Cell and Systems Biology

Introduction

The new Department of Cell and Systems Biology (starting date: July 1, 2006), with its sibling department, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, has arisen from a reorganization of the previous departments of Botany and Zoology. The study of life, biology, has been transformed in recent decades by powerful new ways of asking fundamental questions about how living organisms work. In particular, molecular approaches are revealing both the incredible complexity of organization at the cellular level, and the underlying principles drawn from chemistry, physics and information science that will eventually enable us to understand that complexity.

The Department of Cell and Systems Biology brings together biologists who study life at the level of molecules to functioning individual organisms. Cell Biology is a vibrant and broad discipline that seeks to understand the underlying molecular processes that control cell behaviour in a developmental and physiological context. In this broad sense, cell biology comprises molecular biology, developmental biology, genetics and physiology and their sub-disciplines. Systems biology is an exciting new discipline that studies dynamic networks in biological systems through the integration of large datasets arising from the genomics revolution. Computer modeling and bioinformatics are integrated with the study of detailed information about genomes (genomics), the temporal and spatial distribution of all gene transcripts (transcriptomics), cellular proteins and their physical interactions (proteomics), and small molecules that cells assimilate or synthesise (metabolomics).

For 2006-7, the courses and programs offered by the previous departments of Botany and Zoology will continue to be available. All students currently pursuing these programs, and those starting in these programs, will be able to complete them. As new programs are developed, students may be able to transfer into them, depending on the courses they have taken.
Student Counseling and Enquiries:

Contact the Undergraduate Office in the Ramsay Wright Zoological Laboratories and consult the departmental website.

Cell and Systems Biology Programs

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology: see Biochemistry

Biology: see Biology

Botany: see Biology

Comparative Animal Physiology (Science program)

Specialist program:

(12 or 12.5 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one 400-series course)

First Year
BIO150Y1; (CHM138H1, CHM139H1)/CHM151Y1; JMB170Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT137Y1; PHY110Y1/PHY138Y1/PHY140Y1

Higher Years:
1. BIO250Y1, BIO260H1/HMB265H1 (BIO260H1 is recommended); (CHM220H1, CHM247H1)/CHM249H1; ZOO252Y1
2. STA220H1
3. BCH210H1
4. JZP326H1/ZOO 345H1/ZOO346H1; ZOO325H1/ZOO344H1; ZOO332H1; ZOO347H1
5. (ZOO425H1, ZOO430H1)/ZOO485Y1
6. One full course equivalent from: BOT251Y1/BCH370H1/BIO349H1/JZP428H1/PSL302Y1/PSL372H1/ZOO498Y1

Developmental Biology (Science program)

Enrolment in this program is limited, and requires a minimum CGPA of 2.5. Enrolment also requires the completion of four courses, including BIO150Y1; CHM138H1, CHM139H1/CHM151Y1; JMB170Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT136Y1/MAT137Y1/MAT157Y1.

Specialist program:

(12.5 -13 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one 400-series course)

First Year:
BIO150Y1; (CHM138H1, CHM139H1)/CHM151Y1; JMB170Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT136Y1/MAT137Y1/MAT157Y1
Higher Years:
1. BCH210H1; BIO250Y1, BIO260H1; BOT251Y1/ZOO252Y1; CHM220H1/CHM247H1/CHM249H1
2. BIO349H1/MGY311Y1*
3. BOT340H1; ZOO328H1
4. 2.5 (or 3.5**) courses from: ANA300Y1, ANA301H1; BCH304H1, BCH340H1, BCH370H1, BCH425H1, BCH426H1; BIO460H1, BIO472H1, BIO473H1; BOT310H1, BOT341H1, BOT350H1, BOT450H1, BOT458H1; IMM334Y1/IMM335Y1, IMM429H1; JBI428H1; MGY312H1, MGY425H1, MGY428H1, MGY451H1, MGY452H1, MGY460H1, MGY470H1; PSL303Y1, PSL420H1, ZOO327H1, ZOO329H1, ZOO330H1, ZOO331H1, ZOO344H1, ZOO425H1
5. 1.0 (or 2.0**) courses from BIO458H1, BIO461H1, BIO482Y1; BOT460Y1; MGY480Y1; ZOO429H1, ZOO430H1, ZOO498Y1

* With permission of Undergraduate Secretary, Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology
** Requirements 4 and 5 must include a total of at least 4.5 full courses

Molecular Plant Biology (Science program)

Specialist program:

(11.5 or 12 full courses or their equivalent, including at least one 400-series course)

Enrolment in this program requires completion of four courses, including BIO150Y1, CHM138H1, CHM139H1/CHM151Y1 and JMB170Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT136Y1/MAT137Y1; no minimum GPA is required.

First Year:
BIO150Y1; CHM138H1, CHM139H1/CHM151Y1; JMB170Y1/MAT135Y1/MAT136Y1/MAT137Y1

Second Year:
BCH210H1, BIO250Y1, BIO260H1; BOT251Y1; CHM220H1, CHM247H1

Third and Fourth Years:
1. BOT458H1; BIO349H1/MGY311Y1*; MGY460H1
2. 3.0 courses from BIO351Y1, BIO472H1, BIO473H1; BOT301H1, BOT340H1, BOT341H1, BOT350H1, BOT421H1, BOT450H1, BOT452H1, BOT460Y1, 461H1, BOT462Y1, 463H1

NOTE: no Molecular Plant Biology Major program exists; therefore, a student may qualify for a Botany major after third year.

*With permission of Undergraduate Secretary, Department of Medical Genetics and Molecular Biology