Biological Sciences

This course introduces the major concepts underpinning pharmacology. It describes the main molecular mechanisms of action of some important classes of drugs acting on the cardiorespiratory system and relates these mechanisms to their cellular, tissue, organ and whole animal effects.

Students study the principles, procedures, and practices  of drug discovery and development; discuss the challenge facing those involved in drug discovery and development; evaluate experimental observations in relation to current theory; and explore technical expertise in certain areas of experimental pharmacology.

This course introduces molecular cell biology: the study of the interactions between molecules and systems in a cell. Students will learn how cells function individually and as part of a tissue or organism. Students will study the processes that determine how and when a cell communicates, grows, interacts with its neighbors, divides and dies, and how these processes go awry during cancer.

This course examines the diverse and exciting study of neuroscience. Students will build from a foundation of the structures and functions of the nervous system to the integration of the study of anatomy, pharmacology, psychology and genetics to enable a holistic understanding of the major issues in the neuroscience field. 

This course consists of six focused seminars with an accompanying discussion/workshop. Each workshop focuses on one of the SCMMS (School of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine & Sciences) research focus. Each formal lecture is given by academics in the school who review some of their work including clinical problem, research background, hypothesis and aims, methodology, outcomes, and application. These are not high level conference lectures but firmly set in level 5 level of understanding.

The course covers core areas of biomolecular sciences, in particular the genetic, molecular, and cellular processes that underpin biological systems. The course equips students with a general knowledge and understanding of the fundamental concepts that form the basis of these subject areas, revealing the complexity of biological systems, aspects of the molecular basis of life, and how molecular mechanisms are regulated in healthy organisms but may fail in disease. The thematic areas of the course are genetics, environmental perception, developmental biology and energetics, enzymes and proteins. They cover topics as diverse as the control of genetic information, the use of model organisms, the control of cell shape, cell division and movement, organogenesis and the development of drugs. The course also teaches basic experimental approaches and specific laboratory skills. 

This course introduces fundamental principles of genetics including Mendelian and non-Mendelian inheritance, chromosome and genome structure, genetic variation, and basic concepts in population genetics. Genetics is the study of how biological traits are transmitted from parents to offspring through genes and how genetic variation shapes biological diversity within populations.  The course integrates classical genetics with modern genomic technologies, including next generation sequencing (NGS) and large-scale genomic data analysis. Students learn how genetic variation influences biological systems and human disease. 

Topics include The Human Genome Project and modern sequencing technologies, Mendelian genetics and inheritance patterns, Polygenic traits and genetic architecture, Recombination, linkage, and population genetics, From genetic variants to biological systems and disease. 

Prerequisites: General Biology  

This is an interdisciplinary, project‑based course designed to introduce the principles, methods, and communication practices of modern scientific research. Through a flipped‑classroom approach, the course actively explores how different disciplines—such as biology, informatics, mathematics, physics, chemistry, and computer science—intersect to address complex scientific questions. Throughout the course, students work in small subgroups to build and communicate a scientific project. They learn how to identify and evaluate scientific literature, analyze research methodologies across fields, and critically assess the validity, reproducibility, and interpretation of results. Students develop strong skills in teamwork, scientific reasoning, and oral communication as they prepare an interdisciplinary presentation aimed at both specialists and non‑specialists. A major component of the course is the construction of a final oral presentation based on recent scientific publications. Students progressively refine their project through guided tutorials led by instructors from multiple disciplines. They also practice writing concise research abstracts, critically reading scientific articles, and using research tools such as PubMed and AI‑assisted platforms—while assessing their benefits and limitations. By the end of the course, students gain practical experience in the entire scientific communication pipeline: exploring a topic, building a multidisciplinary understanding of its methods, and presenting their findings clearly and rigorously to a diverse scientific audience.

Nearly all continental surface of the planet shows interactions between geomorphic processes and biota, called biogeomorphic interactions. These interactions are often so strong that patterns and landforms emerge that otherwise would not form (such as on planet Mars). This course covers key concepts from ecology and biogeomorphology that allow analysis of all environments from the mountains to the sea. This is not only useful for geomorphology and ecology, but also for application in societal settings where ‘nature’ can be restored to increase protection against floods, and debris flows, This course provides an overview on biogeomorphic interactions and analyze three typical environments from the mountains to the sea in depth, for example vegetated high mountain slopes, rivers and dunes or tidal flats. All systems are studied to determine the roles of physical boundary conditions and geomorphic processes, different plant species and their interactions with the landscapes, and applications with societal relevance in all these environments. The reading and lecture materials will be applied in practicals, small projects, and excursions. Key concepts to be explored include ecological concepts related to species and their functioning in a landscape (functional traits, trade-offs) and their potential to improve their own environment (ecosystem engineering), and the development of the entire living landscape (succession, geomorphic and ecologic pattern formation).