Biology - Quantitative Biology Major (B.Sc.) (73 credits)
Offered by: Biology (Faculty of Science)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Program credit weight: 73
Program Description
Interdisciplinary research that draws from the natural and physical sciences is an important aspect of modern biology. The Quantitative Biology option is designed for students with a deep interest in biology who wish to gain a strong grounding in physical sciences and their application to biological questions. The program has two options: an ecology and evolutionary biology stream, and a physical biology stream. Both streams provide a balance of theory and experimental components.
Students may complete this program with a minimum of 68 credits or a maximum of 73 credits depending on whether MATH 222 Calculus 3. and CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. are completed.
Advising Notes for U0 Students
It is highly recommended that freshman BIOL, CHEM, MATH, and PHYS courses be selected with the Program Adviser to ensure they meet the core requirements of the Quantitative Biology option.
This program is recommended for U1 students achieving a CGPA of 3.20 or better; and entering CEGEP students with a Math/Science R-score of 28.0 or better.
Degree Requirements — B.Sc.
This program is offered as part of a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree.
To graduate, students must satisfy both their program requirements and their degree requirements.
- The program requirements (i.e., the specific courses that make up this program) are listed under the Course Tab (above).
- The degree requirements—including the mandatory Foundation program, appropriate degree structure, and any additional components—are outlined on the Degree Requirements page.
Students are responsible for ensuring that this program fits within the overall structure of their degree and that all degree requirements are met. Consult the Degree Planning Guide on the SOUSA website for additional guidance.
Note: For information about Fall 2025 and Winter 2026 course offerings, please check back on May 8, 2025. Until then, the "Terms offered" field will appear blank for most courses while the class schedule is being finalized.
Required Courses (43 credits)
Bio-Physical Sciences Core (31 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 219 | Introduction to Physical Molecular and Cell Biology. | 4 |
Introduction to Physical Molecular and Cell Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to molecular and cell biology from a physical perspective. Techniques and methodologies, both experimental and computational, are included in the presentation of each thematic module. | ||
| BIOL 301 | Cell and Molecular Laboratory. | 4 |
Cell and Molecular Laboratory. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to biology research and communication with a focus on cell and molecular biology. Through conducting a series of project-based experiments and writing a final report, molecular and synthetic biology techniques such as gene cloning, manipulation, protein isolation and characterization and how research is conducted, analyzed and communicated will be addressed. In addition, an introduction to bioinformatics methods and their role in analysis will be provided. | ||
| BIOL 395 | Quantitative Biology Seminar. | 1 |
Quantitative Biology Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Overview of concepts and current research in quantitative biology; theoretical ecology and evolution, computational biology, and physical biology. | ||
| CHEM 212 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. 1 | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. Terms offered: Summer 2025 A fundamental study of aliphatic compounds and saturated functional groups including modern concepts of bonding, reaction mechanisms, conformational analysis, spectroscopy, and stereochemistry. | ||
| COMP 202 | Foundations of Programming. 2 | 3 |
Foundations of Programming. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Introduction to computer programming in a high level language: variables, expressions, primitive types, methods, conditionals, loops. Introduction to algorithms, data structures (arrays, strings), modular software design, libraries, file input/output, debugging, exception handling. Selected topics. | ||
| MATH 222 | Calculus 3. 1 | 3 |
Calculus 3. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Taylor series, Taylor's theorem in one and several variables. Review of vector geometry. Partial differentiation, directional derivative. Extreme of functions of 2 or 3 variables. Parametric curves and arc length. Polar and spherical coordinates. Multiple integrals. | ||
| MATH 223 | Linear Algebra. | 3 |
Linear Algebra. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Review of matrix algebra, determinants and systems of linear equations. Vector spaces, linear operators and their matrix representations, orthogonality. Eigenvalues and eigenvectors, diagonalization of Hermitian matrices. Applications. | ||
| MATH 315 | Ordinary Differential Equations. | 3 |
Ordinary Differential Equations. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. First order ordinary differential equations including elementary numerical methods. Linear differential equations. Laplace transforms. Series solutions. | ||
| MATH 323 | Probability. | 3 |
Probability. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Sample space, events, conditional probability, independence of events, Bayes' Theorem. Basic combinatorial probability, random variables, discrete and continuous univariate and multivariate distributions. Independence of random variables. Inequalities, weak law of large numbers, central limit theorem. | ||
| MATH 324 | Statistics. | 3 |
Statistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sampling distributions, point and interval estimation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance, contingency tables, nonparametric inference, regression, Bayesian inference. | ||
- 1
Students who have taken the equivalent of CHEM 212 Introductory Organic Chemistry 1. or MATH 222 Calculus 3. can make up the credits with a complementary 3 or 4 credit course in consultation with a stream adviser.
- 2
Students who have sufficient knowledge of programming should take COMP 250 Introduction to Computer Science. rather than COMP 202 Foundations of Programming..
Biology (6 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 202 | Basic Genetics. | 3 |
Basic Genetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to basic principles, and to modern advances, problems and applications in the genetics of higher and lower organisms with examples representative of the biological sciences. | ||
| BIOL 215 | Introduction to Ecology and Evolution. | 3 |
Introduction to Ecology and Evolution. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An introduction to the fundamental processes of ecology and evolution that bear on the nature and diversity of organisms and the processes that govern their assembly into ecological communities and their roles in ecosystem function. | ||
Physics (6 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PHYS 230 | Dynamics of Simple Systems. | 3 |
Dynamics of Simple Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Translational motion under Newton's laws; forces, momentum, work/energy theorem. Special relativity; Lorentz transforms, relativistic mechanics, mass/energy equivalence. Topics in rotational dynamics. Noninertial frames. | ||
| PHYS 232 | Heat and Waves. | 3 |
Heat and Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The laws of thermodynamics and their consequences. Thermodynamics of P-V-T systems and simple heat engines. Free, driven, and damped harmonic oscillators. Coupled systems and normal modes. Fourier methods. Wave motion and dispersion. The wave equation. | ||
Course Requirements for Quantitative Biology Streams (21 credits)
21 credits from one of the following two streams:
Stream 1: Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (21 credits)
Biology
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 205 | Functional Biology of Plants and Animals. | 3 |
Functional Biology of Plants and Animals. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Unified view of form and function in animals and plants. Focus on how the laws of chemistry and physics illuminate biological processes relating to the acquisition of energy and materials and their use in movement, growth, development, reproduction and responses to environmental stress. | ||
| BIOL 206 | Methods in Biology. | 3 |
Methods in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to modern methods used in organismal biology, including ecological sampling, experimental methods and statistics. Particular emphasis is on ways of thinking about the design of sampling programs and the analyses of data to test hypotheses using observational or experimental data. | ||
| BIOL 304 | Evolution. | 3 |
Evolution. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A comprehensive introduction to evolutionary biology. It covers both short-term and long-term evolutionary processes. Topics include the history of life, the origin of species, adaptation, natural selection and sexual selection. | ||
| BIOL 308 | Ecological Dynamics. | 3 |
Ecological Dynamics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Principles of population, community, and ecosystem dynamics: population growth and regulation, species interactions, dynamics of competitive interactions and of predator/prey systems; evolutionary dynamics. | ||
Field Courses
3 credits from the following list or any other field course with permission:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 240 | Monteregian Flora. | 3 |
Monteregian Flora. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Field studies of ferns, fern allies, conifers and flowering plants; the use of keys for plant identification. | ||
| BIOL 331 | Ecology/Behaviour Field Course. | 3 |
Ecology/Behaviour Field Course. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Methods of sampling natural populations. Testing hypotheses in nature. | ||
| BIOL 432 | Limnology. | 3 |
Limnology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems. | ||
6 credits chosen from the following list of courses at the 400 level or above:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 432 | Limnology. | 3 |
Limnology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A study of the physical, chemical and biological properties of lakes and other inland waters, with emphasis on their functioning as systems. | ||
| BIOL 434 | Theoretical Ecology. | 3 |
Theoretical Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Study of theoretical ecology and of mathematical tools available to explore the dynamical behaviour of model populations, communities and ecosystems. Models addressing major ecological theories including population stability, community dynamics and ecosystem functioning, epidemic and disturbance dynamics, spatial models, game theory. | ||
| BIOL 435 | Natural Selection. | 3 |
Natural Selection. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Explains how the selection of undirected variation accounts for some of the leading features of the natural world. Its main focus is evolutionary change and adaptation, but it will also include material from ecological, economic, biochemical and computer systems. It emphasizes experimental studies of evolution. | ||
| BIOL 465 | Conservation Biology. | 3 |
Conservation Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussion of relevant theoretical and applied issues in conservation biology. Topics: biodiversity, population viability analysis, community dynamics, biology of rarity, extinction, habitat fragmentation, social issues. | ||
| BIOL 509 | Methods in Molecular Ecology. | 3 |
Methods in Molecular Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of the molecular genetic tools used to investigate ecological and evolutionary processes in natural populations. The use of molecular tools in studies of population structure, parentage, kinship, species boundaries, phylogenetics. Special topics include conservation genetics, population genetics, and ecological genomics. | ||
| BIOL 510 | Advances in Community Ecology. | 3 |
Advances in Community Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The origin, maintenance and roles of biological diversity within ecological communities. | ||
| BIOL 515 | Advances in Aquatic Ecology. | 3 |
Advances in Aquatic Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Aquatic ecology and the major issues challenging the field. | ||
| BIOL 540 | Ecology of Species Invasions. | 3 |
Ecology of Species Invasions. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Causes and consequences of biological invasion, as well as risk assessment methods and management strategies for dealing with invasive species. | ||
| BIOL 594 | Advanced Evolutionary Ecology. | 3 |
Advanced Evolutionary Ecology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Evolutionary ecology is the study of evolutionary change in natural populations. General predictive approaches in evolutionary ecology, including population genetics, quantitative genetics, optimality, and game theory will be examined. Emphasis will be placed on the mathematical underpinnings of each approach, particularly as they relate to classic and contemporary problems. | ||
| BIOL 596 | Advanced Experimental Design. 1 | 1 |
Advanced Experimental Design. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course focuses on experimental design as it relates to statistical analyses to prepare individuals for data collection. Instructors will provide information on basic statistical principles and require students to prepare presentations about their experiments, write summaries of their research, and discuss and critique journal articles. | ||
| BIOL 597 | Advanced Biostatistics. 1 | 2 |
Advanced Biostatistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course will concentrate on the practical application of data analytical approaches with particular experimental questions in mind. Techniques presented will include statistical methods such as linear models, multivariate statistics, data reduction, information theory. | ||
| BIOL 598 | Advanced Design and Statistics. 1 | 3 |
Advanced Design and Statistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This course will address issues related to experimental design and multivariate statistical analysis. The first third of the course will focus on experimental design, and the remainder of the course will focus on multivariate approaches to data analysis. The course is designed to inform students on best practices to analytically address their experimental questions. | ||
- 1
Students choose either both BIOL 596 Advanced Experimental Design. and BIOL 597 Advanced Biostatistics., or BIOL 598 Advanced Design and Statistics..
Stream 2: Physical Biology (21 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 319 | Introduction to Biophysics. | 3 |
Introduction to Biophysics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Emerging physical approaches and quantitative measurement techniques are providing new insights into longstanding biological questions. This course will present underlying physical theory, quantitative measurement techniques, and significant findings in molecular and cellular biophysics. Principles covered include Brownian motion, low Reynolds-number environments, forces relevant to cells and molecules, chemical potentials, and free energies. These principles are applied to enzymes as molecular machines, membranes, DNA, and RNA. | ||
| PHYS 329 | Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications. | 3 |
Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This interdisciplinary course introduces Statistical Physics illustrated with modern biophysical applications. Principles covered include partition functions, Boltzmann distribution, bosons, fermions, Bose Einstein condensates, Ferni gases, chemical potential, thermodynamical forces, biochemical kinetics, and an introduction to noise and phase transitions in biology. | ||
| PHYS 346 | Majors Quantum Physics. | 3 |
Majors Quantum Physics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. De Broglie waves, Bohr atom. Schroedinger equation, wave functions, observables. One dimensional potentials. Schroedinger equation in three dimensions. Angular momentum, hydrogen atom. Spin, experimental consequences. | ||
300-level complementary courses: 6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 300 | Molecular Biology of the Gene. | 3 |
Molecular Biology of the Gene. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A survey of current knowledge and approaches in the area of regulation of gene expression, post-transcriptional control of gene expression, and signal transduction. | ||
| BIOL 303 | Developmental Biology. | 3 |
Developmental Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A consideration of the fundamental processes and principles operating during embryogenesis. Experimental analyses at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels will be presented and discussed to provide an overall appreciation of developmental phenomena. | ||
| BIOL 306 | Neural Basis of Behaviour. | 3 |
Neural Basis of Behaviour. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms of animal behaviour; neuroethology; cellular neurophysiology, integrative networks within nervous systems; neural control of movement; processing of sensory information. | ||
| BIOL 309 | Mathematical Models in Biology. | 3 |
Mathematical Models in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Application of finite difference and differential equations to problems in cell and developmental biology, ecology and physiology. Qualitative, quantitative and graphical techniques are used to analyze mathematical models and to compare theoretical predictions with experimental data. | ||
| BIOL 313 | Eukaryotic Cell Biology. | 3 |
Eukaryotic Cell Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. In-depth examination of the structure and function of eukaryotic cells, with an emphasis on experimental design and interpretation. Examination of the molecular mechanisms of various cellular processes, including protein homeostasis, intracellular transport, cytoskeletal dynamics, multicellular organization and cell proliferation. | ||
500-level complementary courses: 6 credits from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 518 | Advanced Topics in Cell Biology. | 3 |
Advanced Topics in Cell Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Concepts and mechanisms in advanced cell biology, based on genetic, cell biological, biophysical, and computational studies. Emphasis is placed on processes that are evolutionarily conserved, with examples from model organisms and cell-free (in vitro) approaches. | ||
| BIOL 520 | Gene Activity in Development. | 3 |
Gene Activity in Development. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An analysis of the role and regulation of gene expression in several models of eukaryotic development. The emphasis will be on critical evaluation of recent literature concerned with molecular or genetic approaches to the problems of cellular differentiation and determination. Recent research reports will be discussed in conferences and analyzed in written critiques. | ||
| BIOL 524 | Topics in Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Topics in Molecular Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Molecular genetics and molecular, cellular and developmental biology, including signal transduction, cell differentiation and function, genetic diseases in eukaryotes. | ||
| BIOL 530 | Advances in Neuroethology. | 3 |
Advances in Neuroethology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Neural mechanisms underlying behaviour in vertebrate and invertebrate organisms. | ||
| BIOL 551 | Principles of Cellular Control. | 3 |
Principles of Cellular Control. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental principles of cellular control, with cell cycle control as a major theme. Biological and physical concepts are brought to bear on control in healthy cells.. | ||
| BIOL 588 | Advances in Molecular/Cellular Neurobiology. | 3 |
Advances in Molecular/Cellular Neurobiology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discussion of fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying the general features of cellular neurobiology. An advanced course based on lectures and on a critical review of primary research papers. | ||
Complementary Courses
Quantitative Biology - Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Physical Biology Streams
9 credits from the following:
Recommendations for either Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology or Physical Biology streams
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 466 | Independent Research Project 1. | 3 |
Independent Research Project 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Independent research project. | ||
| COMP 206 | Introduction to Software Systems. | 3 |
Introduction to Software Systems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Comprehensive overview of programming in C, use of system calls and libraries, debugging and testing of code; use of developmental tools like make, version control systems. | ||
| COMP 250 | Introduction to Computer Science. | 3 |
Introduction to Computer Science. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Mathematical tools (binary numbers, induction,recurrence relations, asymptotic complexity,establishing correctness of programs). Datastructures (arrays, stacks, queues, linked lists,trees, binary trees, binary search trees, heaps,hash tables). Recursive and non-recursivealgorithms (searching and sorting, tree andgraph traversal). Abstract data types. Objectoriented programming in Java (classes andobjects, interfaces, inheritance). Selected topics. | ||
| COMP 251 | Algorithms and Data Structures. | 3 |
Algorithms and Data Structures. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Data Structures: priority queues, balanced binary search trees, hash tables, graphs. Algorithms: topological sort, connected components, shortest paths, minimum spanning trees, bipartite matching, network flows. Algorithm design: greedy, divide and conquer, dynamic programming, randomization. Mathematicaltools: proofs of asymptotic complexity and program correctness, Master theorem. | ||
| COMP 350 | Numerical Computing. 1 | 3 |
Numerical Computing. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Computer representation of numbers, IEEE Standard for Floating Point Representation, computer arithmetic and rounding errors. Numerical stability. Matrix computations and software systems. Polynomial interpolation. Least-squares approximation. Iterative methods for solving a nonlinear equation. Discretization methods for integration and differential equations. | ||
| COMP 364 | Computer Tools for Life Sciences. | 3 |
Computer Tools for Life Sciences. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Concepts and tools for programmatic storage, retrieval, searching, numerical analysis, and visualization of large biological data sets. | ||
| MATH 235 | Algebra 1. 2 | 3 |
Algebra 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Sets, functions and relations. Methods of proof. Complex numbers. Divisibility theory for integers and modular arithmetic. Divisibility theory for polynomials. Rings, ideals and quotient rings. Fields and construction of fields from polynomial rings. Groups, subgroups and cosets; homomorphisms and quotient groups. | ||
| MATH 240 | Discrete Structures. 2 | 3 |
Discrete Structures. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to discrete mathematics and applications. Logical reasoning and methods of proof. Elementary number theory and cryptography: prime numbers, modular equations, RSA encryption. Combinatorics: basic enumeration, combinatorial methods, recurrence equations. Graph theory: trees, cycles, planar graphs. | ||
| MATH 314 | Advanced Calculus. | 3 |
Advanced Calculus. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Derivative as a matrix. Chain rule. Implicit functions. Constrained maxima and minima. Jacobians. Multiple integration. Line and surface integrals. Theorems of Green, Stokes and Gauss. Fourier series with applications. | ||
| MATH 317 | Numerical Analysis. 1 | 3 |
Numerical Analysis. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Error analysis. Numerical solutions of equations by iteration. Interpolation. Numerical differentiation and integration. Introduction to numerical solutions of differential equations. | ||
| MATH 319 | Partial Differential Equations . | 3 |
Partial Differential Equations . Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. First order equations, geometric theory; second order equations, classification; Laplace, wave and heat equations, Sturm-Liouville theory, Fourier series, boundary and initial value problems. | ||
| MATH 326 | Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos. | 3 |
Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Linear systems of differential equations, linear stability theory. Nonlinear systems: existence and uniqueness, numerical methods, one and two dimensional flows, phase space, limit cycles, Poincare-Bendixson theorem, bifurcations, Hopf bifurcation, the Lorenz equations and chaos. | ||
| MATH 327 | Matrix Numerical Analysis. | 3 |
Matrix Numerical Analysis. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An overview of numerical methods for linear algebra applications and their analysis. Problem classes include linear systems, least squares problems and eigenvalue problems. | ||
| MATH 348 | Euclidean Geometry. | 3 |
Euclidean Geometry. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Points and lines in a triangle. Quadrilaterals. Angles in a circle. Circumscribed and inscribed circles. Congruent and similar triangles. Area. Power of a point with respect to a circle. Ceva’s theorem. Isometries. Homothety. Inversion. | ||
| MATH 437 | Mathematical Methods in Biology. | 3 |
Mathematical Methods in Biology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. The formulation and treatment of realistic mathematical models describing biological phenomena through qualitative and quantitative mathematical techniques (e.g. local and global stability theory, bifurcation analysis and phase plane analysis) and numerical simulation. Concrete and detailed examples will be drawn from molecular and cellular biology and mammalian physiology. | ||
| MATH 447 | Introduction to Stochastic Processes. | 3 |
Introduction to Stochastic Processes. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Conditional probability and conditional expectation, generating functions. Branching processes and random walk. Markov chains, transition matrices, classification of states, ergodic theorem, examples. Birth and death processes, queueing theory. | ||
- 1
Students may take COMP 350 Numerical Computing. OR MATH 317 Numerical Analysis..
- 2
MATH 235 Algebra 1. or MATH 240 Discrete Structures. are required for COMP 251 Algorithms and Data Structures..
Recommendations for Physical Biology stream
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIEN 310 | Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering. | 3 |
Introduction to Biomolecular Engineering. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Forward and reverse engineering of biomolecular systems. Principles of biomolecular thermodynamics and kinetics. Structure and function of the main classes of biomolecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Biomolecular systems as mechanical, chemical, and electrical systems. Rational design and evolutionary methods for engineering functional proteins, nucleic acids, and gene circuits. Rational design topics include molecular modeling, positive and negative design paradigms, simulation and optimization of equilibrium and kinetic properties, design of catalysts, sensors, motors, and circuits. Evolutionary design topics include evolutionary mechanisms, fitness landscapes, directed evolution of proteins, metabolic pathways, and gene circuits. Systems biology and synthetic biology. | ||
| BIEN 320 | Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics. | 3 |
Molecular, Cellular and Tissue Biomechanics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Basic mechanics of biological building blocks, focusing on the cytoskeleton, with examples from pathology. At the macromolecular level: weak/variable crosslinking and hydrolysis driven athermal processes. At the cellular/tissue level: cell architecture and function. Discussion of modern analytical techniques capable of single-molecule to tissue scale measurements. | ||
| BIEN 340 | Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 2. | 3 |
Transport Phenomena in Biological Systems 2. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental principles of mass transport and its application to a variety of biological systems. Membrane permeability and diffusive transport. Convection. Transport across cell membranes. Ion channels. Blood rheology. Active transport. Intra- and inter-cellular transport. | ||
| BIEN 510 | Engineered Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications. | 3 |
Engineered Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to the interdisciplinary field of biomedical uses of nanotechnology. Emphasis on emerging nanotechnologies and biomedical applications including nanomaterials, nanoengineering, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, nano-based imaging and diagnostic systems, nanotoxicology and immunology, and translating nanomedicine into clinical investigation. | ||
| BIEN 530 | Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation. | 3 |
Imaging and Bioanalytical Instrumentation. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Microscopy techniques with application to biology and medicine. Practical introduction to optics and microscopy from the standpoint of biomedical research. Discussion of recent literature; hands-on experience. Topics include: optics, contrast techniques, advanced microscopy, and image analysis. | ||
| CHEM 222 | Introductory Organic Chemistry 2. | 4 |
Introductory Organic Chemistry 2. Terms offered: Summer 2025 Modern spectroscopic techniques for structure determination. The chemistry of alcohols, ethers, carbonyl compounds, and amines, with special attention to mechanistic aspects. Special topics. | ||
| PHYS 242 | Electricity and Magnetism. 1 | 2 |
Electricity and Magnetism. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Properties of electromagnetic fields, dipole and quadropole fields and their interactions, chemical binding of molecules, electromagnetic properties of materials, Maxwell's equations and properties of electromagnetic waves, propagation of waves in media. | ||
| PHYS 257 | Experimental Methods 1. | 3 |
Experimental Methods 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introductory laboratory work and data analysis as related to mechanics, optics and thermodynamics. Introduction to computers as they are employed for laboratory work, for data analysis and for numerical computation. Previous experience with computers is an asset, but is not required. | ||
| PHYS 342 | Majors Electromagnetic Waves. | 3 |
Majors Electromagnetic Waves. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Maxwell's equations. The wave equation. The electromagnetic wave, reflection, refraction, polarization. Guided waves. Transmission lines and wave guides. Vector potential. Radiation. The elemental dipole; the half-wave dipole; vertical dipole; folded dipoles; Yagi antennas. Accelerating charged particles. | ||
| PHYS 434 | Optics. | 3 |
Optics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Fundamental concepts of optics, including applications and modern developments. Light propagation in media; geometric optics and optical instruments; polarization and coherence properties of light; interference and interferometry; diffraction theory and applications in spectrometry and imaging; Gaussian beams, Fourier optics and photonic band structure. A laboratory component provides hands-on experience in optical setup design, construction and testing of concepts introduced in lectures. | ||
| PHYS 519 | Advanced Biophysics. | 3 |
Advanced Biophysics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. An advanced biophysics course, with a special emphasis on stochastic and out of equilibrium physical processes in living matter. | ||
| PHYS 534 | Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. | 3 |
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Topics include scanning probe microscopy, chemical self-assembly, computer modelling, and microfabrication/micromachining. | ||
- 1
PHYS 242 Electricity and Magnetism. is required for PHYS 342 Majors Electromagnetic Waves. and PHYS 434 Optics..
Recommendations for Theoretical Ecology and Evolutionary Biology stream
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BIOL 310 | Biodiversity and Ecosystems. | 3 |
Biodiversity and Ecosystems. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Ecological bases of the natural causes and consequences of current global environmental changes, including how biodiversity and ecosystem processes are defined and measured, how they vary in space and time, how they are affected by physical and biological factors, and how they affect each other and human societies. | ||
| BIOL 324 | Ecological Genetics. | 3 |
Ecological Genetics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Presents evolutionary genetics within an ecological context. Covers theoretical and applied topics together with relevant data from natural populations of plant and animals. | ||
| MATH 242 | Analysis 1. | 3 |
Analysis 1. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. A rigorous presentation of sequences and of real numbers and basic properties of continuous and differentiable functions on the real line. | ||
| MATH 340 | Discrete Mathematics. | 3 |
Discrete Mathematics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Discrete Mathematics and applications. Graph Theory: matchings, planarity, and colouring. Discrete probability. Combinatorics: enumeration, combinatorial techniques and proofs. | ||
| MATH 423 | Applied Regression. | 3 |
Applied Regression. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Multiple regression estimators and their properties. Hypothesis tests and confidence intervals. Analysis of variance. Prediction and prediction intervals. Model diagnostics. Model selection. Introduction to weighted least squares. Basic contingency table analysis. Introduction to logistic and Poisson regression. Applications to experimental and observational data. | ||
| MATH 524 | Nonparametric Statistics. | 4 |
Nonparametric Statistics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Distribution free procedures for 2-sample problem: Wilcoxon rank sum, Siegel-Tukey, Smirnov tests. Shift model: power and estimation. Single sample procedures: Sign, Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Nonparametric ANOVA: Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman tests. Association: Spearman's rank correlation, Kendall's tau. Goodness of fit: Pearson's chi-square, likelihood ratio, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Statistical software packages used. | ||
| MATH 525 | Sampling Theory and Applications. | 4 |
Sampling Theory and Applications. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Simple random sampling, domains, ratio and regression estimators, superpopulation models, stratified sampling, optimal stratification, cluster sampling, sampling with unequal probabilities, multistage sampling, complex surveys, nonresponse. | ||
| PHYS 329 | Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications. | 3 |
Statistical Physics with Biophysical Applications. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. This interdisciplinary course introduces Statistical Physics illustrated with modern biophysical applications. Principles covered include partition functions, Boltzmann distribution, bosons, fermions, Bose Einstein condensates, Ferni gases, chemical potential, thermodynamical forces, biochemical kinetics, and an introduction to noise and phase transitions in biology. | ||