Karen Hicks joined the Kenyon faculty in 1999 and teaches courses in genetics, computational genomics, and evolutionary developmental biology as well as introductory lecture and lab classes. Her research focuses on the regulation of reproductive development in land plants in response to photoperiodic seasonal cues. Hicks uses molecular, genetic and genomic approaches to address the mechanism and evolution of photoperiodic regulation in the moss Physcomitrium patens.
1993 — Doctor of Philosophy from Massachusetts Institute of Technology
1986 — Bachelor of Arts from Swarthmore College
Courses Recently Taught
This is the first laboratory course a student takes and is a prerequisite for all upper-division laboratory courses- required for the major. Students are introduced to the processes of investigative biology and scientific writing. Laboratories cover topics presented in the core lecture courses, BIOL 115 and 116, and introduce a variety of techniques and topics, including field sampling, microscopy, PCR, gel electrophoresis, enzyme biochemistry, physiology, evolution and population biology. The course emphasizes the development of inquiry skills through active involvement in experimental design, data collection and management, statistical analysis, integration of results with information reported in the literature, and writing in a format appropriate for publication. The year culminates in six-week student-designed investigations that reinforce the research skills developed during the year. Evaluation is based on laboratory notebooks, lab performance and scientific papers, as well as oral and written presentations summarizing the independent project. Prerequisite: completion or concurrent enrollment in BIOL 115 or equivalent.
This is the first laboratory course a student takes and is a prerequisite for all upper-division laboratory courses- required for the major. Students are introduced to the processes of investigative biology and scientific writing. Laboratories cover topics presented in the core lecture courses, BIOL 115 and 116, and introduce a variety of techniques and topics, including field sampling, microscopy, PCR, gel electrophoresis, enzyme biochemistry, physiology, evolution and population biology. The course emphasizes the development of inquiry skills through active involvement in experimental design, data collection, statistical analysis, integration of results with information reported in the literature and writing in a format appropriate for publication. The year culminates in six-week student-designed investigations that reinforce the research skills developed during the year. Evaluation is based on short reports, quizzes, lab performance and scientific papers, as well as oral and written presentations based on the independent project. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y and 115 or equivalent.
This course focuses on the analysis of genomic and transcriptomic data obtained through next-generation sequencing technologies. Topics include genome sequencing and assembly, polymorphism and variant analysis, population and evolutionary genomics, differential expression, co-expression networks and data visualization. Readings are largely drawn from the primary literature and include a combination of methods articles and research articles that apply these methods to address biological questions. Students carry out their own analyses by applying these methods to available datasets. Programming is mainly done in R and unix; familiarity with R is expected. This counts toward an upper-level course in cellular/molecular biology or an upper-level laboratory, and also serves as an intermediate-level course in program in computing. Prerequisite: BIOL 116 and either BIOL 109-110Y or STAT 106. Offered in alternating years.
This course introduces both principles and experimental approaches related to heredity in a wide variety of organisms. Topics include classical transmission genetics, chromosomal structure, extranuclear heredity, population and evolutionary genetics, and molecular analysis of genes and chromosomes. As genetic analysis can be used to dissect many biological processes, we also address how geneticists approach problems and advance scientific understanding, focusing our discussions around primary literature. This counts toward the upper-level cellular/molecular requirement for the major. Prerequisite: BIOL 116. Generally offered every year.
This laboratory course introduces both genetic concepts and genetic approaches commonly used to understand biological processes, including both forward and reverse genetic approaches. We primarily use the model plant Physcomitrium patens as our experimental organism, although the techniques used in this course can be applied to any organism amenable to genetic analysis. This counts toward the upper-level laboratory requirement. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y-110Y and 116. Prerequisite or corequisite: BIOL 255.
This course addresses the mechanisms responsible for building multicellular eukaryotic organisms, framed in the context of the evolution of developmental processes and patterns. We explore the similarities in molecular and cellular mechanisms governing development across broad groups of organisms, as well as the changes in these processes that have resulted in novel forms. Class discussions are based on primary literature as well as other texts, with particular attention devoted to the experimental basis for current scientific understanding. This counts toward the upper-level cellular/molecular biology requirement for the major. Prerequisite: BIOL 116 and any 200-level biology course. Generally offered every other year.
This combined discussion and laboratory course aims to develop abilities for asking sound research questions, designing reasonable scientific approaches to answer such questions, and performing experiments to test both the design and the question. We consider how to assess difficulties and limitations in experimental strategies due to design, equipment, organism selected and so on. The course provides a detailed understanding of selected modern research equipment. Students select their own research problems in consultation with one or more biology faculty members. This course is designed both for those who plan to undertake honors research in their senior year and for those who are not pursuing honors but want practical research experience. A student can begin the course in either semester. If a year of credit is earned, it may be applied toward one laboratory requirement for the major in biology. This course is repeatable for credit. Prerequisite: BIOL 109Y–110Y and 116 and permission of instructor.
This course offers an in-depth research experience. Prior to enrollment in this course, students are expected to complete at least one semester of BIOL 385 and participate in the Summer Science Scholars program. Two semesters of BIOL 385 are recommended. Emphasis is on completion of the research project. Students also are instructed in poster production and produce one or more posters of their honors work for presentation at Kenyon and possibly at outside meetings. There are oral progress reports, and students draft the introduction and methods section of the honors thesis. The letter grade is determined by the instructor and project advisor in consultation with the department. Students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.33 and a GPA of 3.33 in biology. Permission of instructor and department chair required. Prerequisite: BIOL 385 and permission of project advisor and department chair.
