Independent work in biochemistry can be conducted with any member of the biochemistry committee and, upon approval, also with other members of the biological sciences and chemistry departments and program in neuroscience and behavior.

This graduate seminar provides a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary training and provides an overview of the field of landscape genetics. It caters to students in both basic and applied ecology, especially conservation/population genetics, landscape ecology and conservation biology. A key objective of landscape genetics is to study how landscape modification and habitat fragmentation affect organism dispersal and gene flow across the landscape.

The course covers in depth the most recent cellular and molecular findings related to mammalian fertilization as well as the technical and ethical issues associated with the application of newly developed assisted reproductive technologies such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and cloning of animals. The application of these technologies is discussed whether it applies to animals of agricultural importance, wildlife, or humans. In addition, students are required to select a subject from one of the discussed topics in the class.