Jamie Catanese

Introduction to scientific method, principles of experimental design, selected research strategies, record keeping, and technical communication as related to research in cellular and molecular biosciences. The prereq BIOS 201 may be taken concurrently with BIOS 211. Registration restricted to Biosciences majors for sections 001, 002, 003, 004, and 005. BCB minors can register for sections 007, 008, 009, 010, and 011, or with instructor permission.

Undergraduate teaching in a biosciences laboratory course: provide group and individual guidance and instruction to students during scheduled laboratory sessions and outside of laboratory classes; participate in meetings with instructor and other TAs; assist instructor with lab prep; evaluate student learning and give feedback to instructor. Repeatable for Credit.

In this course, undergraduates who have previously excelled in a BIOS course will develop teaching skills by leading discussion sections or serving as writing mentors under the guidance of the course instructor. Repeatable for Credit.

This course, which examines paradigms in biochemistry and cell biology with a specific focus on the “central dogma” of molecular biology, is designed for Biosciences majors and minors and is recommended for students who want to strengthen their fundamental biology knowledge before taking other 300-level BIOS lecture courses. Using a “flipped” format, lectures are available online, and in-class activities address confusions/questions, examine both historic and contemporary research papers, explore cases and problems, and engage students in short writing assignments.

Independent research in Rice BioSciences faculty laboratories (sections 2 and above) or other Texas Medical Center laboratories (section 1). Students must have secured a research position prior to applying for BIOS 310. Students spend at least 42 hours in the laboratory for each semester hour of credit (>9h/week for 3 credits). A minimum of 3 credit hours is needed to count toward the BS in Biosciences or to replace one required 300+ level elective lab course for the BA in Biosciences (cannot replace major concentration core labs). Requires a proposal abstract, weekly reports, and a research paper (fall/spring/summer) or a poster presentation (spring/summer for advanced students). Students wishing to perform their research in an off-campus lab must apply online (biosugresearch.rice.edu) at least 3 weeks prior to the start of classes and may not register for fewer than 3 credit hours. Students taking BIOS 310 in the full summer semester must be available to do full-time research for a minimum of 6 weeks or part-time equivalent which should equal to a total of 126 hours working in the lab. It is recommended that summer students spread their hours over 8-10 weeks. Recommended Prerequisite(s): Students are strongly advised to secure research advisors and register for the class well in advance of the start of classes. Recommended Prerequisite(s): Students are strongly advised to secure research advisors and register for the class well in advance of the start of classes. Repeatable for Credit.

The Biosciences Honors Research Program offers our seniors and advanced juniors the opportunity to perform a two-semester, individual research project in a research laboratory in Biosciences or an approved off-campus site and offers opportunities for students to develop their written and oral scientific communication skills. Students registering for BIOS 401 are expected to take BIOS 402 the following semester. Each semester, students are expected to average 15 hours per week in research (laboratory) and communication skills activities (scheduled through the companion seminar co-requisite). In BIOS 401, students will prepare regular progress reports, attend lab meetings, and write an end-of-semester short paper (at least 5 pages) on their work. Must register for co-requisite BIOS 411.