Faculty Profile

John Henson

Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology (1989)

Contact Information

henson@dickinson.edu

James Hall - Rector Complex Room 1227
717-245-1434
http://blogs.dickinson.edu/johnhenson

Bio

He teaches courses in cell biology, immunology, animal development, marine science, and health studies. His research program utilizes marine orgnisms as model experimental systems for studying basic aspects of cell structure and function, particularly how cells move, change shape, and divide.

Education

  • B.A., University of Virginia, 1979
  • M.S., Florida State University, 1983
  • Ph.D., Harvard University, 1989

2023-2024 Academic Year

Fall 2023

BIOL 132 Intro to Molecules/Genes/Cells
This introductory course approaches core biological themes from the molecular and cellular level, and is complementary to BIOL 131, Introduction to Organisms, Populations, and Ecosystems. Course content will be focused around a specific theme determined by the instructor, and will include biomolecule and cell structure and function; cell signaling and communication; chromosome and gene structure; DNA replication; transcription; and translation. The course will involve lecture, discussion, and readings from scientific literature. Laboratory exercises include both classic and modern approaches to cellular and molecular biology utilizing prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic organisms. The laboratory will stress the discovery approach in applying current techniques to biological experiments. Three hours classroom and three hours laboratory a week. This is one of two courses required of all Biology majors before completing upper level coursework. It is complementary to BIOL 131 – Introduction to Organisms, Populations, and Ecosystems, and the courses may be taken in either order.

BIOL 560 Stu/Faculty Collaborative Rsch

Spring 2024

BIOL 313 Cell Biology w/Lab
An introduction to the structure and function of cells, with emphasis on the molecular mechanisms of cellular processes. The course will involve discussion-oriented lectures and readings from the current literature. The laboratory will stress the discovery approach in applying state of the art techniques to cell biological experiments. Six hours classroom a week. Prerequisites: One 200-level BIOL course. For Neuroscience majors only, prerequisite is 132 and PSYC 125 and NRSC 200.

BIOL 560 Stu/Faculty Collaborative Rsch