Biological Sciences

This course examines fundamental genetic concepts using real life applications and implications of genetics while providing an opportunity for students to get hands-on experience in analyzing and interpreting genetic data.

This course provides an Introduction on formation of tides; distribution patterns of organisms in sandy shore, mangrove and rocky shore habitats, as well as relevant surveying techniques.

At the end of this course students should be able to:
1.Describe the physical environmental factors (e.g., waves, tides) shaping the intertidal environment
2.Understand the basic factors affecting the distribution and abundance of intertidal organisms
3.Understand the factors limiting species distribution patterns on the vertical intertidal gradient and study the methods to measure and investigate these patterns
4.Design experimental studies to investigate patterns (e.g., zonation) and processes (e.g. competition) in intertidal areas
5.Plan a simple experimental and statistical study on intertidal ecology.
6.Review and critique scientific papers 

This course provides students an understanding of the biological bases of behavior and discusses some of our cognitive functions such as memory, learning, decision making, emotion, and the cognitive aspect under social behavior. 

This course examines the concept of the interaction between the host (or the animal), the agent of disease (genetics, physical, chemical and infectious agents) and environmental factors. It includes inflammation and repair; degeneration and necrosis; circulatory disturbances; tissue deposits and pigments; and disorders of growth.

This course enables students to understand the basic physiologic principles that underlie visual and auditory perception. The course introduces the sensory systems that are responsible for vision and hearing in humans. Central topics include the nature of the stimulus (physical attributes such as amplitude and frequency, and perceptual attributes such as intensity and color), the transduction process (the transformation of a physical stimulus into a neural signal leading to a subjective experience), the functional neuroanatomy of the human sensory system (the organization of sensory neurons into functional maps, columns, and pathways), and mechanisms for object perception (the organization of sensory features into meaningful percepts, for example, a face in a crowd or speaker at a loud party). Finally, the course introduces psychophysical and neuroscientific methods designed for measuring perception.

This course provides an introduction to human structure and function, comprising gross anatomy integrated with microscopic anatomy. The course covers histological organization of the primary tissues including epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous tissues. It also discusses clinical relevance of the anatomical structures. 

This course discusses the historical and scientific context that created the concept of bioethics. It examines issues and current debates generated by new advances in the field of life sciences and biomedicine. This course also explores the plurality of ideas and values encompassing these issues in today's democratic societies. Topics include: bioethics and law; gender, moral pluralism, and cultural diversity; the rights of the patient in health care; sexual and reproductive rights; assisted reproduction; human genetics; end of life; justice and health.

This course focuses on the organization and function of eukaryotic cells. We will discuss in detail topics such as the major organelle systems, the cytoskeleton, the cell cycle, signaling events within cells and between cells, and cell growth and differentiation. Experimental approaches will also be introduced in the context of primary research articles.