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Department of Biology
R. Aramayo, K. J. Aufderheide, D. Bell-Pedersen,
L. Campbell, N. Caris-Underwood, V. M. Cassone (Head), S.Datta,
D. J. Earnest, J. W. Erickson, L. R. Garcia, J. W. Golden, S.
S. Golden, I. F.Greenbaum, L.R.Griffing, L. A. Guarino, T. C.
Hall, D. E. Harper, Jr., A. K. H. Holzenburg, R. L. Honeycutt,
J. E. Kanz, W. M. Kemp, A. C. Lekven, D. S. MacKenzie, J. R.
Manhart, M. D. Manson, T. D. McKnight, D. M. Mueller, Jr., C.
O. Patterson, A. E. Pepper, B. B. Riley, P.J.Rizzo, H. W. Sauer,
G. L. Schroeter, D. A. Siegele, E. M. C. Skoulakis, M.D.Summers,
T. L. Thomas, M. K. Wicksten, H. D. Wilson, J. Xiong, P. A. Youderian,
R. F. Young, M. J. Zoran*
Resources for Graduate Study
The Department
of Biology offers graduate programs designed to prepare
students for careers in academic institutions, government agencies
and industry. The Biological Sciences Complex is centrally
located on the campus of Texas A&M University. Graduate
research is emphasized in over 50 laboratories that contain
modern and sophisticated instrumentation for cellular,
molecular, organismal and ecological studies. These laboratories
provide
opportunities for a broad spectrum of research specializations.
The Electron Microscopy Center, animal care facilities
and a state-of-the-art DNA sequencing laboratory are among
the
many facilities housed in the Biological Sciences Complex.
The Department of Biology faculty
has research interests which interface with those of faculty
in the Colleges of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Geosciences,
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. Biology faculty participate
in interdisciplinary programs in biological clocks, filamentous
fungi, genetics, genomics, neuroscience and plant sciences.
Cooperation is encouraged to broaden the research experience
of graduate students.
Areas of Specialization in Graduate Research
PhD and MS degrees are offered in
Biology, Botany, Microbiology and Zoology. General areas of
research interests within these degrees include:
Cellular and Developmental Biology
Plant protoplast and tissue culture,
transformation and regeneration; molecular biology and genetics
of development and differentiation; nuclear organization; developmental
neurobiology; cell surface interactions; physiology of photosynthesis.
Evolutionary Biology
Modern and classical approaches
to plant and animal systematics and evolution; genomic and
biochemical evolution; cytogenetics.
Molecular Biology
DNA and RNA isolation, cloning and
sequencing; gene isolation, characterization, transfer and
expression; bacterial and phage genetics; molecular processes
of differentiation and embryogenesis; molecular microbiology
and virology; genomics and informatics.
Organismal Biology
Comparative endocrinology and physiology;
neurobiology; invertebrate ecology and ethology; marine biology;
biological clocks.
Entrance Requirements
Course work
taken at the baccalaureate level normally must include
mathematics through calculus, statistics, chemistry including
organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics, genetics and
adequate preparation in a biological science. Any remedial
work will be in addition to the semester hours required
for the degree. Graduate admissions decisions are based
on students' academic record, research experience, letters
of recommendation, GRE scores (verbal, quantitative and
analytical) and suitability of students' research interests
for programs in the department. For information about admissions,
contact the Graduate Advisor, Department of Biology or
visit us on the website at www.bio.tamu.edu.
Language Requirement
The Department
of Biology has no foreign language requirement for any
graduate degree program.
Biology
The PhD degree program in Biology
is designed to provide the student with training in cellular,
molecular and developmental biology, and to prepare the student
for a leadership position in academic or industrial research.
The Department of Biology offers a broad spectrum of research
opportunities including plant molecular biology, molecular
and cell biology of differentiation and development, gene
structure and regulation in eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms
and their viruses, and cell structure and function. Students
obtaining a degree in biology may also work closely with
faculty in biochemistry, entomology, genetics, plant physiology,
medicine and veterinary medicine.
Biology PhD students must demonstrate
competence in their specific area of research and are expected
to develop proficiency in four of the following seven areas
at the time of the preliminary examination: biochemistry,
cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, microbiology,
computational/mathematical biology and molecular biology.
An MS student must demonstrate competence in at least three
of the above seven areas at the time of the final examination.
(BIOL)
601. Biological Clocks.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Introduction to the formal
properties of biological rhythms; cellular and molecular
bases for rhythmicity; temporal adaptations of organisms
using clocks. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or
approval of instructor.
602. Transmission Electron
Microscopy. (3-6). Credit 5.
Methods
of studying biological material with the transmission
electron microscope, fixation, ultra-microtomy, cytochemistry,
replica and shadowing, and other biological related procedures.
Prerequisite: Approval of instructor received one month
prior to registration.
611. Molecular Biology
of Differentiation and Development. (3-0). Credit 3.
Major paradigms of eukaryotic
gene regulation in terms of the role of gene expression
during ontogeny and the effect of dysfunction in these
processes on the neoplastic state.
617. Cell Biology. Credit
1 to 5.
Structure and function of
eukaryotic cells discussed on a comparative basis to seek
out basic organization of complex cells and their parts.
Prerequisite: BIOL 413 or approval of instructor. Cross-listed
with VAPH 617.
644. Neural Development.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Classical and current research
literature to explore the major events in the development
of a nervous system, including topics ranging from neurogenesis
to synapse information. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
650. Genomics. (2-0).
Credit 2.
Modern genomics as a tool
for understanding biological systems; review of gene structure
and organization and the history of sequencing technologies;
focus on transcriptional, translational and functional
genomics. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval
of instructor.
670. The Cell Cycle. (1-0).
Credit 1.
Discussion of current cell
cycle research, a universal principle of molecular, cellular
and developmental biology, and of the causation of cancer
and aging. Prerequisite: BIOL 413 or approval of instructor.
672. Molecular Biology
of Photosynthesis. (5-0). Credit 1.
Structure, function and regulation
of the photosynthetic apparatus of a variety of photosynthetic
systems, including plant chloroplasts, cyanobacteria, and
purple and green photosynthetic bacteria; emphasis on regulation
of expression of genes that encode photosynthetic membrane
components. Prerequisite: BICH 631.
674. Cellular and Molecular
Aspects of Development. (3-0). Credit 3.
Mechanisms of development
at the cellular and molecular levels; gene regulation during
embryogenesis; tissue interactions in relation to morphogenesis
and differentiation, and pattern formation; emphasis on
eukaryotic systems. Prerequisite: BIOL 413 or 414 or equivalent.
681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit
1.
Detailed reports on specific
topics in field chosen. Students may register in up to
but no more than three sections of this course in the same
semester.
682. Research Seminar.
(1-0). Credit 1.
Seminars presented by students
based upon their research projects. Prerequisite: Graduate
classification.
685. Directed Studies.
Credit 1 to 6 each semester.
Limited investigations in
fields other than those chosen for thesis or dissertation.
689. Special Topics in...
Credit 1 to 4.
Selected topics in an identified
area of biology.
691. Research. Credit
1 or more each semester.
Research for thesis or dissertation.
697. Methods in Teaching
Biology Laboratory. (1-0). Credit 1.
Introduction to teaching methods
associated with the teaching of undergraduate biology laboratories;
emphasis on effective preparation and delivery of laboratory
course content, clear instructions for procedures and laboratory
safety. Prerequisite: Graduate classification in a biological
science.
Other related graduate courses
offered by the Department of Biology that may be of interest
to biology students include MICR 614 Microbial Development
and MICR 689 Special Topics in...
Botany
The aims of a PhD degree program
in Botany are to train the student to do original and imaginative
research in the botanical sciences, to develop the student's
ability to expertly judge current research, and to provide
experience and training in the presentation and publication
of scientific findings. The Department of Biology offers
the opportunity for research in plant cell and molecular
biology, organismal plant biology, and plant systematics
and evolution. Association with other departments could emphasize
various aspects of plant science, such as physiology, genetics,
pathology, horticulture, crops and forestry.
Botany PhD students must demonstrate
competence in their specific area of research and are expected
to develop proficiency in four of the following seven areas:
biochemistry/molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, physiology,
structure/development, computational/mathematical biology
and systematics. In addition, the candidate should have a
sufficient depth-of-knowledge of the organism or system used
in the dissertation research. An MS student must demonstrate
competence in at least three of the above seven areas at
the time of the final examination.
(BOTN)
620. Field Systematic
Botany. (2-6). Credit 4.
Basic
principles and concepts of seed plant systematics; procedures
of identification, family recognition, terminology, nomenclature,
herbarium techniques, systems of classification and the
taxonomic literature. Prerequisite: BOTN 301 or equivalent
or approval of instructor.
635. Plant Molecular Biology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Molecular aspects of plant
growth, development, reproduction and evolution, emphasizing
the structure, function, regulation, interaction and manipulation
of plant genes; practical applications of plant molecular
biology. Prerequisite: GENE 431.
636. Plant Cell Biology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Biogenesis, structure, function
and interactions of plant cells during development, with
emphasis on current literature and experimental approaches.
Prerequisite: BIOL 430 or 617 or approval of instructor.
685. Directed Studies.
Credit 1 to 6 each semester.
Limited investigations in
fields other than those chosen for thesis or dissertation.
691. Research. Credit
1 or more each semester.
Research for thesis or dissertation.
Other related graduate courses
offered by the Department of Biology that may be of interest
to botany students include BIOL 602 Transmission Electron
Microscopy, BIOL 617 Cell Biology, BIOL 672 Molecular Biology
of Photosynthesis and BIOL or MICR 689 Special Topics in...
Microbiology
The PhD program in Microbiology
is designed to train students in laboratory science, to provide
the factual background necessary for research, and to develop
the critical faculties with which to judge scientific findings.
The Department of Biology offers the opportunity for research
in classical and molecular genetics, biochemistry and physiology
of microorganisms. Opportunities are available for students
wishing to prepare for independent scientific research in
medical, industrial and academic disciplines.
Microbiology PhD students must
demonstrate competence in their specific area of research
and are expected to develop proficiency in at least four
of the following broad areas: biochemistry/physiology, cell
biology, genetics, microbiology/immunology, molecular biology,
developmental biology and computational/mathematical biology.
An MS student must demonstrate competence in at least three
of the above seven areas at the time of the final examination.
(MICR)
606. Microbial Genetics.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Basic
understanding of microbial genetic systems and how genetic
analyses can be used to investigate fundamental biological
processes in microbes. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.
614. Microbial Development.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Cellular differentiation and
morphogenesis as it occurs in bacteria and unicellular
eucaryotes; molecular, cellular and genetic approaches
to understanding microbial development presented through
an examination of classical papers and today's research
literature. Prerequisites: BICH 410 and 411 or GENE 431.
620. Mechanisms of Transcription
Initiation. (3-0). Credit 3.
Molecular mechanisms of transcription
in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, with an emphasis on prokaryotic
systems; scientific papers will provide the basis for class
discussion. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
624. Fungal Genetics.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Development of classical and
modern genetic approaches in Fungi; genetic approaches
to understanding basic biological processes including gene
regulation, cell-cell interactions and cellular organization.
Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit
1.
Detailed reports on specific
topics in field chosen. Students may register in up to
but no more than three sections of this course in the same
semester.
685. Directed Studies.
Credit 1 to 6 each semester.
Limited investigations in
fields other than those chosen for thesis or dissertation.
689. Special Topics in...
Credit 1 to 4.
Selected topics in an identified
area of microbiology.
691. Research. Credit
1 or more each semester.
Research for thesis or dissertation.
Other related graduate courses
offered by the Department of Biology that may be of interest
to microbiology students include BIOL 602 Transmission
Electron Microscopy, BIOL 617 Cell Biology and BIOL 689
Special Topics in...
Zoology
The aims of a PhD degree in Zoology
are to train the student to do original and significant research
in zoological science, to develop a broad understanding of
the zoological literature, and to provide experience and
training in the presentation and publication of scientific
findings. The Department of Biology offers special opportunities
for animal research in several zoological subdisciplines.
In addition, the broad range of biological sciences represented
on campus permit collaborative programs in such areas as
medicine, veterinary medicine, oceanography, and wildlife
and fisheries sciences.
Zoology PhD students must demonstrate
competence in their specific area of research and are expected
to develop proficiency in four of the following six areas:
evolution/systematics, ecology/behavior, physiology/anatomy,
biological mathematics, genetics/development and cellular/molecular
biology. In addition, the student should have a thorough
depth-of-knowledge of the organism or system used in the
dissertation research. An MS student must demonstrate competence
in at least three of the above six areas at the time of final
examination.
(ZOOL)
605. Principles and Methods
of Systematic Biology. (3-3). Credit 4.
Evolutionary
theory, sub-specific variation, speciation and phylogeny;
evolutionary, cladistical and numerical taxonomy, methods
and rules used in viral, bacteriological, botanical and
zoological classification. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
606. Terrestrial Ecosystems.
(3-3). Credit 4.
Population and community structure
and function in organization of terrestrial ecosystems,
the worldwide pattern of major terrestrial ecosystems.
Representative ecosystems studied in the field. Prerequisite:
BIOL 357 or equivalent.
634. Comparative Neurobiology.
(3-0). Credit 3.
Cellular, molecular and systems
neurobiology, together with neuroethology. A comparative
approach to subject matter is stressed. Topics such as
evolution of nervous systems and their diverse structure
and complex functions are dealt with.
649. Comparative Endocrinology.
(3-3). Credit 4.
Function of endocrine glands
and hormonal regulatory systems in different animal groups,
vertebrates and invertebrates; mechanisms of action of
hormones at the cellular and molecular level; recent experimental
advances in endocrinological research; isolation, purification
and assay of certain hormones. Prerequisite: Course in
physiology, BICH 410 or equivalent, or approval of instructor.
653. Zoogeography. (3-0).
Credit 3.
Evolutionary, geological and
ecological interpretations of the present and past distributions
of terrestrial, freshwater and marine organisms.
654. Field Zoogeography.
(0-3). Credit 1.
An optional laboratory designed
to accompany ZOOL 653, Zoogeography; field studies of ecological,
geological and systematic processes which govern the geographical
distribution of animals and the formation of biogeographical
provinces. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.
663. Biology of the Crustacea.
(3-3). Credit 4.
Classification, life history,
morphology, physiology, ecology, diseases, parasites and
predators of crustaceans; economic aspects of crustaceans;
original literature emphasized. Prerequisite: ZOOL 335
or equivalent, or approval of instructor.
665. Biology of Invertebrates.
(3-3). Credit 4.
Morphology, biology and phylogeny
of invertebrates. Topics may be either detailed discussions
of specific organisms or comparative information on a process.
Prerequisite: ZOOL 335 or equivalent.
667. Biology of Marine
Annelida. (3-3). Credit 4.
Survey of marine annelids
including their physiology, reproduction; emphasis on morphology
and taxonomy of polychaetous annelids to enable students
to more rapidly and accurately analyze benthic assemblage
data. Prerequisites: ZOOL 335 or equivalent; approval of
instructor.
681. Seminar. (1-0). Credit
1.
Detailed reports on specific
topics in field chosen. Students may register in up to
but no more than three sections of this course in the same
semester.
685. Directed Studies.
Credit 1 to 6 each semester.
Limited investigations in
fields other than those chosen for thesis or dissertation.
691. Research. Credit
1 or more each semester.
Research for thesis or dissertation.
Other related graduate courses
offered by the Department of Biology that may be of interest
to zoology students include BIOL 674 Cellular and Molecular
Aspects of Development and BIOL 689 Special Topics in...
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