This is an archive. See the current website at www.ssp.harvard.edu.

Biology

Not all courses are available to SSP students. For example, some courses are offered only for graduate credit. Note especially any listed prerequisites.

Related Course

BIOL S-1ab Introductory Biology (30607)
(Print version)
William Fixsen
(8 credits: UN) M-F 10 am-noon, Science Center, Hall C. Eight-week session. Required laboratories T,Th or W,F 1-4 pm. Tuition $4,550.
Harvard College students see additional information.

The principles of biology are covered in this course, with special reference to the structural, functional, and molecular mechanisms and organization of cells; genetics; development; evolution; anatomy; and physiology. Emphasis is on cells as evolved systems for the capture and transformation of energy and the processing of information, the evolution of multicellularity, and the continued interplay of structure and function at the organ level. This course fulfills the requirement of two semesters of biology needed for admission to medical school. Prerequisites: Secondary school introductory courses in biology and chemistry.

BIOL S-21 Comparative Functional Anatomy of the Vertebrates (31314)
(Syllabus) (Print version)
Karel F. Liem
(4 credits: UN, NC) M,W 6-8:30 pm, Science Center, Room 309. Eight-week session. Required laboratories Th 6-8:30 pm. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.

This course presents a functional perspective of comparative vertebrate anatomy. Lectures concentrate on the important evolutionary transformations of selected organ systems and their functional meaning during the diversification of the major groups of vertebrates. Laboratory exercises involve dissections of representative vertebrates and some laboratory demonstrations. Even though this course provides the essential foundation for biologists in general, it is especially appropriate for entry into professional schools and programs. Prerequisite: BIOL S-1ab or the equivalent, or permission of the instructor.

BIOL S-74 Marine Biology (31972)
(Print version)
Ron J. Etter
(4 credits: UN, NC) T,Th 12:30-3 pm, Science Center, Room 418C. Eight-week session. Required sections W 9 am-noon. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.

This is a general overview of marine biology designed to introduce students to the biology, ecology, and physiology of marine organisms. Topics include the effects of currents, tides, and waves on marine organisms; the diversity and ecology of the major groups of organisms inhabiting the seas, including plants, invertebrates, fish, and mammals; the ecology of the major oceanic biomes such as coral reefs, the deep sea, and the intertidal zone; contemporary research in marine biology; the use of underwater habitats and submersibles in underwater research; and problems of marine pollution. Students participate in weekly laboratory sessions, working with live material and field trips to the Marine Science Center and the New England Aquarium. Prerequisite: BIOL S-1ab or the equivalent.

BIOL S-77 Principles of Genetics (30046)
(Syllabus) (Print version)
Steven Theroux
(4 credits: UN, NC) M,W 12:30-3 pm, Science Center, Hall E. Eight-week session. Optional sections M,W 3-4 pm. Tuition $2,275.
Harvard College students see additional information.

This course focuses on the fundamentals of transmission and molecular genetics. Topics include chromosome structure and replication, genetic linkage and mapping, regulation of gene expression, genetic mutation, and the principles of genetic engineering. Pertinent applications to modern biological problems also are discussed. Prerequisite: BIOL S-1ab or the equivalent.

BIOL S-80 Neurobiology (30017)
(Website) (Print version)
Shawn Murphy
(4 credits: UN, NC) M,W 6-8:30 pm, Harvard Hall, Room 104. Eight-week session. Optional sections to be arranged. Tuition $2,275.
Harvard College students see additional information. Online and on-campus options. See Distance Education.

This course is an introduction to the organization and function of the nervous system. Topics to be covered include cell biology of neurons, physiology of excitable membranes and electrical signaling, neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, sensory systems, motor systems, developmental neurobiology, simple circuits, and behavior. We discuss the molecular basis of neurodegenerative and neuropsychological disease. Prerequisite: Introductory biology course or permission of the instructor.

BIOL S-98r Study Abroad: Supervised Research
Limited enrollment.

Section 1 (32102) (Print version)
Takao K. Hensch, Japan (RIKEN Brain Science Institute). June 10-August 19. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

Section 2 (32162) (Print version)
Robert A. Lue, Bonn, Germany. June 3-August 5. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-100c Principles of Biochemistry (31815)
(Syllabus) (Print version)
Alain Viel
(4 credits: UN, GR, NC) T,Th 6-9 pm, Science Center, Hall A. Eight-week session. Required laboratories to be arranged. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.

This course is an integrated introduction to the structure of macromolecules and a biochemical approach to protein function. The organization of macromolecules is addressed through a discussion of their hierarchical structure, and a study of their assembly into complexes responsible for specific biological processes. Topics addressing protein function include enzyme kinetics, the characterization of major metabolic pathways and their interconnection into tightly regulated networks. Current laboratory techniques are discussed during lecture, and examples showing the organization of protein networks, and disease-linked protein profiles are drawn from proteomic studies. The laboratory portion of the course exposes students to a broad range of experimental approaches, including affinity purification, enzyme kinetics, analysis of protein folding, and stability. The laboratory exercises are designed to give students a direct experience of research conducted in a modern laboratory.

BIOL S-105 Biodiversity of Tropical Plants (31804)
(Print version)
P. Barry Tomlinson
(4 credits: UN, GR) Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
This course meets June 11-July 6 at the Kampong of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Coconut Grove, Florida. Application and payment deadline, May 15. Harvard College students see additional information.

The course is directed toward students already enrolled or about to be enrolled in a graduate program and introduces the diversity of tropical plant types within a biological and systematic framework. Study is based on the living collections of The Kampong and supplemented by those at other South Florida institutions (Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Miami, and the Montgomery Botanical Center, Coral Gables), together with plants in natural environments (Biscayne Bay and the Everglades National Park). This is a teaching resource of some 10,000 species representing all tropical groups.

The work involves classroom and laboratory demonstration in a systematic framework but with emphasis on morphology and anatomy together with outdoor presentations and excursions. The course requires each student to present an individual written research report, as an extension of some of the material studied, to be completed after the return to a home institution. The course is designed to develop an approach to the study of living plants that broadens general understanding of plant biodiversity with emphasis on tropical ecosystems such as wetlands (mangroves, seagrass meadows), pine and hardwood forests, and life forms like epiphytes, lianes, and distinctive tropical groups like palms and cycads.

Accommodations: Provided in an air-conditioned dormitory-type facility at The Kampong.

Application: Students must submit the Harvard Summer School registration form, a $50 nonrefundable application fee, and a supplemental application form (download* form) directly to Professor Tomlinson, The Kampong of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, 4013 Douglas Road, Coconut Grove, FL 33133. Please do not send application materials to the Summer School. Previous coursework in introductory biology at the undergraduate level is preferred. Supplemental applications will be available online soon.

Cost: In addition to tuition, students are responsible for room and board and for travel to and from Miami. Partial tuition and travel scholarships may be available for eligible students.

For more information about the course and scholarship options, please contact Professor Tomlinson, pbtomlin@fas.harvard.edu.

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BIOL S-110 Principles and Techniques of Molecular Biology (31200)
(Syllabus) (Print version)
Alain Viel and Robert A. Lue
(4 credits: UN, GR, NC) M,W 6-9 pm, Science Center, Hall E. Eight-week session. Required laboratories to be arranged. Tuition $2,275. Limited enrollment.
Harvard College students see additional information.

The course addresses both the fundamental principles and techniques of molecular biology. Students gain an in-depth knowledge of nucleic acid structure, molecular genetics, and the biochemistry of transcription and protein synthesis. Other topics include how mechanisms of gene regulation play a role in retroviral pathogenesis, embryonic development, and the generation of immune diversity. Each lecture directly relates molecular biology to current laboratory techniques. The laboratory portion of the course represents a complete experimental project. A combination of experiments gives students a broad exposure to several important techniques in molecular biology, together with the direct experience of an intensive research project. Experiments include current approaches to mutation analysis, protein interaction assays, and recombinant cDNA cloning by PCR. Prerequisite: BIOL S-1ab or the equivalent introductory biology course with laboratory, or permission of the instructors.

BIOL S-112 Study Abroad at Oxford: Darwin and the Origins of Evolutionary Biology (31867)
(Print version)
Naomi Pierce and Andrew Berry
Limited enrollment.
July 14-August 18. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-113 Study Abroad at Oxford: Darwin and Contemporary Evolutionary Biology (31868)
(Print version)
Naomi Pierce and Andrew Berry
Limited enrollment.
July 14-August 18. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-114 From Egg to Embryo to Organ (32151)
(Print version)
Andrew P. McMahon
(4 credits: UN, GR, NC) Short session II. Tuition $2,275.
Harvard College students see additional information.

*** BIOL S-114 has been CANCELED.***
The last two decades have witnessed extraordinary advances in our understanding of the developmental programs that generate different forms of complex life. We discuss key experiments that shed light on the molecular and cellular principles underpinning animal development, and repair and regeneration in the adult. Prerequisites: Advanced placement biology or introductory college-level biology, with some exposure to molecular and cellular biology.

BIOL S-140 Study Abroad in Japan (RIKEN): Brain Science—Mystery and Mission (32103)
(Print version)
Takao K. Hensch
Limited enrollment.
June 10-August 19. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-158 Study Abroad in the Dominican Republic: An Integrated Approach to Understanding the Biodiversity of the Americas (31954)
(Print version)

July 2-August 3. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

*** BIOL S-158 has been CANCELED.***
See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-165 Study Abroad in Malaysia: The Biodiversity of Borneo (32086)
(Print version)
Campbell Webb
Limited enrollment.
July 23-August 26. Study abroad programs are restricted to students 18 years of age or older.

See Study Abroad for more information.

BIOL S-169c Introduction to Immunology (30016)
(Print version)
Jeffrey Lyczak
(4 credits: UN, GR, NC) T,Th 6-8:30 pm, Science Center, Hall D. Eight-week session. Required sections for graduate-credit students T,Th 4:30-5:30 pm beginning Thursday, June 28. Tuition $2,275.
Harvard College students see additional information.

This course focuses on the molecular and cellular biology of the immune system, including the structure, function, and genetics of the major molecules needed to elicit an immune response. Emphasis is on the interactions among cell-surface structures and extracellular molecules leading to an immune response, and the manner by which antibodies and immune cells protect an individual against infection and harmful foreign materials. Prerequisites: Basic biology and chemistry, including biochemistry.

BIOL S-172 Biological Perspectives on HIV and AIDS (31099)
(Print version)
Robert A. Lue
(4 credits: UN, GR, NC) T,Th 6-8:30 pm, Science Center, Hall E. Eight-week session. Required sections Th 4:30-5:30 pm. Tuition $2,275.
Harvard College students see additional information.

Conservative estimates indicate that more than 60 million men, women, and children worldwide have been infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic. It is expected that the vast majority of these people will go on to develop AIDS and become part of the most serious medical crisis in recorded history. This course examines the molecular biology of both the virus and the immune system that it destroys. The history of the disease also is traced and compared to current theories of HIV transmission, clinical testing, and the potential for effective therapies and vaccines. The biology of the virus is related at each step to issues of public policy and human behavior. Prerequisite: BIOL S-1ab or the equivalent introductory biology course.

 



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