Biology
ObjectivesThe objective of the Biology Department is to prepare students for scientific careers that require a strong knowledge of basic life processes. Our majors graduate with a broad taxonomic familiarity with living organisms and the skills needed to study them from the molecular to the community levels.
The Biology Department's emphasis on investigative, data-intensive labs and thesis research ensures that our students develop a strong sense of science as a process and as a way of looking at the world. Their broad training enables them to be competitive in a rapidly changing scientific community. Our program offers numerous laboratory experiences, plus a strong foundation in chemistry and physics, thus giving our graduates an additional advantage when they compete for technical jobs or post-graduate studies.
Special Opportunities
Off-Campus Experiences
A wide range of possibilities exist for biology majors to earn credit by participating in internships off campus. Recent activities include:
- Behavioral studies of monkeys at a primate center in New York
- Working with dolphins at a marine sciences facility in Florida
- Molecular biology research at the University of Hawaii
- Conducting cancer research at Penn State-Hershey Medical Center
- Toxicological analysis at an environmental laboratory in Maryland
- Working as a naturalist at a local park developing a field manual
- A one-semester experience doing field research and ecological studies in Kenya, Africa
- A summer project working with the Department of Environmental Protection studying the blackfly suppression program in Northern Pennsylvania
- Working in a forensics lab in Hagerstown, MD
- Assisting at a rehabilitation center for marine turtles in North Carolina
- Working with marine animals at the National Aquarium in Baltimore
- Working with the animals at Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnett Park in Syracuse, NY
- Working at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, MD
- Premedical research opportunities at York Hospital (see Premedical Studies brochure)
- Completing an NSF-funded summer internship at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography
All Biology majors are encouraged to do an independent study which involves designing and conducting an original research project while working closely with a Biology faculty member. Exceptional projects frequently lead to the preparation of a manuscript, which students present at state or national scientific meetings. Some students have co-authored papers with their professors and published them in scientific journals. Examples of papers recently presented at scientific meetings include:
Ciacco, Samantha and Ronald C. Kaltreider. 2005. Identification of a Possible Chimera in a Small Sample of 20 Individuals from York College. J. PA Acad. Sci. 78: 107.
Dilaha, Adam and Bruce Smith. 2007. Identification of Ovule and Embryo Sac Developmental Stages using Coinciding Bud Length in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh Columbia Ecotype. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.96.
Filippeli, Gina and Carolyn Mathur. 2004. Presence of Iron Reducing Bacteria from the Saprolite Core of the Luguillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. Presented at the annual meeting of the Allegheny Branch of the American Society for Microbiology on November 5-6, 2004 at Juniata College.
Gough, Les and Bruce Smith. 2005. Quantification of Seleted Stages of Megasporogenesis and Megagametogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh Columbia Ecotype, J.PA Acad. Sci. 78:113.
Gouirand, Christina and Bruce Smith. 2004. A study of Early Ovule Development of Impatiens pallida Nutt. Using the Herr Clearing Technique. PA. Acad. Sci. Vol. 76, Abstract and Index Issue.
Henry, Kristen and Marilyn Daly. 2007. Evaluation of a Selection of Lachenalia, a South African Geophyte, as Winter-Blooming Houseplants for the Northern Hemisphere. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.94.
Hughes, Alan and Bruce Smith. 2007. Determining the Relationship between the Stamen and Pistil Length Relative to Megasporangial Stages of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh Columbia Ecotype. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.95.
Jones, Bruce A. and Ronald C. Kaltreider. 2005. Alternate Day Feeding does not Increase Plasma Antioxidant. J.PA Acad. Sci. 78.116.
Luckenbaugh, Matthew S. and Carolyn F. Mathur. 2007. Microbial-Community Functional Response to the Effluent from a Wastewater Treatment Facility in York County, PA. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.126.
Marachal, Vincent and Bruce Smith. 2004. Pennsylvania's Compensatory Wetland Mitigation: An Analysis of Selected Sites in York County. PA Acad. Sci. Vol. 77, Abstract and Index Issue.
May, Brandon and Bruce Smith. 2004. Can Association Patterns between Unrelated Stimuli be Instilled in the Plant Pisum stativum. L. PA Acad. Sci. Vol. 77. Abstract and Index Issue.
Pope, Christopher R. and Jeffrey P. Thompson. 2007. Evidence Supporting a Glycosylated Model of Human Interleukin-13 Receptor Alpha 2. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.79.
Ream, Tiffani R., Kathleen Halligan and Ron Kaltreider. 2007. Sulfanilamide Derivatives Effectiveness on Growth Inhibition in E. coli and S. aureus. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.68.
Renfro, Katie Jo and Jessica Nolan. 2007. Feeding Preferences of Acartia tonsa Found off the Coast of Chincoteague Island, Virginia. J. PA Acad. Sci. 80.130.
Shaw, Ryan C. and Carolyn F. Mathur. 2005. Resistance of Salmonella in Frozen Chicken Nuggets to Microwave Cooking. J.PA. Acad. Sci. 78: 133.
Shultz, Matthew and Carolyn Mathur. 2005. Microbial DNA Extraction and Biomass Analysis of Saprolitic Soil from the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico. Presented with the first place award at the 2005 Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium at the Pennsylvania State University April 1-2, 2005.
Thorpe, Jessica and Ronald C. Kaltreider. 2005. Inhibition of the Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (HTERT) subunit of Telomerse by siRNA, J.PA Acad. Sci. 78:135.
Trager, Jonathan and Jeffrey P. Thompson. 2005. The Mechanism of Suppression of Tumorigenicity in B16F10 Mouse Melanoma Cells by the Steroid Saponin Holothurin A, J.PA Acad. Sci. 78:135.
Special Facilities
The Biology Department laboratories are well equipped and reflect our emphasis on providing contemporary and diverse laboratory experiences for our majors. We have a large greenhouse and use our rural setting as a rich resource for field studies and research. Research opportunities and summer courses in Marine Biology are available at the field station in Wallops Island, Virginia, through our membership in the Marine Science Consortium.
Courses Offered
Non-Majors
- BIO100-Introduction to Allied-Health
- BIO106-Introduction to Body Structure and Function
- BIO110-General Biology
- BIO112-Fundamentals of Human Biology
- BIO120-Field Natural History
- BIO124-Introduction to Oceanography
- BIO206-Freshwater Ecology
- BIO208-Biology of Animals
- BIO210-Introduction to Marine Biology
- BIO212-Environmental Biology
- BIO216-Microbes: Unseen Life on Earth
- BIO220-Human Anatomy & Physiology I
- BIO222-Human Anatomy & Physiology II
- BIO230-Microbiology
- BIO232-Plant Taxonomy and Seasonal Flora
- BIO150-Biology I
- BIO152-Biology II
- BIO200-Introduction to Scientific Research
- BIO240-Genetics
- BIO300-Ecology
- BIO302-Zoology
- BIO304-Botany
- BIO306-Animal Behavior
- BIO308-Animal Physiology
- BIO310-Plant Morphology/Embryology
- BIO312-Plant Systematics
- BIO324-Marine Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay
- BIO330-Biology of Micro-organisms
- BIO350-Biochemistry
- BIO354-Immunology
- BIO356-Reproduction and Development
- BIO358-Cell and Molecular Biology
- BIO370-Evolutionary Biology
- BIO400-Senior Thesis
- BIO402-Practical Biological Internship
- BIO406-Independent Study
- BIO408-Independent Study
Independent Study OpportunitiesPre-professional Experiences
Qualified students interested in the health fields, such as medicine, have opportunities to participate in clinical or medical experiences at York Hospital, which is located close to the College. Working at the hospital, students may elect to take various Premedical Studies courses, including Advanced Human Anatomy, Clinical Shadowing Rotations, or Emergency Department Research. A separate brochure describing the pre-medical studies at York College of Pennsylvania is available.
Laboratory Assistants
Biology majors have the opportunity to work as paid lab assistants in the College labs. The students work closely with a faculty member and gain valuable hands-on experience learning a variety of biological procedures. Past students consider this a very worthwhile experience.
Biology Faculty
Deborah D. Ricker, Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Ricker is the chairperson of the department. She teaches General Biology, Biology I, Introduction to Scientific Research, Reproduction and Developmental Biology, and Senior Thesis. She studies reproductive biology, with an emphasis on male fertility and embryo development.
Dr. Wendy Boehmler, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Boehmler teaches Biology I and Senior Thesis. She is interested in using zebrafish as a genetic model to provide insight into dopamine neurotransmission and related neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease.
Marilyn L. Daly, M.Ed., University of Southern Mississippi. Professor Daly teaches Human Anatomy and Physiology. Her research area is ornamental horticulture, and she has studied and lectured at Longwood Gardens. She has written articles for Better Homes and Gardens magazine and recently conducted horticultural research in South Africa.
Ronald C. Kaltreider, Ph.D., Dartmouth College. Dr. Kaltreider teaches Biology I, Introduction to Scientific Research, Genetics, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Senior Thesis. His interests are in diabetes and cancer research with a particular focus on elucidating the molecular mechanism by which agents may potentiate or inhibit the carcinogenic process.
Karl Kleiner, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Kleiner teaches Ecology, Environmental Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Field Natural History, and Senior Thesis.. His research interests include plant-insect interactions, plant physiology, and forest ecology. Most recently, he has begun to investigate the migratory patterns of the Northern Saw Whet owl using comparative mitochondrial DNA analysis.
Carolyn F. Mathur, Ph.D., Auburn University. Dr. Mathur teaches Microbiology, Biology of Microorganisms, Immunology, and Senior Thesis. In 2003 she received a Summer Research Fellowship from the American Chemical Society/American Petroleum Institute to conduct geomicro-biological research on the availability of organic reserves in rocks to microbial degradation. She is collaborating with researchers at Penn State to continue this research.
Jessica K. Nolan, Ph.D., Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Dr. Nolan teaches Introduction to Oceanography, Marine Biology, Freshwater Ecology, Marine Ecology of the Chesapeake Bay and Senior Thesis. Her research areas include the role of phytoplankton in the oceanic carbon cycle, genetic and ecological diversity of picoeukaryotes in the coastal ocean, and the evolution of plankton lineages.
Bradley G. Rehnberg, Ph.D., Oregon State University. Dr. Rehnberg teaches Fundamentals of Human Biology, Biology of Animals, Animal Physiology, Animal Behavior, Introduction to Scientific Research, Zoology, and Senior Thesis. His research areas include sensory physiology and behavioral thermoregulation.
Bruce B. Smith, Ph.D., University of South Carolina. Dr. Smith teaches Biology II, Botany, Plant Taxonomy and Seasonal Flora, Plant Morphology/Embryology, and Senior Thesis. His research area is plant embryology, and he also studies wetlands ecology.
Jeffrey Thompson, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. Dr. Thompson teaches General Biology, Biology I, Biochemistry, and Senior Thesis. His cancer therapy research is based on developing targeted delivery of cytotoxic compounds that "seek and destroy" cancer cells.
Lab CoordinatorsAnthony Botyrius, M.S., Cornell University. Mr. Botyrius teaches Biology I, and Field Natural History. He also supervises secondary education biology student-teacher candidates. His research interest is plant ecology and development of innovative Biology laboratories.
Elizabeth Hodgson, M.S., Clemson University. Ms. Hodgson teaches General Biology and Human Anatomy and Physiology. She serves as coordinator of the Nuclear Medicine Program.
Barbara Taylor, M.S., Towson State University. Mrs. Taylor teaches Microbes: Unseen Life on Earth, and lab sections in Microbiology.
Lab Instructional Support Asst. Sally Hoh, B.S., Gettysburg College. Ms. Hoh is responsible for the logistical and technical support of the teaching and research activities of the department. She serves as the Chemical Hygiene Officer and Chair of the Campus Safety Committee. She is also supervisor and coordinator of Biology student laboratory assistants.
Alumni Record
Examples of graduate or professional schools that our students have attended include:
- Auburn University
- Boston University School of Medicine
- Dartmouth College
- George Washington University
- Georgetown University
- Hood College
- Johns Hopkins University
- Ohio State University
- Penn State University
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Tufts University
- University of Maryland
- University of Michigan
- University of Oklahoma
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of South Carolina
- University of Texas at Austin
- West Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
- Becton-Dickinson Labs
- Bio Whittaker
- Bristol-Myers Squibb
- Cambrex
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratories
- Dentsply
- Energy Plus Group, Inc.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- General Physics Corporation
- Glaxo
- Hercon Laboratories
- International Medical News Group
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
- Kelly Scientific Resources
- Lancaster Labs
- Maryland Environmental Service
- McCormick Spice
- National Institutes of Health
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals
- Ortho-McNeill Pharmaceutical Inc.
- PA Department of Natural Resources
- PA Department of Environmental Protection
- Penn State/Hershey Medical Center
- Sanofi-Pasteur
- Southern Research Institute
- Springer Publishing (Medical Division)
- SSI Surgical Services

