Biology

Overview

An Area of Concentration (AOC) in Biology begins with coursework in a three course, two-semester introductory sequence (Foundations of Biology I and II and Foundations of Biology Laboratory), which may be taken in any order. A well-rounded biologist will build on basic concepts with study in three core levels of organization: molecular/cellular biology, organismal biology, and ecology/evolution. Course offerings supplemented by tutorials allow students to accomplish this in seven contracts. Additional coursework in the other natural science disciplines is also required. Two additional biology elective courses will ensure students receive training in multiple areas to assist their thesis research and future goals.

In the current curriculum, molecular and cellular courses include Genetics, Developmental Biology, Microbiology, Neurobiology, and Cellular Biology. Organismal biology is represented by course offerings including Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Entomology, Fish Biology, Invertebrate Zoology, Marine Mammal Biology, Plant Physiology, and the Biology of Sharks, Skates, and Rays. Ecology and evolution are represented by course offerings such as Animal Behavior, Biology of Urbanization, Conservation Biology, Coral Reef Ecology, Forest Ecology Laboratory, and Marine Ecology in addition to traditionally-titled courses in Ecology and Evolution. Advanced courses (often called “topics courses”), lab tutorials, internships, and seminars give students additional opportunities to explore their interests. Critical thinking, quantitative skill development, and writing skills are a part of all undertakings in the Biology concentration.

Faculty in Biology

Amy Bohan, Instructor of Biology
Amy Clore, Professor of Biology
Erika Díaz Almeyda, Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies (On Leave)
Kristopher Fennie, Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Jayne M. Gardiner, Associate Professor of Biology (On Leave)
Sandra Gilchrist, Professor of Biology and Marine Science/Natural Sciences Division Chair
Emily Heffernan, Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies/Associate Provost
Elizabeth Leininger, Associate Professor of Neurobiology (On Leave)
Tyrone Ryba, Associate Professor of Bioinformatics
Athena Rycyk, Associate Professor of Biology and Marine Science
Jose R. Soto-Shoender, Visiting Assistant Professor of Biology and Ecology
Lydia Wassink, Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology and Ecology

Requirements for the AOC in Biology

A minimum of twenty-two (22) academic units.

¹

May be taken in any order.

²

Can be counted towards the Molecular/Cellular Scale course OR as an Organismic Scale course, but not both.

Note: Courses listed above are examples that satisfy requirements; unlisted courses or tutorials may satisfy requirements as determined by the baccalaureate exam committee. Students with plans to pursue graduate studies in biology or careers in various health fields should consult with their academic advisors about specific course selection.

Requirements for the Joint AOC in Biology

A minimum of seven (7) academic units.

¹

May be taken in any order.

²

Can be counted towards the Molecular/Cellular Scale course OR as an Organismic Scale course, but not both.

Note: Students interested in graduate school should work closely with a Biology advisor as graduate programs have additional requirements beyond the courses listed above. These vary between biological disciplines.

Requirements for a Secondary Field in Biology

A minimum of six (6) academic units.

¹

May be taken in any order.

²

Can be counted towards the Molecular/Cellular Scale course OR as an Organismic Scale course, but not both.

Sample Two-Year Transfer Pathway

Note: The two-year pathway shows how a student with an Associate’s degree could complete the area of concentration (AOC) requirements in 2 years. The pathway assumes a student is granted general education and AOC credit for 60 transferable credit hours (typically 18 courses) during AA or select AS degree work. For a Biology AOC, students should complete majors-focused Introductory Biology I and II with labs, General Chemistry I and II with labs, Physics I with lab (Physics II with lab recommended), Calculus I, and Statistics during their AA/AS. Developmental courses and prerequisite course requirements, credit loads, and/or course availability may affect a student’s individual progress. Students should always consult with their academic advisor to determine individual program planning. Information about established transfer pathways for Biology AOCs can be found at: https://www.ncf.edu/admissions/transfer-students/guaranteed-admission/.

Biology Facilities

The biology laboratories are equipped to offer an unusually rich undergraduate research experience. Housing a variety of microscopes including research-grade analytical light microscopes, a fluorescence microscope, and a scanning electron microscope, the labs also provide access to a photographic darkroom, controlled temperature chambers, digital imaging computers, incubators for culturing organisms and testing animal behavior, and analytical instrumentation to carry out high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). A greenhouse and a herbarium of regional plants are available. Students interested in field ecology have access to a variety of sampling equipment including Secchi disks, DO meters, nephelometers, salinometer/conductivity meters, Nansen bottles and nets.

In both biology and biochemistry laboratories, extensive equipment is available for molecular biology projects. Equipment for analyzing DNA, RNA, and proteins includes vertical (large and small) and horizontal gel boxes for electrophoresis, high voltage power supplies, western transfer boxes, and automatic pipetters. Thermal cyclers for performing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as well as a laminar flow hood for eukaryotic cell culture, are also available and real-time PCR instrument for quantitative gene expression analysis and genetic variation detection was purchased with a grant from the National Science Foundation.

The Natural Sciences Division is housed in the Heiser Natural Sciences Complex. Two wings (34,000 square feet) were completed in 2000 and a third wing (22,000 square feet) was added in 2017. The Heiser Natural Sciences Complex consists of the William G. Selby and Marie Selby Building for Biology and Chemistry, the Paul H. Hanson Building for Mathematics and Physics, the Soo Bong Chae Memorial Auditorium, and the new wing. It contains 26 well-equipped research and teaching laboratories, including a 20-station computer laboratory and instrument rooms. Research and teaching laboratory spaces are in close proximity, and faculty offices in the laboratory sciences have windows with views into the laboratories, closely connecting faculty with student work at all times. In keeping with the New College mission of actively engaging students in research projects, research education is emphasized, and students learn to use instruments early in their program. Highly sophisticated equipment is available to research students in biology, chemistry, biochemistry, computer science, mathematics and physics.

New College is situated on Sarasota Bay and our students have the opportunity to study and conduct research at the Pritzker Marine Biology Research Center, located on our Bayfront Campus. The Center is home to more than 100 aquaria, anchored by a 15,000-gallon research and display tank. Each tank in the Living Ecosystem Teaching and Research Aquarium features different captive ecosystems, including a cold-water rocky shore and Sarasota Bay grass flats. Through a natural filtration system designed by students, the Center draws and recycles water from Sarasota Bay. Our research vessel, docked at  the Caples Campus, facilitates research in the Sarasota Bay.

Representative Senior Theses in Biology

• Minilivestock: A Study in Insect Rearing and the Determination of Protein Contents of Two Insects
• Canavan Disease: A Clinical, Biochemical, and Genetic Perspective
• The Effect of Cortisol Administration on Learning and Memory in the Pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides
• Dot Spot and PCR Techniques Detect Tomato Mottle Geminivirus in Developing Tissue Following Localized Inoculations in Tomato Plants
• Evaluating the Effects of Cover Crops on Soil Organic Matter in Wheat-Fallow Rotation Schemes near Pendleton, Oregon
• Bioinformatic approaches to microsatellite discovery and primer design in the Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae) genome
• Bridging Academia and Management in Conservation Genetics: The Case of the Florida Duskywing Skipper (Ephyriades brunnea)
• A GIS Approach to Assessing the Impacts of Tropical Storm Fay (2008) on Photosynthetic Rates in the Middle St. John's River Basin
• The Interaction of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) Seed Extracts and Microbes
• Sex differences in GREB1 expression in the frog Xenopus laevis
• Cancer Immunosurveillance Evasion: its Comprehensive Historical Context and Correlations with Outcome
• The phenology of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), sperm (Physeter macrocephalus), and killer whales (Orcinus orca) determined by passive acoustic monitoring near Barkley Canyon
• Growth patterns and the effect of pH on the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) vibrissae