Most Fridays an officer teaches a lecture, working across the whole breadth of biology over the course of the year. Once a quarter, we run a hands-on lab instead.
Most of our meetings are lecture-based, covering the whole scope of the subject over the course of the year. We move through ecology, anatomy and physiology, ethology, molecular biology, and genetics.
To give you an idea of what that looks like, past topics have included population genetics, protein sorting, cancer biology, and tumor immunology. We've also spent individual sessions on the nervous system, sensory systems, and muscles. During exam season, we switch to USABO review sessions, and occasionally we'll take a break with a Halloween lecture or a game of Skribbl.
Roughly once a quarter the lecture gives way to a hands-on lab.
Working through real specimens to see the anatomy the textbook only diagrams, including organ systems, tissue structure, and how form follows function. Directly relevant to the Animal Anatomy and Physiology section of USABO, which is the single largest chunk of the exam.
Casting agarose gels, loading samples, running the current, and reading the bands. You learn why fragments separate by size and charge, and get comfortable with the equipment that shows up constantly in molecular biology.
Qualitative tests that make invisible chemistry visible: the Tollens' test for reducing sugars and aldehydes (the classic silver mirror), the Sudan test for lipids, and the Biuret test for proteins. Each one is short, colourful, and a genuinely good way to learn functional groups.
Introducing a plasmid carrying the green fluorescent protein gene into E. coli, then checking the plates under UV to see which colonies glow. It's the clearest possible demonstration of gene expression, selection, and why plasmids matter.
A large part of the year is spent preparing for the USA Biology Olympiad, which means syllabus coverage, past exams, and mock tests under real timing.
Come to a Friday meeting in P10, and check out our Discord and Instagram!