An introduction to comparative animal behavior and behavioral physiology in an evolutionary context, including but not limited to analysis of behavior, genetics and development, learning, aggression, reproduction, adaptiveness, and physiological substrates.

An introduction to comparative animal behavior and behavioral physiology in an evolutionary context, including but not limited to analysis of behavior, genetics and development, learning, aggression, reproduction, adaptiveness, and physiological substrates.

The ability to reproduce is a defining characteristic of life, and of great interest to biologists as well as humanity in general. What is sex, and why did it develop? Why do we have sexual reproduction, whereas some animals do not? This course will provide a comprehensive overview on the biology of sex from an evolutionary perspective with an emphasis on humans in comparison to other species. The course will consist of two lectures each week, and a lab where we discuss a paper, watch videos, or have discussion sections on specific topics that were covered in class.

The ability to reproduce is a defining characteristic of life, and of great interest to biologists as well as humanity in general. What is sex, and why did it develop? Why do we have sexual reproduction, whereas some animals do not? This course will provide a comprehensive overview on the biology of sex from an evolutionary perspective with an emphasis on humans in comparison to other species. The course will consist of two lectures each week, and a lab where we discuss a paper, watch videos, or have discussion sections on specific topics that were covered in class.

The ability to reproduce is a defining characteristic of life, and of great interest to biologists as well as humanity in general. What is sex, and why did it develop? Why do we have sexual reproduction, whereas some animals do not? This course will provide a comprehensive overview on the biology of sex from an evolutionary perspective with an emphasis on humans in comparison to other species. The course will consist of two lectures each week, and a lab where we discuss a paper, watch videos, or have discussion sections on specific topics that were covered in class.

Humans and other animals, along with plants and fungi, are constrained by mechanical principles and by the fundamental laws of physics. Structural and functional design of organisms at different levels of structural organization can thus be constrained by the basics of solid and fluid mechanics. In this course, we will elucidate mechanical design in biology and the dynamic interactions between organisms and their environments, from molecules and tissues to whole organisms. We will also present ecological contexts of biomechanical design, along with the evolutionary background to organismal design. Each lecture will include a detailed human example to illustrate the relevance of biomechanical and physical concepts to the human condition.

Humans and other animals, along with plants and fungi, are constrained by mechanical principles and by the fundamental laws of physics. Structural and functional design of organisms at different levels of structural organization can thus be constrained by the basics of solid and fluid mechanics. In this course, we will elucidate mechanical design in biology and the dynamic interactions between organisms and their environments, from molecules and tissues to whole organisms. We will also present ecological contexts of biomechanical design, along with the evolutionary background to organismal design. Each lecture will include a detailed human example to illustrate the relevance of biomechanical and physical concepts to the human condition.

Humans and other animals, along with plants and fungi, are constrained by mechanical principles and by the fundamental laws of physics. Structural and functional design of organisms at different levels of structural organization can thus be constrained by the basics of solid and fluid mechanics. In this course, we will elucidate mechanical design in biology and the dynamic interactions between organisms and their environments, from molecules and tissues to whole organisms. We will also present ecological contexts of biomechanical design, along with the evolutionary background to organismal design. Each lecture will include a detailed human example to illustrate the relevance of biomechanical and physical concepts to the human condition.

Humans and other animals, along with plants and fungi, are constrained by mechanical principles and by the fundamental laws of physics. Structural and functional design of organisms at different levels of structural organization can thus be constrained by the basics of solid and fluid mechanics. In this course, we will elucidate mechanical design in biology and the dynamic interactions between organisms and their environments, from molecules and tissues to whole organisms. We will also present ecological contexts of biomechanical design, along with the evolutionary background to organismal design. Each lecture will include a detailed human example to illustrate the relevance of biomechanical and physical concepts to the human condition.

Genome sequencing and analyses have transformed biology over the past two decades. This course provides a hands-on introduction to the world of computational biology and bioinformatics. Students will apply state-of-the-art techniques to analyze genome and microbiome data from the UC Berkeley campus fox squirrels and local California ground squirrels each week. Students will master practical bioinformatics skills and then take on their own scientific research projects, all using genomic data collected specifically for this course. We will also explore key advances in the field of genomics over the past two decades of both humans and non-model organisms that have driven the current revolution in genome sciences.