BIOL 111 - Fundamentals of Biology

FDR: SL: BIOL 113 is a corequisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.
Credits: 3
Planned Offering: Fall, Winter

Winter 2015 topics:

BIOL 111-01: Fundamentals of Biology: Biological Clocks and Rhythms (3). An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. From cell division to bird migration, clock-like rhythms control the activities of every living organism. In this section we investigate recent advances in chronobiology, the area of biology that studies internal biological clocks. Our topics include the measurement of rhythmic activity, the molecular mechanisms underlying daily rhythms, and the integration of internal and environmental rhythms in complex physiological processes, such as the sleep and reproductive cycles. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) Toporikova.

BIOL 111-02: Fundamentals of Biology: History of Biology (3). Corequisite: BIOL 113. An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. A discussion of the history of biological thought from the Greeks to Darwin to the present genomic revolution. This section focuses on how scientists first addressed the fundamental phenomena in life: reliable reproduction and genetic programming, and the origin of species and the evolution of diversity. This course, and its companion laboratory, are prerequisites for all higher level biology courses. (SL when taken with BIOL 113). Ayoub.

BIOL 111-03: Fundamentals of Biology: Disease Ecology (3). Corequisite: BIOL 113. An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. This course gives a holistic view of disease and its effects on human and animal populations throughout history. We learn about disease dynamics from the genetic level to the epidemiological level by focusing on pathogens such as ebola, lyme disease, and MRSA. This course, and its companion laboratory, are prerequisites for all higher-level biology courses. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) Marsh.

BIOL 111-04 : Fundamentals of Biology: The Lyme Paradigm (3).  An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. Lyme disease, caused by infection with a tick-born bacterium, remains one of the most controversial and contentious diseases in recent medical practice, with bitter debates about basic biology, diagnosis and treatment.  It also provides a great springboard to explore genetics, ecology, microbiology and immunology in a medical, social, and political context.  (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.)  Cabe.

Fall 2014 Topics:

BIOL 111-01: Fundamentals of Biology: Bacterial Genetics (3). An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. This section is an introduction to the genes and the mechanisms of gene expression by bacterial cells. It focuses on the current issues of bacterial infections in humans, for example: virulence, antibiotic resistance, or emerging diseases. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) Simurda.

BIOL 111-02: Fundamentals of Biology: Biological Clocks and Rhythms (3). An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. From cell division to bird migration, clock-like rhythms control the activities of every living organism. In this section we investigate recent advances in chronobiology, the area of biology that studies internal biological clocks. Our topics include the measurement of rhythmic activity, the molecular mechanisms underlying daily rhythms, and the integration of internal and environmental rhythms in complex physiological processes, such as the sleep and reproductive cycles. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) Toporikova.

BIOL 111-03: Fundamentals of Biology: Heart Attacks and High Fructose Corn Syrup (3).  An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. In this section, we investigate the importance of nutrition in the context of the sweetening of our food supply by understanding the biochemical and physiological basis of atherosclerosis which in many patients, when left untreated, leads to a heart attack. This course, and its companion laboratory, are prerequisites for all higher level biology courses. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) Hamilton.

BIOL 111-04: Communication: From Cells to Organisms (3). An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. This section is a discussion of the issues of communication of a cell with its external environment beginning with the single-celled organism. We move on to a consideration of cell size and the evolution of multi-cellular organisms. Multi-cellular forms of communication are introduced and we study their role in maintaining a stable environment for the individual cells of the whole organism. (SL: BIOL 113 is a co-requisite for students seeking laboratory science credits.) I’Anson.

BIOL 111-05: Fundamentals of Biology:Drugs of Abuse (3). An intensive investigation of scientific thought and communication, examined in the context of major concepts such as evolution, regulation, growth, and metabolism. In this section, we use addiction as a model for understanding basic principles of genetics, cell biology, anatomy, and physiology. An in-depth discussion of the common mechanisms of action of addictive substances is included, as well as relevant information about treatment and recovery strategies. This course, and its companion laboratory, are prerequisites for all higher level biology courses. (SL when taken with BIOL 113). Blythe.