Esther Leise's Web Establishment

Courses I teach:  I urge you to consult the Undergraduate or Graduate Bulletins, either online or hardcopy, to determine whether you have had the necessary pre-requisites for the courses I mention below.   My comments here do not replace information that is in the official Bulletins.  If you are a transfer student, a graduate student, or a post-bac, please email me if UNGenie does not recognize your pre-requisites.

Cell Biology (BIO 355): I generally teach this course in the spring of even numbered years. This is a mid-level course, required for Biology majors. Note that BIO 112 and Chem 114/115 are pre-requisites for this class as well as for BIO 356.

Cell Biology Laboratory (BIO 356): I often teach this course in the fall of even numbered years.

Histology (BIO 472): I generally teach this course in the spring of odd numbered years. This upper level course combines both a laboratory and lecture section. Cell Biology (BIO 355) is a pre-requisite for this course. If you like looking at slides and photographs of cells, you'll like this class.  We focus entirely on learning to recognize normal tissue and cells from all organs in the body (not pathology).  In the lecture, I discuss some of the associated physiology.  The laboratory exercises are an important and integral part of this course, because that is really where you learn what normal bodily organs look like, at the cellular level.

Neurobiology  (BIO 479): I generally teach this course in the fall of odd numbered years. Cell Biology is a pre-requisite for this course. If you have had the first semester of physics, that would be useful, but it is only recommended, not required.

Neurobiology Laboratory (BIO 479L): I often teach this separate laboratory course along with BIO 479 lecture.

Metamorphosis (BIO 552): I teach this course at various times, often in the spring of even numbered years. This course is appropriate for both graduate students and undergraduates who have had the necessary pre-requisites (BIO 355 and at least one 400 level BIO course). In this course we read original scientific papers dealing with the anatomy, physiology, ecology and genetics of metamorphosis. We usually discuss the major vertebrate and invertebrate groups that display distinct metamorphoses, although we have also dealt with more unusual metamorphoses, such as those occurring in humans. This course is usually taught as both SI and WI and all students lead discussions about their topics and papers, chosen with my input. It has historically been a very interesting course with wide-ranging discussions.

Drugs and the Brain (BIO 573): I generally teach this course in the fall of even numbered years. This course is appropriate for both graduate students and undergraduates with the appropriate pre-requisites (BIO 355 and any of the physiology courses mentioned in the listing in the Undergraduate or Graduate Bulletins). In this course we review the basics of human neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and then move onto neurotransmitter pharmacology and drugs of abuse.