Biochemistry & Biophysics 255 - Environmental Regulation of Development with Lab

(Offered as BIOL-255 and BCBP-255) Some animals develop protected within the body of a parent, while others spend their early hours developing in the abiotic environment. In all cases, embryos develop by integrating information inherited from their parents and signals from their immediate environment. How do factors like temperature, light, pH and mechanical inputs affect early stages of development? When and how does nutrition impact animal growth? Do co-inhabitants and symbiotic organisms play a role? How do environmental factors interfere with typical development, and are embryos equipped with protective mechanisms to defend themselves? In this course, we will draw on examples from animal studies and examine how environmental factors contribute to their development. Laboratory work will explore how specific perturbations affect the development of selected invertebrates.

Requisite: BIOL-191 or instructor consent. Not open to first-year students. Limited to 16 students. Spring semester. Professor Ragkousi.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority will first be given to biology and BCBP majors and then by class year

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: An emphasis on group work, critical reading and discussion of primary literature, independent research, lab notebook keeping and lab visit in and out defined scheduled hours for observation of development.