Biological Sciences

The course covers the central metabolic reaction pathways as well as (hormonal) regulation of these reaction pathways. It illustrates how organisms generate energy for essential energy-consuming processes. The metabolic reaction pathways and the regulation of these are seen in physiological connection.

This course provides an introduction to basic elements of animal behavior and application of ethology (i.e. the study of animal behavior) in relation to livestock farming and keeping of domestic animals. Furthermore, it provides an understanding of how different types of behavior are affected by management and the external environment to enable assessment of these factors on animal welfare. Topics include: domestication; behavior and physiology; motivation; factors controlling behavior; learning and cognition; normal and abnormal behavior in selected farm animal species; human-animal relations; and behavioral variables as welfare indicators.

This course offers a study of human biodiversity. Topics include: morphological variability; life cycle-- fertility, fecundity, and birth; growth and puberty; aging and mortality; mating in human populations; population dynamics; genetic diversity in human populations.

This course deals with the structure, organization and function of genes and genomes in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes (e.g. DNA topology, hierarchy of packaging of DNA in chromosomes and relationship to gene activity and genome dynamics). The functional roles of DNA regulatory cis-elements and transcription factors involved in gene expression is examined. The molecular events in the control and regulation of transcription; post-transcriptional modifications and RNA processing; temporal and spatial gene expression will be examined in detail. The cause and/or effect of dysfunction of gene expression in diseases is discussed. 

The course exposes students to the diversity of invertebrates and their functional biology. Topics are presented within an evolutionary framework to emphasize past and contemporary selective pressures driving diversification. Students are exposed to key topics in functional biology across the major invertebrate groups and include cellular to organism-level processes. The course begins with an introduction to the evolution of the invertebrates and the major phyla. This leads to an exploration of invertebrate functional biology, with an emphasis on key adaptations across the aquatic–terrestrial gradient. Lectures, practicals, and field trips expose students to contemporary philosophical, methodological, and conceptual approaches used in the field of invertebrate functional biology and diversity. Assessment: A 3-hour examination, with a subminimum of 40%, counts for 50% of the course mark. Coursework marks will be allocated as follows: practicals count 15%, the field camp report counts 15% and two class tests count 20%.

This course provides a basic understanding of cells and various techniques that are used to study cells. It examines the many aspects of cell biology including cell structure, cell chemistry, cell metabolism cell genetics, cell membranes, cellular communication, protein synthesis, and cell division.
 

This course examines the fundamental processes of ecology and evolution that bear on the nature and diversity of organisms and the processes that govern their assembly into ecological communities and their roles in ecosystem function.

The course gives an overview of physiological functions in humans and other mammals. It provides an understanding of how the human body functions, and forms the foundation of our understanding of biomedical disciplines.