Biological Sciences

This course introduces molecular genetic principles, starting with basic properties of genes and genomes and extending to the complex, hierarchical interactions, fundamental to living organisms. It examines the ways molecular genetics is applied to the analysis of complex systems, including advances that reveal basic features of gene regulation during cell growth and differentiation, and in response to a changing environment, as well as developments that are more related to commercial and medical applications. The course focuses on genetic foundations, chromatin and chromosomes, genomics, genome maintenance, and gene regulation and analysis. Topics include Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance; transformation, transduction, and conjugation; recombination and complementation; mutational analysis; genetic mapping and linkage; karyotypes; translocations, inversions, deletions, and duplications; aneuploidy and polyploidy structure; genome structure; physical mapping; repeated DNA and gene families; gene identification; transposable elements; DNA replication, damage, repair, modification, recombination, and gene conversion; cis-acting regulatory elements; trans-acting regulatory factors; gene rearrangements and amplifications; genetic manipulation of bacteria (transposons and plasmids); and the human genome project.

This course explores the diversity of animals and plants in New Zealand, including endemic, native, and introduced species. Additional topics include bio-geographical and evolutionary relationships; community structure and inter-relationships; behavior and ecology; Maori perspectives in biology; current conservation; environmental, social, and animal welfare; and economic issues relevant to New Zealand biology.

In this course, students examine the structural and functional organization of the mouse, frog, lobster, and cricket including sensory structures, skeleton and motion, circulation, digestion, respiration, excretion, osmoregulation, sexual reproduction, and development. Laboratory sessions include the dissection of the frog, mouse, lobster, and cricket.

Students who complete a term paper are awarded one extra unit for each part. Total units possible for both parts are eight. The course focuses on the fundamental concepts that define the organization and metabolism of prokaryotes as well as the main phylogenetic and physiological correlations of Bacteria and Archaea in natural environments and in biotechnological applications. Emphasis is placed on basic concepts of virus structure and replication as well as bacterial growth and exchanges of genetic material between prokaryotic cells in order to understand the recombination mechanisms. The course has two parts: A and B. Students must take both parts. No partial credit is possible. Part A is devoted to microbiology. Topics in Part A include basic principles of microbiology; principles of microscopy; evolutionary history and microbial diversity; structure and functions of prokaryotic cell; metabolism, regulation, and growth of microbial; phototrophy, chemolithtrophy, and major biosynthesis; catabolism of organic compounds; symbiosis and pathogenicity; antimicrobial agents; and groups of pathogenic bacteria. Part B is devoted to virology. Topics in Part B include structure, composition, and classification of animal, plant, and bacterial viruses; genome, capsid, and viral envelope, and structure-function relationship; different entry mechanisms of viruses into host cells (bacteriophages, plant and animal viruses); different steps in viral replication cycle; virus-cell interactions, outcomes of infection, and cultivation and quantification of viruses; and replication strategies of RNA viruses, DNA viruses, and retroviruses such as HIV and AIDS. Assessment is based on a written exam with essay and multiple-choice questions covering the two parts, the assigned readings, and the biotechnology section.

Course covers several topics each week, including: variation in expressed genes(protein polymorphism); variation in DNA sequences (SNPs, STRs, CNVs); Sequencing and mapping the human genome(HapMap); classical linkage analysis (principles, LOD scores); Mendelian inheritance in man; non-parametric linkage; progress in finding complex trait genes; complex traits and expression phenotypes; genome wide association studies; population genetics and epidemiology; developmental genetics; behavior; genetic screening and therapy; cancer genetics; reproductive genetics; expressed and unexpressed genetic variation and disease susceptibility; gene therapy.

This course is an introduction to the discipline of conservation biology in Latin America including distribution of biodiversity in the region and challenges to biodiversity conservation. It examines the primary features of Chilean ecosystems and the distribution and features of protected areas and wildlife with a particular emphasis on La Araucanía region. This course also compares the current situation of wildlife and protected areas of North and South America.

The course gives an introduction to the biology of parasitism, and the interactions between parasites and their hosts. The focus is on fundamental concepts in parasitology, for example the definition of parasitism as a life form, adaptations to parasitism, host exploitation strategies, and fitness effects of parasitism on host individuals and populations. Those concepts are supported by hands-on experimental work on host-parasite models in the laboratory in combination with research-based lectures. In addition, examples of the distribution and importance of parasites in wildlife populations are provided, and the potential commercial applications of using parasite models are explored and discussed. The aim of the course is to provide students with a broad introduction to animal parasites and how they interact with their hosts. Students gain practical experience working with experimental host-parasite models in the laboratory. Morphological adaptations to parasitism and variation in life-cycles are presented. Factors affecting host and parasite fitness, and parasite distribution within and among hosts are demonstrated experimentally, and their applications in real-life situations are discussed. A concrete example of how knowledge on fundamental parasite biology was turned into the production of a medicinal product is presented.