Biology: Principles of Biology 1

Principles of cellular biochemistry; cell biology; genetics and evolution. Topics: biochemistry; metabolism, cell structure/function; respiration; photosynthesis; molecular, Mendelian and population genetics; genetics of evolution. Credit not awarded for both BIOL 1400 and BCOR 1400 or BCOR 1425.

Must register for one BIOL 1400 Z lab; Post Bac Pre Med & PACE students only even after level restrictions removed; Degree students register for BIOL 1400 C; Lab supply fee: $30 Cross-listed with BIOL 1400 C Total combined enrollment = 80

Biology is the study of life. This course focuses on understanding the smallest units of life – cells. Understanding how we unravel the mysteries of living things is as important as understanding what we currently know about the world around us, so the process of science is a running theme in the class. To lay a foundation for this, we start with an exploration of how scientific analyses are carried out, building knowledge that will allow you to interpret and critique analyses. From there, we journey into the world of cells, looking at the molecules that form cellular structures and how these molecules interact to carry out cellular processes. Questions we address include: How do cells use and store energy? What are the instructions used to create and maintain a cell? How are these instructions copied and used to direct the production of other molecules? Our exploration of cells continues by examining the ways in which cells divide and investigating how traits are passed on to the next generation. We then take a step back to see how variation in heritable traits relates to evolution at the population level. The course wraps up by applying many of the concepts we’ve discussed to understand human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), with a focus on the evolution of drug resistant viruses and the potential effects of HIV on the evolution of humans. Throughout the course, we’ll use examples to illustrate how the processes in our cells relate to our everyday lives. For many topics, we also examine how we know what we know, discussing scientific analyses that have led to our current understanding.

Information regarding required course materials will be distributed via email approximately two weeks before classes start.

Assessments will include weekly homeworks, in-class participation, exams (4), and lab-related assignments.