalian genome evolution (HW). In addition to these basic research interests, faculty are involved in applying new knowledge to problems in biotechnology.

For more complete information on research concentrations, please see faculty profiles on the departmental web site at www.uidaho.edu/sci/biology/.

Admission to graduate programs in the department is based upon an estimate of probable success in work leading to a specific degree. The Graduate Record Examination (aptitude only) is required of all applicants.

Prospective students, or students desiring more information, may write, call (208-885-6329) or email the department (biosci@uidaho.edu).

Courses

See course description section for courses in Biology (Biol), and in Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry (MMBB).