Biological Sciences

This course focuses on the biology of viruses, main viral agents, and their interactions with organisms. It examines the characteristics of viral particles from a structural perspective, the replication strategies of different groups of viruses, and the routes of transmission of viruses in their hosts. 

This course highlights behaviors such as learning, sociality, territoriality, predation and defense, courtship and communication, with examples from across animal diversity. Students examine how behaviors have evolved to fit specific ecological conditions. Students gain an understanding of and empathy for animals and examine how animals live and survive in their environment.

"Fun Microbiology Experiments" is a general experimental course designed for non-life science students to develop interesting, easy and close to hot spots and closely related to life microbial experiments to understand the discipline of microbiology more intuitively. 

The course explores how this complex organization of hundreds of cells emerges during embryo development. The course focuses on the precise organization of tissues that arises during embryo development by the coordinated control of the differentiation, migration, proliferation, and death of cells. It provides a solid grounding for future specialized study of nervous system development, function, and repair.

This course provides an integrated approach to the understanding of the biology of the cell, from understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin cellular processes through to how such processes allow cells to function in their physiological context (i.e. in tissues and during development); to teach both "classical" and leading edge experimental approaches to cell biology research. 

This course introduces students to the diversity of major groups of living organisms, and the importance of maintaining diversity in natural ecosystems. With emphasis on the need for conservation of biodiversity to maintain a balance of nature, the course highlights the biodiversity in the major habitats and vegetation types in and around Singapore.

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of insects and addresses common misconceptions. Through a combination of classroom lectures and hands-on field trips, the course explores the fascinating world of these six-legged creatures. Field trips include visits to the NTU campus, the NTU Insectarium, the Taiwan Insect Museum, Fuyang Ecological Park, and Zhinan Temple. These excursions aid the observation and identification of insects in their natural environments, using field guides and direct observation. 

Lectures cover a range of subjects, including insect morphology, systematics, diversity, ecology, and behavior. Additionally, guest lectures from faculty at NCHU/NCU and industry experts provide valuable insights and broaden students' perspectives.   

This course introduces students to the power of cross-disciplinary research. It discusses the contribution of chemists, microbiologists, immunologists, and physicists to solving cell biological problems. The course emphasizes the relationship between the chemical scale and more complex levels of organization in cells, and the balance of interactions required for cellular function. It explicitly recognizes the different understandings of cell biology in different branches of biosciences, including virology and microbiology in health and disease.

This class provides training in experimental skills and scientific presentation for doing research in the field of Life Science. Students perform their assigned research project; join weekly lab meetings; present up-to-date research articles, and participate in scientific discussion with the instructor and lab colleagues. Students are required to perform experiments under instructor's supervision and present their research work and scientific paper over the semester.

This comprehensive course provides a balanced and stimulating overview of marine ecology. It introduces the fundamental processes and systems that shape the marine environment and addresses the pertinent issues and challenges associated with its future conservation.

The course covers the following topics: 

• Patterns in the Marine Environment
• Primary Production
• Microbial Production and Decomposition
• Secondary Production
• Estuaries
• Salt Marsh Mangrove Seagrass
• Rocky and Sandy Shore
• Coral Reef
• Pelagic Ecosystems
• Continental shelf seabed
• The deep sea
• Polar ecosystems