MS560 Fundamentals of Ecotoxicology Spring (3). Dr. Michael Newman. Prerequisite Basic Ecology. This course is an introduction to ecotoxicology, the science of contaminants in the biosphere and their effects on constituents of the biosphere, including humans. The course provides a general survey of environmental toxicology and risk assessment from an ecological vantage.

MS 561. Analytical Approaches in Environmental and Biogeochemical Studies. Spring (3). Dr. Robert Hale
Modern techniques to identify and quantify trace organic and inorganic compounds in the marine environment. Principles of extraction, purification, identification and quantification. Techniques include SFE, TLC, open column chromatography, HPLC, GC, trace metal spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Sampling, quality assurance / control, detection limits and other concerns will be covered.

MS 563. Environmental Chemistry. Fall (3). Dr. Michael Unger
Overview of the major classes of environmental toxicants. Fundamentals of aquatic, atmospheric, and geo/soil chemistry. Emphasis on the environmental significance of chemical processes. Fate and transport of contaminants and how this affects bioavailability will be stressed.

MS 564. Aquatic Toxicology. Fall (3). Dr. Peter van Veld
Factors influencing the fate and behavior of major environmental toxicants in aquatic organisms. Mechanisms involved in their uptake, distribution, biotransformation and clearance. Effects of toxicants on aquatic organisms ranging from effects at the biochemical and cellular level to effects on individuals, populations and communities. Current methods of laboratory and field toxicity testing.

MS 565. Principles of Pathobiology. Spring (3). Dr. Stephen Kaattari and staff
This is a course focused on the molecular and cellular mechanisms of pathogenesis in important, emerging diseases in the medical, veterinary, and aquacultural fields. Students will learn how current molecular and cellular techniques are being applied to the resolution of a variety of infectious and non-infectious diseases. Primary focus will be on the application of these techniques to the diseases of fish and shellfish, although mammalian models will be explored to provide a more global point of view.

MS 566. Diseases of Marine Organisms. Fall, odd years (4). Dr. Eugene Burreson and Dr. Wolfgang Vogelbein
Identification, life histories, host defense mechanisms, pathology and control of non-infectious and infectious disease agents including viruses, bacteria, protozoa, helminth and arthropods in marine fishes and shellfishes. Three lecture and three laboratory hours.

MS 567. Comparative Immunology. Spring, odd years (3). Dr. Stephen Kaattari
Prerequisites: Genetics and biochemistry, and permission of instructor.
Recommended: An introductory immunology course.
Current theories and applications of molecular and cellular immunology. A comparative approach to the understanding of immune function throughout the animal kingdom. Topics include antibody and antigen structure and function, immune cell networks, major histocompatability complex and disease resistance, mechanisms of pathogen recognition and elimination, general principles of vaccine design and modification. Three hours of lecture.

MS 568. Tissue Culture and Virus Diagnosis. Spring, odd years (3).
Overview on the general aspects of culturing cells of aquatic animals including their biology, derivation and characterization. Discussion of the practical application for the use of tissue culture in marine science research. Special emphasis will be given to the use of tissue culture in the isolation and diagnosis of viruses. The course will provide students with an opportunity to practice culturing, maintaining and characterizing cells from marine organisms including invertebrates. Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory.

MS 569. Molluscan Immunology and Pathology. Fall, odd years (3). Dr. Fu-Lin Chu
This course focuses on discussion of defense mechanisms of marine bivalves. Emphasis is placed on economically important species (e.g., mussels, scallops, clams, and oysters). Topics include morphology and function of molluscan blood cells (hemocytes); humoral factors and their functions; models of self and non-self recognition; individual, seasonal and habitat variations of cellular and humoral components; environmental factors and hemocyte function and activity; host-parasite interactions including seasonal, environmental and pollutant effects (emphasis will be given to the most exploited eastern oyster and its parasite, Perkinsus marinus); parasites evasion mechanisms. Lecture and laboratory.

MS 570. Nutrition and Energy Reserve in Marine Organisms. Fall, even years (3-4). Dr. Fu-Lin Chu
Nutrition; basic biochemistry of food sources; strategies for nutrient acquisition; transfer of essential nutrients between trophic levels, energy reserves and metabolism; nutrition and reproduction and larval development; factors affecting energy requirements and metabolism Emphasis is placed on economically important marine and estuarine fish and shellfish species. Lecture and laboratory.

MS 575. Aquatic Microbial Ecology. Fall (3). Dr. Iris Anderson and Dr. Howard Kator
Recommended: Organic chemistry or biochemistry.
An introduction to the role that microorganisms play in the biogeochemical cycling and production of dissolved and particulate inorganic and organic matter in freshwater and marine ecosystems. The approach will be ecological, relating environmental physiochemical properties to regulation of microbial processes, distributions, and biodiversity. Topics will include state of the art methods for detecting distributions, biomass, and activities of microorganisms in the natural environment, the energetics regulating microbial processes, microbial biochemical pathways, biodegradation, microbial interactions, and the role that microorganisms play in the foodwebs of various ecosystems. Although emphasis will be placed on marine systems, also discussed will be processes in estuarine, riverine, and groundwater ecosystems. Readings will draw heavily on the primary literature.

MS 635. Immunotoxicology. Spring, even years (3).
Mechanisms through which several classes of toxic chemicals compromise the function and phenotype of immunocompetent cells. Methods of data interpretation and extrapolation of conclusions at the organismal and population levels. Topics include principles of immunotoxicology, chemical immunomodulators or environmental concern, effects of toxic chemicals on the ontogeny of immune functions and hemopoietic organs, tiered approach to evaluate toxic insult on the immune system, and molecular mechanisms of immunotoxicology, correlation between immunotoxicity, carcinogenicity, and susceptibility to disease. Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory.

MS 638. Fish Histology and Histopathology. Spring, even years (4). Dr. Wolfgang Vogelbein
Detailed examination of the normal microscopic structure and function of tissues and organs in fishes and the morphological and functional changes that occur in tissues during disease. Infectious and non-infectious diseases, including pathological changes elicited by chemical toxicants and environmental factors will be evaluated. Lab will consist of in-depth training in routine methods of paraffin histology and histochemistry. Three lecture and 3 laboratory hours. Restricted to 6 students.

MS 640. Quantitative Ecotoxicology. Spring (4). Dr. Michael Newman
Prerequisites: General Ecology, Basic Statistics, or Permission of Instructor
A presentation and discussion of essential ecotoxicological principles and quantitative methods for the analysis of ecotoxicological data. Laboratory exercises include method applications with PC-based software. Emphasis is placed on the scientific and statistical soundness of techniques. The materials covered in this course establish the foundation for a second course in environmental risk assessment (MS 641).

MS 641. Environmental Risk Assessment. Fall (3). Dr. Michael Newman
Basic structure and methods for environmental risk assessment are presented for retrospective and predictive assessments. Concepts associated with ecological and human hazard and risk assessments are covered. Discussions of associated logic and methods are framed around the NRC Paradigm of Problem Formulation/Hazard Identification, Effects Characterization, Exposure Characterization, and Risk Characterization.

655. Methods in Aquatic Microbial Ecology. Spring, even years (3). Dr. Iris Anderson and Dr. Howard Kator
Prerequisite: MS 575 or equivalent.
An advanced laboratory-oriented course covering methods used to measure microbial numbers and biomass, activity, primary production, secondary production, community metabolism, specific biogeochemical cycling, and degradation of pollutants. Methods include gas chromatography, emission spectrometry, epifluorescence microscopy, and application of stable and radioactive isotopes. Each student will design, prepare and perform a field-project utilizing methods described in the course.

(This page was last updated 02/05/2007 09:27 )