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Brown University
42 Charlesfield St. Box T
Providence, RI 02912
Phone: (401) 863-7900
2009 Course Catalog
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Currently Displaying: Biology Courses (34)
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Techniques in DNA-Based Biotechnology (BI901-3A)
Program: Pre-College
The development of powerful tools in molecular biology has led to an explosion in our understanding of genes and the factors controlling their expression. Illuminating research,... (more »)
Introduction to Bio-Medical Science: Cells, Tissues and Organs (BI916-3A)
Program: Pre-College
While some would say "substance over form," in this course the substance IS form: that of the vertebrate body. We will focus on the four tissues that represent the body's building... (more »)
So You Think You Want to Be a Doctor: An Introduction to Medicine (BI903-3A)
Program: Pre-College
So you think you want to be a doctor? This course is designed to help you answer that question by letting you see the practice of medicine firsthand, giving you a taste of what... (more »)
Introduction to Human Physiology (BIOL 0060)
Program: Summer Session Credit
An introduction to human physiology aimed primarily at undergraduates who are not concentrating in biology. Topics include basic cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, gastrointestinal,... (more »)
Scholar-Athlete: Sport Physiology (BI915-1C)
Program: Pre-College
How does an Olympic sprinter run 200 meters in 20 seconds, an elite cyclist ride at 30 miles per hour for over 4 hours or a marathoner run 26 miles in just over 2 hours? The science... (more »)
The Brain: An Introduction to Neuroscience (NEUR 0010)
Program: Summer Session Credit
Introduction to the mammalian nervous system with emphasis on the structure and function of the human brain. Topics include the function of nerve cells, sensory systems, control... (more »)
Brown Environmental Leadership Lab: Field Ecology (ES900-2CL)
Program: Leadership Institute
BELL is a unique outdoor learning laboratory. The courses draw their curricula from many different disciplines: biology, chemistry, geology, environmental studies, leadership theory... (more »)
Brain Basics: From Biology to Behavior (BN900-3B)
Program: Pre-College
The study of the brain as a biological structure is very different from the study of any other organ in the body. The cells that make up the brain, neurons, share many of the... (more »)
Introduction to Biochemistry (BI927-3B)
Program: Pre-College
Proceeding from the foundation laid by basic coursework in biology and chemistry, this course will allow students to view living systems at the cellular and molecular levels. ... (more »)
The Laboratory Detective (BI600-1EB)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
DNA, hair, fibers! These are just a few pieces of evidence that students will collect and analyze during The Laboratory Detective course. Students will begin the week learning... (more »)
Mind and Matter (PL907-1A)
Program: Pre-College
This course will focus on what is known as the mind-body problem, the problem of understanding the relationship between the mind and the brain. Your entire mental life-everything... (more »)
Genetics and Human Behavior (PY906-3B)
Program: Pre-College
The completion of the Human Genome Project may be the most important scientific achievement of our lifetime, but how much can genes tell us about complex human behavior? How much... (more »)
Techniques in DNA-Based Biotechnology (BI901-3B)
Program: Pre-College
The development of powerful tools in molecular biology has led to an explosion in our understanding of genes and the factors controlling their expression. Illuminating research,... (more »)
From Brain to Sensation (BI602-1EA)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
You feel grass under your feet and smell the fragrance of flowers in the air. Hearing birdsong, you look up to see a robin jumping from branch to branch in a nearby tree. How do... (more »)
So You Want to be a Scientist? (SI600-2EA)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
Doctors work to treat diseases but scientists work to understand them. Have you ever wondered about the work that goes on behind the scenes in medicine? Do you want to find out... (more »)
Research Techniques in Biomedical Fields (BI917-3A)
Program: Pre-College
Doctors work to treat diseases but scientists work to cure them. Have you ever wondered about the work that goes on behind the scenes in Medicine? Do you want to find out what... (more »)
Biological Illustration (BI900-1A)
Program: Pre-College
This minicourse will introduce students to the field of Biological Illustration. Employing a range of media, students will learn the protocols of scientific rendering in an intensive... (more »)
The Body: An Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology (BI905-3B)
Program: Pre-College
This course will explore the structure and function of the human body. Lectures will follow a systemic approach, which means that the structure and function of the human body... (more »)
Astrobiology: The Search for Life in the Universe (BI606-1EB)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
Astrobiologists study life in the universe, including the possibility that it exists on other planets. What scientists know about life, they learned from Earth - we study life... (more »)
Understanding the Human Body: An Exploration of Anatomy (BI607-1EB)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
Have you ever wondered how your body does all the things that it does? Our bodies contain 206 bones and over 700 muscles, all coordinated by a central computer called the brain.... (more »)
Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine (PY912-2C)
Program: Pre-College
Did you know that approximately 50% of the fatalities resulting from the ten leading causes of death are preventable? Psychological interventions are increasingly being used along... (more »)
The Secrets of Learning and Memory (BN901-3A)
Program: Pre-College
The most intensely studied topic of brain research has been learning and memory, which has captivated the interest of scientists ever since the processes underlying it were accidentally... (more »)
Engineering Biomedical Systems (BI920-3A)
Program: Pre-College
Human life expectancy has risen dramatically over the last century due to rapid advances in medicine. The progress of medicine, in turn, can be attributed to the increased scientific... (more »)
Stem Cells, Cloning, Regenerative Medicine: Changing the Face of Biology (BI912-3A)
Program: Pre-College
This lecture/laboratory course will introduce students to basic stem cell theory and laboratory techniques. Topics covered in lecture will include embryonic and adult stem cells,... (more »)
Bioethics and Religion (RS902-2A)
Program: Pre-College
This course will explore interactions between contemporary issues in bioethics and religious beliefs and practices. We will consider how religious traditions, both east and west,... (more »)
From Mad Cow Disease to Alzheimer’s: The Biological Basis of Disease (BN902-2B)
Program: Pre-College
The primary focus of this course will be on key diseases that are caused by protein misfolding, including symptoms, cellular physiology, and current methods of treatment for these... (more »)
The Design of the Human Machine (BI608-1EA)
Program: SPARK - Science for Middle School
Human life expectancy has risen dramatically over the last century due to rapid advances in medicine. The progress of medicine, in turn, has resulted from a better understanding... (more »)
The Neuron: Form and Function (BN904-1B)
Program: Pre-College
Why did South American Indians coat the tips of their arrows with a secretion from the backs of tiny yellow frogs? Why is fugu (Japanese for blowfish) one of the most expensive,... (more »)
Exploring Infectious Disease: The Exotic Misconception (BI907-2A)
Program: Pre-College
What is Yellow fever? How has it impacted the United States? Why are so many parasites common only in developing countries? This course explores these questions and more while... (more »)
Nature vs. Nurture: Genes and Environment in Human Biology (BI922-3B)
Program: Pre-College
Why are people born near the equator more likely to be lactose intolerant? How does the legacy of the Irish Potato Famine impact the obesity epidemic today? Why haven’t deadly... (more »)
Children's Thinking (BI911-1B)
Program: Pre-College
What do babies think? What types of knowledge are we born with and what do we need to learn? How does our experience of the world change across development? How is it possible... (more »)
Understanding the Nation's Health (BI910-1C)
Program: Pre-College
What is Public Health? Public health is the latest buzz word in America, and in this one week course, students will develop an overall understanding of public health. From universal... (more »)
Introduction to Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering (BI902-1A)
Program: Pre-College
This one week course will serve as an introduction to stem cells and current stem cell research. We will examine current progress in the stem cell field and discuss the challenges... (more »)
Scholar-Athlete: Sport Physiology (BI915-1C)
Program: Pre-College
How does an Olympic sprinter run 200 meters in 20 seconds, an elite cyclist ride at 30 miles per hour for over 4 hours or a marathoner run 26 miles in just over 2 hours? The science... (more »)