This course includes a spring break trip abroad investigating living organisms in their natural habitat. Students will participate in pre-trip seminars on the country, local flora, fauna and habitats they will visit. Students will design a project to integrate their personal interests and objections with in-country investigation. Post-trip seminar will focus on preparation of project and its presentation. Prereq: BIOL 413 and 414, or BIOL 411 and 412. Permission required. May be repeated if the spring break trip is to a different country.

Students assist in teaching labs in undergraduate courses supervised by the lab coordinator/instructor. Responsibilities include facilitating lab endeavors, giving a presentation, and writing a report. Prereq: permission. May be repeated to 4 credits maximum.

Microbial genomics (primarily bacteria and bacteriophages) and genome-scale approaches to addressing questions in microbial physiology and pathogenesis are the focus of the course. Large-scale sequencing projects, genome structure and evolution, metagenomics, and other challenges in comparative genomics are discussed. Hands-on wet laboratory and bioinformatics projects are included in this laboratory-lecture course. Prereq: GEN 604, BMS 503 and BMS 504. Special fee.

Advanced independent research under the direction of a faculty mentor. Content area to be determined in consultation with faculty member. Prereq: permission. May be repeated for up to 8 credits. Up to 4 credits may be applied to self-designed concentration. Up to 4 credits may be applied to the Capstone requirement. Fall and spring semester. Prereq: Permission of Faculty mentor. Cr/F.