Information found in this online edition of the 2008-09 catalog is unofficial and for informational purposes only. By authority of the dean of the College, some factual corrections to the printed version may appear here. The official document of record is the printed edition of the 2008-09 Catalog. For more information, please contact the Office of the Registrar.
Biology
Chair: Kenneth E. Clifton
Biologists examine life on our planet from many different perspectives, from molecules to ecosystems. At Lewis & Clark, students explore the many facets of biological science through a diverse and innovative curriculum that encourages original thinking and provides hands-on experience at all levels of biological inquiry. From their first course, biology majors are immersed in the process of discovery, developing the skills of logical problem-solving and rigorous methodology that characterize modern scientific investigation. Students are not only introduced to facts, but to the theoretical underpinnings that define a particular topic and its relevance in today's world. Thus, graduates leave the program prepared for a variety of careers. Some pursue graduate studies and go on to become researchers, teachers, or health professionals. Others enter careers in law, journalism, education, or business. The concern of many majors for the health of our planet leads them to environmental careers in academia or with governmental agencies, businesses, or private foundations.
The faculty in the Department of Biology believe strongly in the value of learning through experience, and most courses include laboratory sections that support students as they develop their own investigations.
Students are encouraged to spend at least one summer gaining research experience, either by working with a Lewis & Clark faculty member or through one of the many available research internship programs at laboratories and field stations throughout the country.
The Major Program
The biology curriculum at Lewis & Clark is built around a core of three investigative courses, each of which offers an opportunity for students to learn in depth about one important way in which biologists study living organisms. These three courses focus on ecology and environmental science, genetics and evolutionary biology, and cellular and molecular biology. By delving in depth into particular subdisciplines of biology, students can pose and answer questions about living systems--begin to function as biologists--very early in their college careers. In addition to the core courses in biology, majors are expected to complete at least a year's study of chemistry and a college-level course in calculus, computer science, or statistics because biology draws on the techniques and knowledge from these other scientific disciplines. Students complete the major by choosing, with the help of their faculty advisors, the upper-division courses in biology that best serve their personal interests.
Major Requirements
A minimum of 43 semester credits in biology, plus courses in chemistry and mathematics, distributed as follows:
- Biology 141, 151, and 200.
- Six additional courses, at least four of which must have a laboratory component, at least four of which must be at the 300 or 400 level, and at least four of which must be taken at Lewis & Clark. One of the lab courses may be the senior thesis or Chemistry 330 and 336, or 335 and 336. Chemistry 330 may be substituted for one of the nonlab biology courses toward meeting this requirement.
- Chemistry 110 and 120.
- Mathematics 131, Computer Science 171, Psychology 200, or Mathematics 255.
Note: Majors are strongly encouraged to take additional courses in chemistry, mathematics and computer science, and physics.
Special Programs
Biology majors may participate in research programs with biology faculty at Lewis & Clark or with research professionals at other local institutions. These opportunities are available to students who have a strong academic record. Two semester credits may be earned as a practicum (Biology 244) if the student works under the close guidance of a faculty member; up to 4 hours per semester may be earned for independent study (Biology 499) if the student has sufficient familiarity with research to work fairly independently on the design, execution, and interpretation of experiments.
For students with interests linking biology with other disciplines, two interdisciplinary majors are available: in biochemistry/molecular biology and in environmental studies. Both programs are described elsewhere in this catalog.
Honors
Biology majors who have distinguished themselves academically (GPA of at least 3.500 in the major and overall) are eligible to participate in the honors program. In the spring of their junior year, students work with a faculty advisor to develop a research proposal, which must be approved by the department. Students carry out the experimental work in their senior year, preparing a written thesis and an oral presentation for the faculty during spring semester. The senior thesis may be used as one of the six upper-division biology courses required for the major. Students who maintain a GPA of at least 3.500 and who complete the program successfully in the judgment of the department faculty receive honors in biology on graduation.
Resources For Nonmajors
Students majoring in other subjects may enroll in Biology 100, which has no prerequisites. This course is designed to meet the General Education requirement for a laboratory science. Nonmajors may also take other biology courses for which they have met the appropriate prerequisites, but priority for enrollment in these courses is given to prospective biology, environmental studies, or biochemistry and molecular biology majors and pre–health professions students.
Facilities
Biology department resources include a fully equipped scanning electron microscope, a greenhouse, and an animal physiology laboratory. Molecular biology laboratories are equipped for gene cloning, polymerase chain reaction, tissue culture, fluorescence microscopy, and protein separation. Natural areas near campus such as Tryon Creek State Park offer convenient sites for field studies.
Faculty And Staff
Kellar Autumn, professor. Physiology, biomechanics, evolution of animal locomotion.
Paulette F. Bierzychudek, William Swindells Sr. Professor of Natural Sciences. Evolution, ecology, conservation biology, especially of plants.
Greta J. Binford, assistant professor. Invertebrate zoology, biodiversity, evolution of spider venoms.
Kenneth E. Clifton, associate professor. Animal behavior, marine biology, ecology of coral reefs.
Greg J. Hermann, associate professor. Developmental genetics and cell biology.
Peter Gault Kennedy, assistant professor. Relationships of plants and fungi.
Deborah E. Lycan, professor. Molecular biology, cell biology, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotic cells, yeast genetics.
Wendy McLennan, instructor and laboratory coordinator.
C. Gary Reiness, professor. Cell biology, neurobiology, development of the vertebrate nervous system.
BIO 100 Perspectives In Biology
Staff
Content: For nonmajors. Selected current topics in biology used to illustrate the strengths and limitations of the process of science and the approaches biologists use to learn about living organisms. Emphasis changes from semester to semester, reflecting the expertise and interests of the faculty member teaching the course. For further information consult the appropriate faculty member before registration. Lecture and laboratory. May not be applied toward the biology major.
Prerequisite: None.
Taught: Each semester, 4 semester credits.
BIO 115 Explorations In Regional Biology
Staff
Content: For nonmajors. Offered in association with selected overseas programs. Selected biological principles using biomes and species native to the geographical location of the program. Emphasis on ecology and behavior of living organisms. Classroom and considerable field experience. Specific content varies from program to program; details available from Office of Overseas and Off-Campus Programs. May not be applied toward the biology major.
Prerequisite: None.
Taught: On Australia and Kenya study programs, 4 semester credits.
BIO 141 Investigations In Ecology And Environmental Science
Bierzychudek, Clifton, Kennedy
Content: An introduction to principles underlying the distribution and abundance of species. Examination of how these principles can inform understanding of issues like overpopulation, climate change, invasive species, pollution, species extinction. Introduction to the methods of scientific investigation through laboratory and field studies that describe ecological phenomena and test hypotheses. Lecture and laboratory.
Note: This course is part of the biology department's core curriculum and is intended for biology majors, potential biology majors, and environmental studies majors. The curriculum is challenging and requires a significant time commitment. Therefore, nonmajors are encouraged to fulfill their general education requirements by enrolling in one of the perspectives courses in the natural sciences.
Prerequisite: Mathematics 055.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 151 Investigations In Genetics And Evolutionary Biology
Autumn, Binford, Reiness
Content: For majors. Introduction to the fundamental principles of Mendelian genetics, population genetics, and evolution. Principles of genetic analysis in eukaryotes, including introduction to gene function, mutations, and the origin of variability in populations. Overview of evolutionary processes. Laboratory focus on genetic projects. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: Mathematics 055.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 200 Investigations In Cell And Molecular Biology
Hermann, Lycan
Content: Introduction to the biochemistry and molecular biology of cells. Structure and function of biomolecules. Introduction to metabolism and photosynthesis in the context of the cell structures in which these processes occur. Introduction to gene expression and protein localization in the context of genetically modified foods and HIV infection. Project-based laboratories on enzyme kinetics, molecular cloning, and cell structure introduce students to experimental design and data analysis in these areas.
Prerequisites: Biology 151 (may be taken concurrently). Chemistry 110.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 210 General Botany
Staff
Content: Survey of the diversity of the plant kingdom, with an emphasis on vascular plants. Introduction to the structure, development, physiology, and life histories of plants. Examples of current botanical research. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: Biology 151 or 200.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 211 Land Vertebrates
Clifton
Content: Studies of terrestrial vertebrate diversity. Ecological and evolutionary processes that promote and maintain patterns of form, function, and behavior of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. Lecture, discussion, laboratory; field trips to explore local patterns of diversity in natural settings.
Prerequisites: Biology 141 and 151. Mathematics 115 or equivalent.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 212 Invertebrate Zoology
Binford
Content: Survey of the diversity of invertebrates, with emphasis on the arthropods. Introduction to their structure, development, behavior, natural history, and evolutionary relationships. Lecture, discussion, laboratory, field trips.
Prerequisites: Biology 141 and 151.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 221 Marine Biology
Clifton
Content: Physical, chemical, and biological processes that promote and maintain marine biodiversity. Ecological and evolutionary mechanisms at work within marine environments, with emphasis on natural selection processes that produce specific physiological adaptations, body types, and behavioral strategies. Lecture, discussion, laboratory; field trips to coastal habitats.
Prerequisites: Biology 141 and 151. Mathematics 115 or equivalent. Chemistry 110.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 244 Practicum
Staff
Content: Supervised practical experience in lab and/or field techniques at Lewis & Clark or another Portland-area institution. Consult department faculty for further information.
Prerequisite: Consent of supervising faculty member.
Taught: Annually, 2 semester credits, credit-no credit.
BIO 311 Molecular Biology
Lycan
Content: Advanced study of the structure and function of genes. Detailed analysis of the regulation of gene expression in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, with emphasis on the molecular mechanisms underlying such biological problems as iron homeostasis, HIV infection, and sex determination. Discussions of original research papers focus on experimental design and data analysis.
Prerequisites: Biology 151. Biology 200 or consent of instructor. Chemistry 120. Concurrent enrollment in Biology 312.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
BIO 312 Molecular Biology Lab
Lycan
Content: Introduction to molecular cloning techniques, including the polymerase chain reaction, plasmid construction, transformation, and DNA sequence analysis. Students carry out a semester-long project using these techniques to construct an expression vector that is used to answer studentgenerated questions.
Prerequisites: Biology 151. Biology 200 or consent of instructor. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Annually, 2 semester credits.
BIO 320 Human Genes And Disease
Lycan
Content: An investigation of the molecular and cellular basis of various genetic diseases, the role of genes in disease, how mutations arise, and approaches to therapy. Ethical issues surrounding gene therapy and DNA diagnostics. Lectures, discussion of papers from the primary literature, and seminars by visiting scientists. Students develop and present an oral seminar on a disease of their choice.
Prerequisite: Biology 151, 200, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
BIO 335 Ecology
Bierzychudek
Content: Study of the interactions between organisms and their physical and biological environment. Ecology of populations, communities, and ecosystems, theoretical and empirical approaches. Through reading original literature and designing their own studies, students learn to conduct ecological studies and interpret results. Applications of ecological principles to conservation issues and other environmental problems. Lecture and laboratory; weekend field trips.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Mathematics 131, Computer Science 171, Psychology 200, or Mathematics 255. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 337 Environmental Physiology
Autumn
Content: How major environmental parameters such as respiratory gases, pressure, temperature, and radiation have influenced short-term (acclimatization) and long-term (evolutionary) alterations in the physiology of animals. Lecture only.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
BIO 338 Environmental Physiology Lab
Autumn
Content: Introduction to experimental methods in environmental physiology and the scientific process. Students work on open-ended experiments using modern transducers and computer data acquisition, develop strong science writing skills by producing two short scientific papers, and present results of an independent project at an in-class symposium.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Chemistry 120. Concurrent enrollment in Biology 337.
Taught: Alternate years, 1 semester credit.
BIO 343 Microbiology
Kennedy
Content: The biology of microbial organisms, particularly bacteria and fungi. Emphasis on key aspects of microbial life, including growth and physiology, reproduction and dispersal, and interactions with the environment and other organisms. Laboratory focus on using a variety of cultivation methods and molecular-based techniques to assess microbial diversity.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 352 Animal Behavior
Clifton
Content: Study of animal behavior, from insects to marine mammals. How and why animals behave as they do. Focus on the adaptiveness of animal behavior using a strong ecological and evolutionary theme. Methods and results associated with animal behavior studies. Lecture, readings in original literature, laboratory, field trips.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Mathematics 131, Computer Science 171, Psychology 200, or Mathematics 255. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 361 Cell Biology
Hermann, Reiness
Content: Application of the techniques of biochemistry, microscopy, genetics, and molecular biology to the study of cell structure, function, and physiology. Membrane structure and function, signal transduction, protein and organelle traffic within cells, cell growth, division, and death. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisites: Biology 151. Biology 200 or consent of instructor. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 375 Comparative Physiology
Autumn
Content: How different kinds of animals work and why they have evolved to work the way they do. Body size, metabolism, muscle, respiration, cardiovascular function, acid-base balance, temperature, osmoregulation. Common physiological principles that transcend differences in evolutionary history. Physiological adaptations to environmental challenges. Constraints on physiological evolution. Emphasis on recent experimental discoveries and unanswered questions. Intended for biology, biochemistry, and environmental studies majors. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisite: Biology 141, 151, 200, or consent of instructor. Mathematics 131 or Computer Science 171 or Physics 141 recommended.
Taught: Annually, 5 semester credits.
BIO 390 Evolution
Bierzychudek, Binford
Content: Study of the mechanisms responsible for evolutionary change and of their results. History of evolutionary thought, evolution of single-gene and quantitative genetic traits, speciation, and molecular evolution. Role of evolutionary ideas in issues such as species conservation, medicine, science-religion "conflicts." Lecture only.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Mathematics 131, Computer Science 171, Psychology 200, or Mathematics 255. Chemistry 120.
Taught: Annually, 4 semester credits.
BIO 408 Phylogenetic Biology
Binford
Content: Advanced study of methods and models of reconstructing patterns of evolutionary history. Use of phylogenies to test hypotheses of evolutionary processes including adaptation, evolutionary constraints, evolutionary rates, biogeography, and coevolution.
Prerequisites: Biology 141, 151, and 200. Biology 390 recommended. Mathematics 131, Computer Science 171, Psychology 200, or Mathematics 255.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 412 Developmental Biology
Hermann
Content: Multidisciplinary study of the process by which multicellular organisms develop from a single fertilized egg. Fertilization, cleavage, gastrulation, early morphogenesis, and organogenesis studied with an emphasis on the molecular, cellular, and genetic mechanisms underlying development. Discussion of current research literature with critical analysis of experimental design and data. Lecture and laboratory. Laboratory focuses on genetic control of development.
Prerequisite: Biology 311 or 361, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 422 Neurobiology
Reiness
Content: Study of the biology of the nervous systems of vertebrates and invertebrates, with emphasis on cellular and molecular approaches. Electrical signaling in excitable cells, the physiology and biochemistry of synaptic transmission, neuropharmacology. The biological bases of learning, memory, and some neurological disorders. Sensory systems and neuronal development. Laboratory focus on student-designed projects. Lecture and laboratory.
Prerequisites: Biology 151 and 200 or 361. Chemistry 120. Physics 142 recommended.
Taught: Alternate years, 5 semester credits.
BIO 462 Immunology
Reiness
Content: Study of the cellular basis of the immune response, with emphasis on biochemical, molecular genetic, and cell biological approaches. Generation of antibody diversity. The functions of B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, and antigen presenting cells. The structure and function of proteins encoded by the Major Histocompatibility Complex. Immunity to infection, autoimmunity, and cancer immunology. Lecture; reading and discussion of original scientific literature.
Prerequisite: Biology 151 and 311 or 361, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years, 4 semester credits.
BIO 490 Special Topics In Biology
Staff
Content: Advanced study of current issues in biology, as determined by student and/or faculty interest. May extend existing areas of the curriculum or explore new subjects.
Prerequisite: Biology 141, 151, 200, or consent of instructor.
Taught: Alternate years (contingent on student interest and faculty availability), 4 semester credits.
BIO 495 Biology Senior Research
Staff
Content: Yearlong field or laboratory research project designed and executed by a student with guidance from two faculty mentors.
Prerequisites: Senior standing. Approval of research proposal by department and two supervising faculty members. Students with a GPA of 3.500 in major and overall will be eligible for honors in biology upon graduation if their thesis is deemed meritorious by the department.
Taught: Annually, 3 semester credits each semester.
BIO 499 Independent Study
Staff
Content: Participation in a faculty-supervised research or individual study project at Lewis & Clark or another research institution. Requires approval of research proposal and a written report. Further information available on biology department website.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
Taught: Each semester, 2-4 semester credits.