Animals are frequently used to tell children's stories, especially in animated cinema. For the most part depictions of animals in classic films such as Lion King, Finding Nemo, or The Land Before Time are clearly not intended to depict an accurate natural history of their subjects. However, the ways in which movies get things wrong by having animals portray human roles opens an opportunity to explore the diversity of animal behavior. This course focuses on understanding the evolution, ecology, and natural history of diverse animals portrayed in films. It will cover a range of topics that apply generally to animated animal movies (e.g., Do animals use language?) as well as issues raised by specific movies (Does it make any sense for Scar to kill Mufasa in Lion King?). During this course students will engage with data and analyses used in the field of animal behavior, appreciate the diversity of experiences among animals, and consider our own biology and behavior in the light of the natural world.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (BIO-AG, OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 1100 - Natural History of the Magic Kingdom: Understanding Animal Behavior through Animated Films

The First-Year Writing Seminar is about introducing concepts in neuroscience and behavior and writing extensively about them. Topics vary by section.

Catalog Distribution: (WRT-AG)

Full details for BIONB 1220 - FWS: Special Topics in Neurobiology and Behavior

An introduction to neuroscience: the structure and function of the nervous system of humans and other animals. Topics include the cellular and molecular basis for cell signaling, the functions of neurons in communication and in decision making; neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, sensory systems, motor systems, neural development, learning and memory, and other complex brain functions. The course will emphasize how the nervous system is built during development, how it changes with experiences during life, how it functions in normal behavior, and how it is disrupted by injury and disease. Discussion sections will include a dissection of a preserved sheep brain.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 2220 - Neurobiology and Behavior II: Introduction to Neuroscience

Why are boys more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism, and why are women more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression? Are there different "gay" and "straight" brains? And how does brain science interact with gender and sexuality in popular debate? Reading and discussing the original scientific papers and related critical texts, we will delve into the neuroscience of gender. In this course, we will delve into the neuroscience of gender difference. Reading the original scientific papers and related critical texts, we will ask whether we can find measurable physical differences in male and female brains, and what these differences might be. Do men and women solve spatial puzzles differently, as measured physiologically? Do nonhuman animals display sex-specific behaviors mediated by brain structure, and can we extrapolate these findings to human behavior? Why are boys three times more likely than girls to be diagnosed as autistic, and is there any connection between the predominantly male phenomenon of autism and other stereotypically male mental traits? Are there physical representations of sexual orientation in the brain, and how are these related to gender identity? And how are scientific studies represented and misrepresented in popular debate?

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS, SCD-AS) (D-AG, OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 3215 - Gender and the Brain

Covers comparative and evolutionary approaches to the study of the relationship between peripheral hormones and neuroendocrine mechanisms in vertebrates, including humans, with sexual behavior, affiliative bonds and social grouping, parental behavior, aggression, mating systems, stress, learning and memory, and biological rhythms.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 3220 - Hormones and Behavior

Why are chilies so spicy? This course examines the chemical basis of interactions between species and is intended for students with a basic knowledge of chemistry and biology. Focuses on the ecology and chemistry of plants, animals, and microbes. Stresses chemical signals used in diverse ecosystems, using Darwinian natural selection as a framework. Topics include: plant defenses, microbial warfare, communication in marine organisms, and human pheromones.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 3690 - Chemical Ecology

Undergraduate course surveying system- and organ-related aspects of pharmacology. Topics include mechanisms of drug action; drug disposition; pharmacokinetics; autonomic pharmacology; pharmacology of inflammation, allergy and platelet function; and endocrine, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal pharmacology. The course is designed for undergraduate life science majors, particularly those interested in medical or veterinary school.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4140 - Principles of Pharmacology

Courses on selected topics in neurobiology and behavior; can include lecture and seminar courses.

Catalog Distribution: (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4200 - Topics in Neurobiology and Behavior

Intensive lecture and computer lab course on modeling strategies and techniques in the study of behavioral evolution. Population-genetic (including quantitative-genetic), static optimization, dynamic programming, and game-theoretic methods are emphasized. These approaches are illustrated by application to problems in optimal foraging, sexual selection, sex ratio evolution, animal communication, and the evolution of cooperation and conflict within animal social groups. Students learn to critically assess recent evolutionary theories of animal behavior, as well as to develop their own testable models for biological systems of interest or to extend preexisting models in novel directions. The Mathematica software program is used as a modeling tool in the accompanying computer lab.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS, SMR-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4220 - Modeling Behavioral Evolution

Experiments include PCR, western blots, RNAi, antibody staining, optogenetics, calcium imaging of neurons and behavioral assays. Students will also construct their own epifluoresence microscope. Experiments emphasize how molecular techniques can be applied to studying neurobiological problems and will culminate in designing your own experiments. If you have additional questions please contact dld14@cornell.edu.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4300 - Experimental Molecular Neurobiology

A seminar series examining current and classical ideas in human sciences and the humanities.  Themes vary from semester to semester.

Full details for BIONB 4330 - Topics in Cognitive Science

Advanced course in evolutionary biology focusing on the pattern and process of speciation and the nature of origin of behavioral, morphological, physiological and ecological traits that form the intrinsic barriers to gene exchange. Lecture topics include species concepts and definitions, the history of ideas about speciation, the biological basis of intrinsic barriers to gene exchange, current models for the origin of such barriers, genetic architecture of speciation, rates of speciation. Emphasis is on developing a rigorous conceptual framework for discussing speciation and on detailed analysis of a series of case histories.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4530 - Speciation: Genetics, Ecology, and Behavior

This course examines the neural circuit dynamics that support learning, memory and flexible decision making. We will critically read and discuss classic and current papers in these subjects. Topics may include neural mechanisms of different types of learning, memory-guided behavior, spatial navigation, memory replay, neural oscillations, brain computation, etc. We will critically read and discuss classic and current papers in these subjects. Topics may include neural mechanisms of different types of learning, memory-guided behavior, spatial navigation, memory replay, neural oscillations, brain computation, etc. Topics will cover both fundamental and translational research in different animal models and humans.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4740 - Neural Dynamics of Learning, Memory and Decision Making

Laboratory-oriented course designed to teach the concepts and tools of cellular neurophysiology through hands-on experience with extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological techniques, and computer acquisition and analysis of laboratory results. Students explore signal transmission in the nervous system by examining the cellular basis of resting and action potentials, and synaptic transmission and optogenetic control of behavior and physiology. Lecture time is used to review nervous system physiology, introduce laboratory exercises, discuss lab results and primary research papers, and for presentation of additional experimental preparations and methods. Invertebrate preparations are used as model systems.

Catalog Distribution: (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Full details for BIONB 4910 - Principles of Neurophysiology

Designed to give qualified undergraduate students teaching experience through actual involvement in planning and assisting in biology courses.  This experience may include supervised participation in a discussion group, assisting in a biology laboratory, assisting in field biology, or tutoring.

Full details for BIONB 4980 - Teaching Experience

Laboratory-oriented course designed to teach the concepts and tools of cellular neurophysiology through hands-on experience with extracellular and intracellular electrophysiological techniques, and computer acquisition and analysis of laboratory results. Students explore signal transmission in the nervous system by examining the cellular basis of resting and action potentials, and synaptic transmission. Lecture time is used to review nervous system physiology, introduce laboratory exercises, discuss lab results and primary research papers, and for presentation of additional experimental preparations and methods. Invertebrate preparations are used as model systems. Students must complete and additional semester-long project. The project includes exploration of experimental neuroscience questions not covered in the undergraduate laboratory class, novel, low cost instrumentation design, computational approaches to nervous system function and development of active learning activities. It will require a project proposal early in the semester, and a final project presentation and research journal style paper at the end of the semester.

Full details for BIONB 5910 - Principles of Neurophysiology

A weekly journal club-style discussion. Graduate students may be expected to present a summary of their research or a summary of research in the literature related to their thesis once per year.

Full details for BIONB 7201 - Research Design in the Study of Animal Social Behavior

A weekly journal club-style discussion. Graduate students may be expected to present a summary of their research or a summary of research in the literature related to their thesis once per year.

Full details for BIONB 7202 - Topics in Neural Basis of Behavior

Group intensive study of current research in plant-insect interactions. Topics vary from semester to semester but include chemical defense, coevolution, insect community structure, population regulation, biocontrol, tritrophic interactions, and mutualism.

Full details for BIONB 7640 - Plant-Insect Interactions Seminar