Reproductive Biology

Catalog description

Reproductive Biology is an upper-level undergraduate course. The course will discuss topics in reproductive development and physiology, which can include development of gonads and the germline, sex determination, meiosis, development of gametes, plant reproductive development, effects of environmental factors on reproductive development, cloning and asexual reproduction, infertility and birth defects. In addition to morphological and cellular description of reproductive organs and tissues, there will also be discussion of genetic basis of diseases and molecular analysis of gene functions crucial for reproductive development in human and model organisms. Students will be ask to read original research articles on various aspects of reproductive biology, and work in two-person teams on a powerpoint presentation, which they use to report their understanding of a selected article in class to other students. The lectures and exams focus upon concepts integral to reproductive biology. Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, filling blanks, and true/false questions.