Office: Duncan Hall 254

Telephone: 408-924-4900

Professors

Tzvia Abramson
David K. Bruck
Jeffrey Honda
Joanne Kerr
Susan Lambrecht
Elizabeth McGee-Bergerol
William Murray
Cleber Ouverney
Sabine A. Rech
Scott Shaffer
Julio Soto
Miri Van-Hoven

Associate Professors

Shelley Cargill, Chair
Rachael French
Elizabeth Skovran
J. Brandon White
Katherine Wilkinson

Assistant Professors

Walter Adams
Benjamin Carter
Jessica Castillo-Vardaro
Maya deVries
Bree Grillo-Hill
Frank Huynh
Jennifer Johnston

Overview

As leaders in the education of a highly trained and diverse scientific workforce, our mission is to provide a dynamic educational experience by engaging students in hands-on, inquiry-based learning activities at the bench and in the field. Through these experiences our students will gain a conceptual and experiential understanding of the biological sciences spanning from molecules to ecosystems.

Our Program goals are to:

• Serve the diverse student population of our region.
• Educate students to be intellectually agile and technologically proficient.
• Provide students with intensive, rigorous laboratory and field experiences within the context of their regular coursework.
• Create individualized mentoring opportunities and state-of-the-art learning experiences within the context of our faculty research programs.
• Foster creativity, a sound theoretical foundation, and the ability to communicate effectively and interact cooperatively.
• Make substantial contributions to the scientific community through our research efforts and that of our students.

Honors Program

Students may apply for the honors program in Biology in BS - Biological Sciences, Concentration in Systems Physiology.

Students wishing to complete the honors program must:

1. Have a GPA of 3.5 or higher in courses required in the major,
2. Have an overall SJSU GPA of 3.0 or higher, and
3. Complete Biology, Botany, or Zoology 186 “Senior Thesis”.

Senior thesis courses involve the student in the completion of a research project under the direct supervision of a faculty member. As such, the research project must be on a mutually agreed upon topic. It is recommended that the student submit a proposal for research to the faculty member and have that proposal approved in the last semester of his/her junior year. The student is required to present the results of the research in written form and as a seminar.

Programs

• Bioinformatics Minor
• Biological Science Minor
• Biological Science, BA
• Biological Science, Microbiology Concentration, BS
• Biological Science, Molecular Biology Concentration, BS
• Biological Science, Systems Physiology Concentration, BS
• Biological Sciences, Ecology and Evolution Concentration, MS
• Biological Sciences, MA
• Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology and Microbiology Concentration, MS
• Biological Sciences, Physiology Concentration, MS
• Biotechnology, MBT
• Clinical Lab Scientist Certificate (Graduate)
• Ecology and Evolution, BS
• Marine Biology, BS
• Science Minor

Courses

• BIOL 282C - Biotechnology Company Management
• BIOL 283T - Topics in Biotech Regulatory Affairs
• BIOL 284 - Master’s Directed Reading
• BIOL 285 - Colloquium in Biological Sciences
• BIOL 285T - Colloquium in Biotechnology
• BIOL 291A - Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics I
• BIOL 291B - Introduction to Molecular Diagnostics II: Human Genetic Diseases and Detection
• BIOL 297 - Graduate Research
• BIOL 298 - MS Project Culminating Experience
• BIOL 298M - MA Culminating Experience
• BIOL 298T - Internship in the Biotechnology Industry
• BIOL 299 - Master’s Thesis
• BIOL 888 - tess class association
• BIOL 1290R - Culminating Experience Supervision

• BOT 104 - Plant Taxonomy
• BOT 113 - Comparative Taxonomy
• BOT 114 - Functional Morphology
• BOT 143 - Biogeography
• BOT 160 - Ecology
• BOT 165 - Plant Communities of California
• BOT 180 - Individual Studies
• BOT 186 - Senior Thesis
• BOT 192 - Int’l Program Studies
• BOT 255 - Advanced Botany
• BOT 298 - Research
• BOT 299 - Master’s Thesis or Project

• ENT 101 - Insect Diversity
• ENT 106 - Forensic Entomology
• ENT 113 - Comparative Taxonomy
• ENT 114 - Functional Morphology
• ENT 143 - Biogeography
• ENT 180 - Individual Studies
• ENT 185 - Seminar in Entomology
• ENT 186 - Senior Thesis
• ENT 281 - Advanced Laboratory Skills in Entomology
• ENT 282 - Entomology Internship
• ENT 283 - Directed Readings in Entomology
• ENT 298 - Research
• ENT 299 - Master’s Thesis or Project

• MICR 20 - General Bacteriology
• MICR 92 - Int’l Program Studies
• MICR 101 - General Microbiology
• MICR 122 - Bacterial Diversity
• MICR 122L - Bacterial Diversity Laboratory
• MICR 123 - Food Microbiology
• MICR 123L - Food Microbiology Laboratory
• MICR 127 - Microbial Physiology
• MICR 127L - Microbial Physiology Laboratory
• MICR 140 - Hematology
• MICR 140L - Hematology Laboratory
• MICR 141 - Pathogenic Microbiology I
• MICR 141L - Pathogenic Microbiology I - Laboratory
• MICR 142 - Pathogenic Microbiology II
• MICR 142L - Pathogenic Microbiology II - Laboratory
• MICR 166 - Bacterial Genetics
• MICR 170 - General Virology
• MICR 180 - Individual Studies
• MICR 184 - Directed Reading
• MICR 192 - Int’l Program Studies
• MICR 291A - Advanced Hematology
• MICR 291B - Advanced Pathophysiology
• MICR 291C - Advanced Human Immunology
• MICR 291D - Advanced Medical Microbiology
• MICR 291E - Advanced Immunohematology
• MICR 291F - Molecular Based Diagnostic Techniques
• MICR 291G - Clinical Laboratory Management
• MICR 292 - Topics and Demonstrations in Clinical Laboratory Science
• MICR 298 - Research
• MICR 299 - Master’s Thesis or Project
• MICR 1291 - Field Work in Clinical Laboratory Science

• ZOOL 113 - Comparative Taxonomy
• ZOOL 114 - Functional Morphology
• ZOOL 115 - Invertebrate Zoology and Natural History
• ZOOL 116 - Vertebrate Evolution and Natural History
• ZOOL 143 - Biogeography
• ZOOL 160 - Zoogeography
• ZOOL 180 - Individual Studies
• ZOOL 186 - Senior Thesis
• ZOOL 192 - Int’l Program Studies
• ZOOL 298 - Research
• ZOOL 299 - Master’s Thesis or Project