The Department of Biological Sciences

1. The Department ofBiological Sciences Wednesday 3rd September 2008 Presenter: Dr. Stephen Reid

2. What is required to obtain a degree? • Complete 20 credits (40 courses); 5 courses per semester • Complete the requirements for either: 1 Specialist Program or 2 Major programs or 1 Major + 2 Minor Programs • Earn a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 1.6 (equivalent to a C minus or 60-62%)

3. Programs in Biological Sciences • Cell and Molecular Biology Specialist • Conservation Biology Specialist • Human Biology Specialist • Integrative Biology Specialist • Integrative Biology Major • Biology Minor • Cell and Molecular Biology Co-op • Conservation Biology Co-op • Neuroscience Joint Program with Psychology • Paramedicine Joint Program with Centennial College • Industrial Microbiology Joint Program with Centennial College

4. First Year Courses Integrative Biology Major 1. Introductory Biology: Part 1 2. Introductory Biology: Part 2 3. Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 4. Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 5. Six additional courses Program Supervisor: Dr. Kamini Persaud

5. First Year Courses Integrative Biology Specialist 1. Introductory Biology: Part 1 2. Introductory Biology: Part 2 3. Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 4. Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 5. Calculus: Part 1 6. Calculus: Part 2 7. Introduction to Physics: Part 1 5. Three additional courses Program Supervisor: Dr. Kamini Persaud There are two calculus streams;one for students who have taken high school calculus and one for students who have not taken high school calculus.

6. First Year Courses Conservation Biology Specialist / Co-op 1. Introductory Biology: Part 1 2. Introductory Biology: Part 2 3. Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 4. Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 5. Introduction to Planet Earth 6. The Geography of Global Processes 7. Geographic Information Systems 5. Three additional courses Program Supervisor: Dr. Lisa Manne

7. First Year Courses Cell & Molecular Biology Specialist / Co-op 1. Introductory Biology: Part 1 2. Introductory Biology: Part 2 3. Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 4. Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 5. Calculus: Part 1 6. Calculus: Part 2 7. Introduction to Physics: Part 1 5. Three additional courses Program Supervisor: Dr. Clare Hasenkampf There are two calculus streams;one for students who have taken high school calculus and one for students who have not taken high school calculus.

8. First Year Courses Human Biology Specialist 1. Introductory Biology: Part 1 2. Introductory Biology: Part 2 3. Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 4. Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 5. Calculus: Part 1 6. Calculus: Part 2 7. Introduction to Physics: Part 1 8. Introduction to Physics: Part 2 9. Introduction to Physiology: Part 1 10. Introduction to Physiology: Part 2 Program Supervisor: Dr. Kamini Persaud There are two calculus streams;one for students who have taken high school calculus and one for students who have not taken high school calculus.

9. Second Year Courses All biology programs contain a core of six coursesthat everyone must take. • Cell Biology • Molecular Aspects of Genetic Processes • Mammalian (Human) Physiology I • Plant Physiology • Ecology • Evolutionary Biology • A physiology or anatomy or cell biology or ecology lab course

10. Third & Fourth Year Courses

11. Programs in Biological Sciences Entry requirements after First Year • Complete (pass) 4 credits (8 courses) which must include: • Introductory Biology: Part I • Introductory Biology: Part 2 • Introductory Chemistry: Part 1 • Introductory Chemistry: Part 2 • One course in mathematics or statistics • 2) A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.0 (“C” average) • Some programs are highly competitive and may require a higher CGPA for entry.

12. Applying to a Biology Program • There are two subject post (program) application periods per year: • 1) Early April to early May. • 2) Early July to early August. • Go on to your ROSI (Repository of Student Information) account and select • the subject post that identifies the program of study that you wish to pursue • (you may select more than one subject post). • Admission decisions are announced in mid-June and mid-September. Follow this link for information and instruction.

13. Pre-Requisites, Co-Requisites and Exclusions • A pre-requisite must be taken before you can take the course in question. • A co-requisite must be taken before or at the same time. • You cannot take, for credit, a course for which you have taken an exclusion. BGYB10H3 Cell Biology This course is designed to introduce theory and modern experimental techniques in cell biology. Emphasis will be on eukaryotic cells. Structure and function of major animal and plant organelles will be covered. Subsequent topics include the role of the cytoskeleton. Exclusion: BGYB10Y, BIO250Y Prerequisite: [BGYA01H & BGYA02H] & [CHMA10H & CHMA11H] You cannot take BGYB10H if you have taken these courses Must be taken prior to taking BGYB10H

14. Physics and Biology Programs I want to enter a biology program that requires physics but I didn’t take grade 12 physics. What can I do? • In this case you can take PHYA01H (Basic Physics). • This course is intended for students who did not take • grade 12 physics. It is worth 0.5 credit. • You can take this course in your first semester (fall 2008). • You can then take PHYA10H in the spring 2009 semester. • PHYA22H can then be taken in the summer or at a later date • (this course is required in the human biology program).

15. Taking Courses at the Other U of T Campuses • You may take up to 5.0 credits of courses in the other Arts and • Science Divisions at the Univ. of Toronto (St. George & UTM). • No more than 1.0 of your first 4.0 credits may be taken at the • other two campuses. • Students are responsible for confirming (by looking at the UTSC • calendar) whether or not a course at another campus is an • exclusion to a UTSC course that has already been taken. • You need permission from your program supervisor to replace a • UTSC program requirement with a course from another campus.

16. Summer Courses • Summer courses were initially established so that co-op • students could complete their degree in four years. • Summer courses are useful if you have failed or dropped a • course that you need as a pre-requisite to courses the • following year. • Not all courses are offered in the summer. Consult the • course calendar and/or your program supervisor if you are • planning on putting off a course until the summer. • Medical schools do count summer courses but they don’t like • students using them to lighten their course loads in the fall • and winter semesters.

17. Components of a Course • Depending upon the particular course, the following are • general course components: • Lectures (usually 2 hours per week).* • Laboratory/practical sessions (3 hours every week or every • second week). • Tutorials (the role of tutorials differ in different courses). *, Lecture etiquette is very important. You should not talk as this disturbs other students. Cell phones ringers must be turned off and phones must not be answered.

18. How will I be evaluated? • Depending upon the particular course, the following are • used as evaluation tools: • Midterm examination (1 or 2 per course). • Final examination (1 per course). • Lab reports (in courses with lab sections).* • Quizzes. • Written assignments or oral presentations.* University rules prohibit the presence of cell phones in an exam. *make sure that you are familiar with the university’s rules on plagiarism.

19. How will I be evaluated? • You are assigned a mark (percentage) in each course. • This percentage is then converted to a letter grade. • The letter grade is then converted to a grade point value. • Grade point values are then used to calculate your • grade point average (GPA).

20. How will I be evaluated? Percentage 90-100 85-89 80-84 77-79 73-76 70-72 67-69 63-66 60-62 57-59 53-56 50-52 0-49 Letter Grade A+ A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D D- F Grade Point Value 4.0 4.0 3.7 3.3 3.0 2.7 2.3 2.0 1.7 1.3 1.0 0.7 1.0 Definition Excellent Excellent Excellent Good Good Good Adequate Adequate Adequate Marginal Marginal Marginal Wholly Inadequate

21. Who are my course instructors? • Tenured or tenure-track faculty (Assistant Professors; • Associate Professors and Full Professors) who are all • active researchers. • Full-time lecturers (teach but do not do research) • Sessional lecturers (replacement instructors hired when • a regular course instructor is on leave). • Teaching assistants (Masters or PhD students; occasionally • a fourth year undergraduate student)

22. What does a university professor do? • 40% Research • 40% Teaching (one course per semester; supervising • graduate and undergraduate research students). • 20% Administration • Every faculty member in the Department of Biological • Sciences runs an externally-funded research program. • Research lab personnel include graduate (MSc and PhD • students; undergraduate thesis students; post-doctoral • fellows and technicians).

23. Communicating with your Professors • Different professors like to communicate in different ways. • Every professor holds designated office hours each week • which time students may drop by to ask questions or seek • advice. • Short questions are easily asked via e-mail. Questions that • require long answers or explanations should be asked in person. • Most professors do not like to receive phone calls as multiple • calls can be highly disruptive. • E-mails must NOT be sent in text-message format. Such • messages will be deleted and not answered.

24. Where do I go for advice or to solve problems? In first yearyou should consult the Pre-Program coordinator, Sean Ramrattan. • Once you are in a biology program (major or specialist) you should consultwith the Program Supervisor. • Integrative Biology Dr. Kamini Persaud kpersaud@utsc.utoronto.ca • Cell & Molecular Biology Dr. Clare Hasenkampf hasenkampf@utsc.utoronto.ca • Human Biology Dr. Kamini Persaud kpersaud@utsc.utoronto.ca • Conservation Biology Dr. Lisa Manne manne@utsc.utoronto.ca • Paramedicine Dr. Stephen Reid sgreid@utsc.utoronto.ca • Industrial Microbiology Dr. Roberta Fulthorpe fulthorpe@utsc.utoronto.ca Program supervisors will give advice on course selection, course sequences, replacement courses and any other program-related concern).

25. What happens when I have met all the requirements for my degree? • If you are registered in, or have already successfully completed • the correct number of credits for the Degree Post you are • registered in then you must signal your intent to graduate. • Information is available on the Registrar’s web site. Follow this link for information and instruction.

26. The People of the Department • Departmental Chair Dr. Greg Vanleberghe • Associate Chair for Research Dr. Dan Riggs • Associate Chair for Undergraduate Affairs Dr. Stephen Reid • 20 tenured or tenure-track faculty members • 5 emeritus professors 2 full-time lecturers • Dozens of graduate students and other research personnel • 4 administrative staff members • Nella Semoff, Secretary to the Chair Lucy Pickering, Administrative Officer • Gloria Luza, Clerical Assistant Tony Rupnaraine, Business Officer • 5 teaching techniciansNankie Bissoon, Alex Yi, Patrick Ng, Joanne Pearce; Sheila Rush • 5 technical staff • M. Agoston – greenhouse; A. Gristock – vivarium; Y. Ma, R. Or – Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress; A. Ranieri - Wash/Sterilisation 28

27. Research Clusters • Biological Dynamics of Environmental Change • Neurobiology of Stress • Integrative Behaviour and Neuroscience • Cells and Infection • Plant Cellular and Molecular Processes

28. FACULTY Michelle Aarts B.Sc., MSc. (Western), Ph.D. (McGill)Assistant Professor Canada Research Chair ResearchMechanisms of cell survival and cell death following heart attack and stroke TeachesBiochemistryand Endocrinology

29. FACULTY Maydianne Andrade B.Sc. (Simon Fraser), M.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Cornell) Associate ProfessorCanada Research Chair ResearchEvolution of Mating Systems TeachesEvolution andAnimal Behaviour

30. FACULTY Rudy Boonstra B.Sc. (Calgary), Ph.D. (British Columbia)Professor ResearchEcology andNeurobiologyof Stress TeachesGlobal Change &Population Ecology

31. FACULTY Ian Brown B.Sc. (Carleton), Ph.D. (Texas), Professor Canada Research Chair ResearchMolecular Neurobiologyof Heat Shock Proteins TeachesAnimal Developmental Biologyand Molecular Biology

32. FACULTY Mark Fitzpatrick B.Sc., M.Sc., (Brock), Ph.D. (Toronto)Assistant Professor ResearchGenetics/Genomics TeachesGeneticsand Genomics

33. FACULTY Sonia Gazzarrini B.Sc., M.Sc. (Milan), Ph.D. (Tuebingen) Assistant Professor ResearchPlant Development, Biochemistry andMolecular Biology TeachesPlant Developmental Biologyand Molecular Biology

34. FACULTY Rene Harrison B.Sc. (Winnipeg), M.Sc. (Manitoba), Ph.D. (Toronto) Assistant Professor ResearchCell Biology - the regulationand function of immune cellsand bone cells. TeachesCell Biology

35. FACULTY Clare Hasenkampf B.Sc. (Loyola), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Florida State) Associate Professor ResearchPlant Genetics TeachesFirst Year Biologyand Genetics

36. FACULTY Herbert Kronzucker B.Sc. (Wuerzburg), Ph.D. (British Columbia)Professor Canada Research Chair ResearchEcophysiology of plant nutrient acquisition; Solutions to World hunger TeachesEcology andEnvironmental Toxicology

37. FACULTY Nate Lovejoy B.Sc., M.Sc. (Toronto), Ph.D. (Cornell) Assistant Professor ResearchMolecular Phylogenetics and evolution of behaviors TeachesEcology andEvolutionary Biology

38. FACULTY Lisa Manne B.Sc. (Otterbein College), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Univ. of Tennessee) Assistant Professor ResearchSpatial ecology, biogeography and conservation TeachesFirst Year Biology andConservation Biology

39. FACULTY Andrew Mason B.Sc. (Guelph), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Toronto) Associate Professor ResearchBioacoustics, Neuroethology Sensory Systems & Communication TeachesFirst Year Biology andAnimal Communication(Neuroscience)

40. FACULTY Joanne Nash B.Sc. (Aberdeen), M.Sc., Ph.D. (Univ. of Manchester) Assistant Professor ResearchBiological Basis ofBrain Pathology and Parkinson’s Disease. TeachesMammalian (Human) Physiologyand Nervous System Pathology

41. FACULTY Stephen Reid B.Sc. , Ph.D. (Ottawa) Associate Professor ResearchRespiratory Physiology and Neurobiology TeachesMammalian (Human)and Animal Physiology

42. FACULTY Dan Riggs B.Sc. (North Carolina), Ph.D. (Florida State)Associate Professor ResearchPlant Molecular Biology TeachesCell and Molecular Biology

43. FACULTY Mauricio Terebiznik B.Sc., Ph.D. (Buenos Aires) Assistant Professor ResearchMicrobiology TeachesMicrobiology

44. FACULTY Greg Vanlerberghe B.Sc., M.Sc. (Western Ontario), Ph.D. (Queen's) Professor ResearchMetabolism and Stress Physiology in Plants TeachesPlant Physiology andthe Biology of Plant Stress

45. FACULTY Dudley Williams B.Sc. (North Wales), Dip. Ed. (Liverpool),M.Sc., Ph.D. (Waterloo), D.Sc. (Wales) Professor ResearchEcological Studiesof Running Water Communities TeachesBiology of Insects, River Ecologyand Ecology Field Courses

46. FACULTY Rongmin Zhou B.Sc. (Peking University), Ph.D. (Chinese Academy of Agriculture) Plant Biochemistry Marc Cadotte B.Sc., M.Sc. (Windsor University), PhD (Tennessee) Arriving in July 2009 Community Ecology

47. RESOURCES Department of Biological Sciences www.utsc.utoronto.ca/biosci This presentation is available online at www.utsc.utoronto.ca/sgreid