Chair: Joseph W. Rachlin(Davis Hall, Room 217)
Adviser: Joseph W. Rachlin (Davis Hall, Room 034)
Department Faculty and Staff:
Professors: Thomas E. Jensen, Edward J. Kennelly, Dwight T. Kincaid, Martin Muntzel, Joseph W. Rachlin, Eleanore T. Wurtzel; Associate Professors: Hai-Ping Cheng, Liesl B. Jones, Zhi-Liang Zheng; Assistant Professors: Gabriel O. Aisemberg, Maryam Bamshad-Alavi, Renuka Sankaran; Chief College Laboratory Technicians: Michael Baxter, Antonios Pappantoniou; Senior College Laboratory Technicians: Katherine Lieberman, Steven Trimboli
Admission Requirements
With Undergraduate Specialization in Biology:
Candidates whose undergraduate major was in biology must have completed: (1) one year of organic chemistry, with laboratory; (2) one year of college physics; and (3) either one year of calculus or one semester of calculus and a semester of statistics.
With Undergraduate Specialization in Chemistry, Physics, or Allied Field:
Candidates whose undergraduate major was in either chemistry, physics, or an allied field must have completed: (1) the equivalent of an undergraduate minor in biology; (2) one year of organic chemistry, with laboratory; (3) one year of college physics; and (4) either one year of calculus or one semester of calculus and a semester of statistics. In addition, they must submit up to three letters of recommendation and, if conditionally admitted, satisfy the conditions within one year.
Degree Requirements
All students (matriculated or nonmatriculated) should consult with the Departmental Graduate Adviser regarding their programs. The following three tracks toward the Master of Arts degree are available:
A student may elect to substitute 3 to 6 credits in original laboratory research (BIO 799.1, 799.2, and 799.3) for 3 to 6 credits of coursework. When a student is ready to select a research problem, a research advisory committee of faculty members will be established in consultation with his or her thesis adviser,* to guide the investigation. A thesis based on this research must be defended satisfactorily in an oral presentation prior to its submission in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Approved copies of the thesis must be deposited in the Lehman College Library and the Department of Biology.
*Students who choose a thesis adviser at the New York Botanical Garden or at another institution must have an "in-house" adviser. This individual must be a full-time faculty member of the Department of Biological Sciences at Lehman College and a member of the graduate faculty in biological sciences.
Students who select this track must complete 30 credits and then must pass a comprehensive examination (which is the CUNY Doctoral Program in Biology's First Examination). Passing this examination will not only meet the requirements for the Master of Arts degree but also qualify the student to proceed into the CUNY Doctoral Program in Biology. A grade of 65 is deemed a passing grade to meet the requirements for the Master of Arts degree, while a grade of 70 is the minimal passing grade that will allow the student to proceed into the CUNY Doctoral Program in Biology (subject to satisfactory meeting of other admission requirements).
A student must include 4 credits of tutorial (BIO 792.2) as part of 34 credits required in this track. This tutorial is performed under the supervision of a member of the graduate faculty in Biological Sciences. It is intended to involve the student in the performance of a carefully supervised project. The project may involve research in the laboratory, a library review of relevant topics, or a combination of the two. The results of this project will be written and submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the master's degree. This document will become part of the departmental library.
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
*Courses preceded by an asterisk are not expected to be offered in 2009-2011.
BIO 501: Special Topics in Biology. 2-4 hours, 2-4 credits (variable). (For students whose undergraduate major was not biology). Basic biological principles and their application to living organisms. This course may be repeated twice with the approval of the Graduate Adviser. PREREQ: One year of college biology.
BIO 610: Mammalian Physiology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Principles of integration and maintenance of homeostasis in mammals, including the activity of the nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, renal, and digestive systems. Related laboratory experiments.
BIO 611: Problems in Microbiology. 3 hours, 3 credits with lab. (For students who are teaching or plan to teach science or biology in secondary schools.) Reading and projects based on recent developments in microbial cytology, growth, metabolism, variation and dissociation, host/parasite relations, antibiosis, and other associations, e.g., with studies taken from bacteria, fungi, and viruses. PREREQ: One course in bacteriology or microbiology, one year of college chemistry, and one year of college physics.
BIO 612: Plant Growth and Development. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. A molecular approach to physiological processes in autotrophic organisms, with emphasis on photosynthesis, phytochrome-mediated developmental responses, and hormonal regulation of cell and tissue differentiation.
BIO 618: Problems in Ecology. 6 hours (2 lecture, 4 lab), 4 credits. Recent advances in ecology; population and community interactions; the nature of the niche; endangered species; threats to the biosphere; and possible modes of recovery. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments involving intraspecific and interspecific competition in conspecifics. Fieldwork pertaining to soils and community analyses and to forest dynamics.
*BIO 621: Special Topics in Physiology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Recent advances in integrative, cellular, and molecular physiology. Areas include information transfer in the cell, enzyme activity, muscle and nerve function, and mechanisms of hormone action. Laboratory work is designed to enable students to acquire skill in relevant biological techniques. PREREQ: One year of college biology (physiology recommended), a half-year of college physics, and one year of college chemistry (organic chemistry recommended).
*BIO 626: Protozoology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Biology of the protozoa, including morphology, physiology, and systematics of both free-living and parasitic forms. Consideration of phylogeny and ecology, life history, and epidemiology of selected protozoa. Laboratory includes identification, collection, culturing, and straining; emphasis on current techniques and their applications for basic research.
BIO 630: Seminar in Biology. 1 hour, 1 credit. (May be taken twice, to a maximum of 2 credits.) Reports on and discussion of selected topics.
BIO 634: Cell Biology and Electron Microscopy. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Structure and ultrastructure of plant and animal cells and cell organelles as revealed by microscopic, electronmicroscopic, cytochemical, and enzyme-cytochemical methods.
BIO 635: Neurophysiology. 3 hours, 3 credits. A general consideration of nervous systems, excitable membrane physiology, synapses, sensory receptors, trophic function, regeneration of nervous tissue, and behavior. PREREQ: One undergraduate course in animal physiology; one year of organic chemistry.
BIO 636: Neurophysiology Laboratory. 4 hours, 2 credits. The laboratory will introduce the students to instrumentation and neurophysiological techniques. The experiments will examine bioelectricity, receptor processes, central processes, behavior, and regeneration. PRE- or COREQ: BIO 635.
BIO 642: Molecular Biology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Structure and function of biological macromolecules. The synthesis of DNA in vitro and in vivo, the transfer of information from DNA to RNA, and the translation of informational RNA into protein. The genetic code and basic principles of molecular genetics will also be included. The laboratory will introduce students to basic techniques in molecular biology, including sterile technique, bacterial growth, gel electrophoresis, restriction enzyme digestion, bacterial transformation, and cloning techniques.
BIO 644: Biological Chemistry. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Introduction to the chemistry and metabolism of compounds of biological importance. Studies of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, vitamins, coenzymes, enzymes, and hormones; their interrelationship with each other; and their metabolism, biosynthesis, and significance in biological systems. PREREQ: One undergraduate course in organic chemistry.
BIO 646: Statistics for Biological Research. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Biostatistical principles and methods for experimental biologists. Statistical planning of experiments, collection of data, randomization, elementary factorial analyses, analysis of variation, and regression.
BIO 701: Biological Systematics. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. A study of the theoretical basis and methodologies of each of the current schools of systematics, and the arguments used by each school in uncovering the phylogenetic relationships between organisms. Topics will include Aristotelian essentialism, evolutionary systematics, phenetics, cladistics (phylogenetic systematics), transformed (pattern) cladistics, monophyly, paraphyly, polyphyly, parsimony, homology, homoplasy, character state analysis, and polarity. The role of paleontological data in phylogenetic reconstruction will be explored. Students will use the methods learned to construct caldograms and phylogenetic relationships from a variety of data sets, and learn how to use data in resolving phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships.
BIO 710: Microbial Physiology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Organization of physiological processes in microorganisms, including structure, energy-yielding mechanisms, macromolecular biosynthesis, growth, and regulation.
*BIO 719: Physiology and Taxonomy of Fungi. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. A survey of the major groups of fungi; special problems in fungal physiology; fungi in general physiology; and morphological, ultrastructural, and biochemical approaches to fungal taxonomy and phylogeny. Fungi and human affairs.
BIO 722: Vertebrate Endocrinology. 3 hours, 3 credits. A comparative study of endocrine systems in the vertebrates with special emphasis on neuroendocrinology, and the endocrine control of cellular activities, metabolism, and homeostasis. PREREQ: An undergraduate course in mammalian physiology or in comparative animal physiology.
BIO 724: Cell Physiology. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Regulatory and integrative aspects of biochemical processes at the cellular level that contribute to the general and specialized functions of living cells. Representative areas include the cell and its organelles, energy metabolism, and cellular redox potentials; bioelectric phenomena; protein structure and specificity and its relation to cellular differentiations; and membrane structure and transport processes. Lab will include work with intact and cell-free systems to demonstrate physiological and biochemical properties of living cells as well as model systems to demonstrate principles.
*BIO 726: Physiology and Biochemistry of Differentiation. 3 hours, 3 credits. The factual and hypothetical aspects of protein synthesis. Its relation to cytodifferentiation and the regulation of gene activity is considered from the viewpoint of cellular control mechanisms. Evidence will be considered that selected vitamins, minerals, and cofactors may have critical roles in the regulation of protein synthesis at the level of transcription and translation.
*BIO 740: Virology. 3 hours, 3 credits. Quantitation, molecular architecture, and chemistry of bacterial, plant, and animal viruses. The physiology of virus-host interactions, with emphasis on viral nucleic acid replication, and the control of viral genetic expression. PREREQ: BIO 642 (or equivalent).
*BIO 744: Special Topics in Biological Chemistry. 3 hours, 3 credits. Advanced and in-depth studies of specialized topics of current interest in biological chemistry. PREREQ: One graduate course in biological chemistry.
*BIO 746: Biology of Aquatic Organisms. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. Biological relationships of aquatic organisms with their freshwater and marine environments, stressing community, population, life histories, and behavior in natural and altered aquatic environments.
BIO 750: Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry. 3 hours, 3 credits. A systematic comparison of the physiological and biochemical phenomena of life throughout the phylogenetic scale.
BIO 792.1: Tutorial. 2 hours, 2 credits. PREREQ: Graduate Adviser's permission.
BIO 792.2: Tutorial. 4 hours, 4 credits. PREREQ: Graduate Adviser's permission.
BIO 799.1: Thesis Research. 1 credit. Independent laboratory investigation. PREREQ: Graduate Adviser's permission. (This course may be repeated with special permission of the Graduate Adviser.)
BIO 799.2: Thesis Research. 2 credits. Independent laboratory investigation. PREREQ: Graduate Adviser's permission. (This course may be repeated with special permission of the Graduate Adviser.)
BIO 799.3: Thesis Research. 3 credits. Independent laboratory investigation. PREREQ: Graduate Adviser's permission.(This course may be repeated with special permission of the Graduate Adviser.)
*Courses preceded by an asterisk are not expected to be offered in 2009-2011.
BIO U706.01: Plant Systematics: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. The philosophical basis of the classification of organisms and the relationships of phylogeny to taxonomy. The nature of species, genera, and higher taxa. The significance of data from various biological disciplines in the establishment of taxonomic systems. The historical development of plant classification.
BIO U706.02: Plant Systematics: Laboratory. 4 hours, 2 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Plant Systematics: Lecture.
BIO U706.05: Taxonomy of Vascular Plants: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits. Consideration of current and historical systems of classification of extant tracheophytes at the level of families and higher taxa.
BIO U706.06: Taxonomy of Vascular Plants: Laboratory. 4 hours, 2 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Taxonomy of Vascular Plants: Lecture.
BIO U706.10: Biological Systematics. 6 hours (2, lecture; 4, lab), 4 credits. While the theoretical basis and methodologies of each of the current schools of systematics will be discussed, the course will stress the basis and use of phylogenetic principles (cladistics) for developing topologies of terminal taxa from appropriate data matrices. There will be discussions of the concepts of species, monophyly, paraphyly, polyphyly, parsimony analysis, homology and homoplasy, as well as character selection, character state analysis, and polarity. Students will read classic and current papers from both the botanical and zoological literature to show the modern use of both morphological and molecular data in resolving phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships. Students will learn how to calculate the Wagner Algorithm and to use appropriate computer programs, i.e., WinClada and PAUP, for data analysis.
BIO U710.15: Plant Molecular Biology: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. DNA and protein structure transcription, translation, nuclear and cytoplasmic gene regulation, chromatin structure, transposable elements, plant genetic engineering, plant viruses.
BIO U710.16: Plant Molecular Biology: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. Students will use plant tissues while learning many basic molecular techniques, such as DNA and RNA hybridization, gene cloning, and chloroplast isolation.
BIO U714.03: Cell Biology. 2 hours, 2 credits. Structure and ultrastructure of plant and animal cells and cell organelles as revealed by microscopic, electron-microscopic, cytochemical, and enzyme-cytochemical methods.
BIO U722.01: Endocrine Physiology. 3 hours, 3 credits. Influence of the endocrine system on membrane transport and cellular processes; endocrine regulation of reproduction, growth, metabolism, and homeostasis.
BIO U722.02: Laboratory in Endocrinology. 6 hours, 3 credits. Modern laboratory techniques used in endocrine research involving surgery on small mammals, radioisotopes, and biochemical methods to follow the action of hormones at a molecular or cellular level. PRE- or COREQ: BIO U722.01.
BIO U730.01: Plant Physiology: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits. Physiological phenomena of plants, with emphasis on growth and development. PREREQ: Plant physiology and biochemistry or instructor's permission.
BIO U730.02: Plant Physiology: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Problems in Plant Physiology: Lecture.
BIO U745.01: Phytochemistry: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. Study of the organic constituents of plants. Biosynthetic mechanisms characteristic of plants, with emphasis on those peculiar to plants. Survey of secondary products with emphasis on medicinally important plant compounds.
BIO U745.02: Phytochemistry: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Phytochemistry: Lecture.
BIO U752: Plant Morphogenesis: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits. Theories of plant development based on interpretations of physiological processes, biochemical reactions, and morphogenetic behavior of cells, tissues, and organs undergoing growth and differentiation. The interaction of internal and external factors affecting the development and patterns of growth in plants. PREREQ: Plant physiology and cytogenetics. Recommended: Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants and Phytochemistry.
BIO U752.01: Plant Morphogenesis: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Plant Morphogenesis: Lecture.
BIO U754.01: Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. The general organography of the vascular plant. Investigation of forms and structures as related to phylogeny among the tracheophytes, with special emphasis on the comparative morphology and evolution of reproductive structures.
BIO U754.02: Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Comparative Morphology of Vascular Plants: Lecture.
BIO U761.05: Fishes and Fisheries Biology: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits. A study of the statistical methods for the treatment and evaluation of data relevant to the field of fisheries science. Concepts such as the unit-stock, population size, growth, mortality, and maximum sustainable yield will be explored. Students will have the opportunity to treat data by modern microcomputer techniques.
BIO U761.06: Fishes and Fisheries Biology: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits. Students will field collect in both freshwater and marine environments. Collections will be worked up using standard fisheries science techniques to evaluate diet, growth parameters, and population dynamics. Analysis of data will be turned in as a final term project. PRE- or COREQ: Fishes and Fisheries Biology: Lecture.
BIO U761.13: Marine Ecology: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. Examination of ecological processes as they operate in the marine environment. Broad topics will be explored, such as factors affecting primary and secondary production, population dynamics, intra- and specific interactions, resource partitioning in time and space, community structure, and interactions at the community level.
BIO U761.14: Marine Ecology: Laboratory. 4 hours, 2 credits. PRE- or COREQ. Marine Ecology: Lecture.
BIO U762: Physiological Ecology: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits.
BIO U762.01: Physiological Ecology: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits.
*BIO U763: Experimental Parasitology: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits. An ecological and physiological approach to the study of host-parasite relationships. Discussion will concentrate on recent advances in the field.
*BIO U763.01: Experimental Parasitology: Laboratory. 4 hours, 3 credits. Emphasis will be placed on the applications of modern procedure to the study of parasitic organisms. PRE- or COREQ: Experimental Parasitology: Lecture.
BIO U764.03: Plant Ecology: Lecture. 3 hours, 3 credits.
BIO U764.04: Plant Ecology: Laboratory. 6 hours, 3 credits.
*BIO U765.01: Paleobotany: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. Paleobotanical principles based on geologic evidence and phylogenetic interpretation of paleobotanical materials. The origin of land plants. Morphological and floristic aspects of fossil floras from the Paleozoic on, with emphasis on the Devonian to the Tertiary. Functional and practical problems in paleobotany.
*BIO U765.02: Paleobotany: Laboratory. 4 hours, 2 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Paleobotany: Lecture.
BIO U770.03: Cytology: Lecture. 2 hours, 2 credits. Micro- and ultrastructure; function; and behavior of organelles of plant and animal cells as revealed by microscopic, electron-microscopic, and cytochemical analysis.
BIO U772.00: Electron Microscopy Cytology: Laboratory. 8 hours, 4 credits. PRE- or COREQ: Cell Biology: Lecture.
BIO U780.01: Mathematical Biology: Lecture. 4 hours, 3 credits. Biometry data analysis and graphics.
BIO U780.02: Mathematical Biology: Laboratory. 4 or 6 hours, 2 or 3 credits. Biometry data analysis and graphics.
BIO U791: Colloquium. 1 hour, 1 credit. Students attend weekly seminars and have discussions with speakers.
BIO U792: Tutorial. 4 hours, 4 credits.
BIO U792.01: Advanced Study. Each semester 2 or 4 hours, 2 or 4 credits.
BIO U793.01, 793.02, and 793.03: Seminar in Special Topics. Each semester. 2 hours, 2 credits.
BIO U899: Independent Doctoral Research. 1 credit.