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Biology 1113 Course Goals and Objectives

Successful students in all versions of Biology 1113xx will be able to...

The Chemistry of Life

  • describe the properties of carbon and water and how they are necessary for life.
  • describe the basic structural characteristics of the major classes of biological macromolecules (proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids).
  • apply chemical principles to the analysis of the structure and function of macromolecules.
  • explain the relationship between the structures of macromolecules and their general functions and biological importance. 

The Cell

  • describe the structure and properties of the plasma membrane and its role in the cellular response to its environment (e.g., membrane transport, signal transduction).
  • explain basic activities of the cell by relating structure and function of cellular components, organelles, and systems.
  • compare and contrast prokaryotic, plant, and animal cells.
  • outline representative mechanisms for how cells send, receive, and respond to signals.
  • explain the forms of energy utilized in biological systems and the laws of thermodynamics that govern them.
  • characterize enzymes, their functions, and the major mechanisms that control their activity.
  • explain the transformations of energy and carbon involved in cellular respiration, fermentation, and photosynthesis (including orderly chemical transformations, the relevance of redox reactions, and electron/proton transport).
  • explain the mechanisms and structures involved in mitotic and meiotic cell division and explain the different roles for and consequences of each.
  • describe how the loss/failure of cellular control mechanisms can lead to disease. 

Genetics

  • explain the transfer and modification of heritable traits from parents to offspring via Mendelian inheritance.
  • apply principles of Mendelian and non-Mendelian genetics to predict the outcomes of a variety of genetic crosses.
  • explain the basis of and identify examples of non-Mendelian patterns of inheritance.
  • describe the nature and expression of heritable information at the molecular level, including: the Central Dogma, DNA replication, transcription, protein synthesis (translation).
  • explain how gene expression is controlled in prokaryotes and eukaryotes (at transcription, post-transcription, translation, and post-translation levels).
  • identify mutations in DNA and assess their impact on gene expression and diversity.
  • explain chromatin structure, the histone code, and epigenetic inheritance.
  • explain how differential gene expression relates to organismal development, including cellular reproduction, growth, and differentiation
  • describe characteristics of viruses and bacteria (e.g., life history, genome type and content, exchange of genetic material).
  • describe the experimental basis and select applications of recombinant DNA technology, including gene cloning, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and gene editing (CRISPR)  

Nature of biological science and society

  • describe the development and evaluation of scientific explanations of natural phenomena.
  • apply biological concepts in the assessment of contemporary issues.
  • reflect on ethical implications of emerging biotechnology.
  • explain how evolution accounts for the unity and diversity of life.

Skills & Competencies

Process of Science

  • apply the process of science to research questions, presented scenarios, historical experiments, and course lab experiments.
  • design an experiment
  • collect and organize both qualitative and quantitative data.
  • support or refute an argument or conclusion using experimental results.

Scientific Communication

  • refer to primary literature articles using proper paraphrasing and citation (compare and contrast primary, secondary, etc).
  • create properly formatted graphs, figures, and tables using data.
  • analyze and interpret qualitative and quantitative data
  • create discipline-appropriate documents (poster, presentation, or paper).
  • identify plagiarism and avoid plagiarizing when writing.

Literature

  • evaluate the quality and accuracy of a written source.
  • locate scholarly articles using electronic databases.
  • distinguish between primary literature, secondary literature, and content created for mass media.

Laboratory 

  • employ safe laboratory practices. 
  • use a compound light microscope to view microorganisms; maintain microscope cleanliness.
  • use a pipette to measure small volumes.
  • understand the key steps and reagents in PCR.
  • explain how gel electrophoresis works and interpret DNA separation on a gel.
  • prepare a dilution series.