A lecture course describing factors involved in determining protein structures and the relationship between protein structure and function. Topics include: amino acids; the primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures of proteins; protein motifs and protein domains; glycoproteins; membrane proteins; classical enzyme kinetics and allosteric enzymes; mechanisms of enzyme action.

A lecture course that introduces how cells or organisms extract energy from their environment. The major metabolic pathways to extract energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins will be discussed, as well as the regulation and integration of different pathways. An emphasis will be placed on real-world applications of biochemistry to metabolism.

This class will provide a survey of the role of genes in behaviour, either indirectly as structural elements or as direct participants in behaviour. Topics to be covered are methods to investigate complex behaviours in humans and animal models of human disease, specific examples of genetic effects on behaviour in animals and humans, and studies of gene-environment interactions.

Topics for this lecture and laboratory (or project) course include: inheritance and its chromosomal basis; gene interactions; sources and types of mutations and the relationship of mutation to genetic disease and evolution; genetic dissection of biological processes; genetic technologies and genomic approaches.

Understanding the process of evolution is greatly enhanced by investigations of the underlying genes. This course introduces modern genetic and genomic techniques used to understand and assess microevolutionary changes at the population level. Topics include DNA sequence evolution, population genetics, quantitative genetics/genomics, positive Darwinian selection, the evolution of new genes, and comparative genomics.

This course presents an overview of the microbial world and introduces the students, in more detail, to the physiological, cellular and molecular aspects of bacteria. The laboratories illustrate principles and provide training in basic microbiological techniques essential to microbiology and to any field where recombinant DNA technology is used.

Following a discussion of cellular and molecular events in early embryonic life, the development of several model systems will be analyzed such as erythropoiesis, lens development in the eye, spermatogenesis and myogenesis. Particular reference will be given to the concept that regulation of gene expression is fundamental to development.

This course introduces viruses as infectious agents. Topics include: virus structure and classification among all kingdoms, viral replication strategies, the interactions of viruses with host cells, and how viruses cause disease. Particular emphasis will be on human host-pathogen interactions, with select lectures on antiviral agents, resistance mechanisms, and vaccines.

A study of the structure of cells and the various tissue types which make up the vertebrate body; epithelial, connective, muscle, nervous, blood, and lymphatic. Emphasis is placed on how form is influenced by function of the cells and tissues.

A lecture and laboratory course that introduces students to experimental approaches used in biochemical research. Topics include practical and theoretical aspects of: spectrophotometry; chromatography; electrophoresis; enzyme assays, protein purification and approaches to identify protein-protein interactions. Students are expected to solve numerical problems involving these and related procedures.

This course will lead students through an exploration of the Kingdom of Fungi, covering topics in biodiversity, ecology, and evolution. Lectures will also discuss the broad application of fungi in agriculture, industry, medicine, and visual arts. In the laboratory sessions, students will learn to observe, isolate, and identify fungi using microscopy and modern biological techniques. Field trips will be opportunities to observe fungi in their native habitats and to discuss the real-world applications of diverse fungal organisms.

A central question of developmental biology is how a single cell becomes a complex organism. This lecture course focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms that control developmental processes in plants, including: embryonic, vegetative and reproductive development; hormone signal transduction pathways; plant-environment interaction and plant biotechnology.

An introduction to human physiology covering the nervous system, skeletal muscles, hormones, and the immune systems in both healthy and diseased states.

This course will cover the physiology of the human respiratory, cardiovascular, renal and digestive systems. Topics include cardiac function, ECG, blood flow/pressure regulation, pulmonary mechanics, gas transfer and transport, the control of breathing, sleep-related breathing disorders, kidney function, ion regulation, water balance, acid-base balance and digestive function/regulation. Students will complete a series of computer-simulated laboratory exercises on their own time.

This course introduces principles in parasitic lifestyles. Topics that will be covered include common parasite life strategies, host-parasite interactions and co-evolution, parasite immune evasion strategies, impacts on public health, and treatment and prevention strategies.

Plants have evolved adaptations to maximize growth, survival and reproduction under various taxing environmental conditions. This course covers the great diversity of plant structures and function in relation to ecology, focusing mainly on flowering plants.

This course introduces the molecular and cellular basis of the immune system. Topics include self versus non-self recognition, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and the structure and function of antibodies. The importance of the immune system in health and disease will be emphasized and topics include vaccination, autoimmunity, and tumour immunology.

An introduction to plant biology. Topics include plant and cell structure, water balance, nutrition, transport processes at the cell and whole plant level, physiological and biochemical aspects of photosynthesis, and growth and development in response to hormonal and environmental cues.

An overview of recent developments in evolutionary biology that focus on large-scale patterns and processes of evolution. Areas of emphasis may include the evolutionary history of life on earth, phylogenetic reconstruction, patterns of diversification and extinction in the fossil record, the geography of evolution, the evolution of biodiversity, and the process of speciation.

A course with preparatory lectures on the UTSC campus and a field experience in natural settings where ecological, evolutionary, and practical aspects of biodiversity will be explored. Field work will involve outdoor activities in challenging conditions.

This course provides students with the opportunity to experience hands-on learning through informal natural history walks, and group and individual research projects, in a small-class setting. The course covers basic principles and selected techniques of field ecology and ecological questions related to organisms in their natural settings. Most of the field work takes place in the Highland Creek ravine.

Survey of the study of animal behaviour with emphasis on understanding behavioural patterns in the context of evolutionary theory. Topics include sexual selection and conflict, parental care, social behaviour, and hypothesis testing in behavioural research.

A lecture and tutorial course that addresses the key environmental factor that will dominate the 21st Century and life on the planet: Global Climate Change. The course will examine the factors that influence climate, from the formation of the earth to the present time, how human activities are driving current and future change, and how organisms, populations, and ecosystems are and will respond to this change. Finally, it will cover human responses and policies that can permit an adaptive response to this change.

The study of the interactions that determine the distribution and abundance of organisms on the earth. The topics will include an understanding of organism abundance and the factors that act here: population parameters, demographic techniques, population growth, species interactions (competition, predation, herbivory, disease), and population regulation. It will include an understanding of organism distribution and the factors that act here: dispersal, habitat selection, species interactions, and physical factors.

Canada is characterized by its long and harsh winters. Any Canadian plant or animal has evolved one of three basic survival strategies: (1) migration (avoidance), (2) hibernation, and (3) resistance. These evolutionary adaptations are investigated by the example of common organisms from mainly southern Ontario.

An examination of the theory and methodology of community analysis, with an emphasis on the factors regulating the development of communities and ecosystems. The application of ecological theory to environmental problems is emphasized. We will examine the impacts of various factors, such as primary productivity, species interactions, disturbance, variable environments, on community and metacommunity structure, and on ecosystem function. We will also examine the impacts of climate change on the world's ecosystems.

This lecture and tutorial course explores the strategic and operational aspects of zoos and aquariums in conservation. Emphasis is on contemporary issues, including the balance between animal welfare and species conservation; nutrition, health and behavioural enrichment for captive animals; in situ conservation by zoos and aquariums; captive breeding and species reintroductions; and public outreach/education.

A lecture and tutorial course offering an introduction to the scientific foundation and practice of conservation biology. It reviews ecological and genetic concepts constituting the basis for conservation including patterns and causes of global biodiversity, the intrinsic and extrinsic value of biodiversity, the main causes of the worldwide decline of biodiversity and the approaches to save it, as well as the impacts of global climate change.

An introduction to the scientific study of the effects of toxic chemicals on biological organisms. Standard methods of assessing toxicant effects on individuals, populations, and communities are discussed. Special emphasis is placed on the chemistry of major toxicant classes, and on how toxicants are processed by the human body.

Research and practice in the sciences often rests on the unquestioned assertion of impartial analyses of facts. This course will take a data-informed approach to understanding how human biases can, and have, affected progress in the sciences in general, and in biology in particular. Case studies may include reviews of how science has been used to justify or sustain racism, colonialism, slavery, and the exploitation of marginalized groups. Links will be drawn to contemporary societal challenges and practices. Topics will include how biases can shape science in terms of those doing the research, the questions under study, and the types of knowledge that inform practice and teaching. Data on bias and societal costs of bias will be reviewed, as well as evidence-informed practices, structures, and individual actions which could ensure that science disrupts, rather than enables, social inequities.