Biological Sciences

This course introduces students to the study of biological timekeeping by examining how neural mechanisms of circadian rhythms, arousal, metabolism and sleep interact to dictate daily and seasonal variations in  behavior and physiology. The course covers a range of topics with a particular focus on the neuronal basis for circadian timing and sleep in mammals, how these are regulated by environmental light, and how the internal clockwork influences the rest of the brain and body in health and disease.

This course explores the impact of human population growth on Earth's species and habitats, and the current approaches to conservation of biodiversity. It discusses the impacts of the earliest human migrations into previously uninhabited lands, to the current and future projected impacts of climate change on biodiversity. Topics include: the primary drivers of change in ecological systems; secondary processes and synergistic feedbacks this change creates; strategies and actions to raise awareness of humanity's dependence on biodiversity; goal for conservation and management of biodiversity in the 21st century.

This course is part of the Laurea Magistrale degree program and is intended for advanced level students. Enrollment is by permission of the instructor. Students will know the effects of global climate change on key organisms, biodiversity, and ecosystems, particularly on marine species, including the effects on human societies and economies. Models and forecasts are presented considering different scenarios predicted by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change). Students will know how organisms interact, as components of the structure and function of ecosystems, including the consequences of human interactions with the environment. Marine organisms are traced from the Earth’s primordial oceans, to their response to the warming and acidifying oceans.

The course content is divided into two modules:

MODULE 1: 

• Conflicts and Security Risks of Climate Change in the Mediterranean Region - Projections and Impacts of Future Climate Change in the Mediterranean; Impact of Climate Change on Water Supply and Water-Related Conflicts; Consequences for Food Security; Population and Migration in the Mediterranean; Human Security, Environmental Conflict and Climate Adaptation; Energy Security as Field of Conflict and Cooperation; Political and Economic Frameworks for Cooperation in the Mediterranean.
• Socioeconomic Aspects: Human Migrations, Tourism and Fisheries - Coastal Commercial Fisheries and Aquaculture; Tourism; Migrations.
• Ecological and evolutionary considerations regarding corals in a rapidly changing environment - Comments on the Evolution of Corals in the Atlantic Versus the Pacific Oceans; Climate Change, Changes in the Oceanic Climatic Zones, and Their Effects; Comments on Evolution of the Immune System in Corals.
• Coral population dynamics - Ecological modes in corals; Why study population biology?; How to model population dynamics?; The introduction of an age-based population dynamics model into coral reef ecology: the Beverton and Holt model; The case study of mushroom corals at Eilat; Correlations between demographic characteristics, environmental parameters, and implications with climate change; Relationships between growth, population structure and sea surface temperature in temperate solitary corals; What about calcification and temperature?; What about non-zoox corals?; Zoox coral versus non-zoox coral; The Panarea underwater crater: a laboratory for the study of ocean acidification and warming effects; The ocean acidification; Calcifiers and ocean acidification; Coral biomineralization and calcification; The Panarea transplant experiment; Long term effects of acidification on growth of corals naturally living along a pH gradient.

MODULE 2:

• Strategies of acclimatization to ocean acidification in Mediterranean corals - The carbon dioxide volcanic vents of Ischia Island; Community shifts at Ischia Island; Impact of ocean acidification on the morphology of non-zooxanthellate corals; The problem of age determination in colonial organisms; Impact of ocean acidification on polyp and colony growth in non-zooxanthellate corals; Different acclimatization strategies to ocean acidification in zooxanthellate vs non-zooxanthellate corals; the impact of ocean acidification on coral-associate microbial ecosystems.

The goals of this course are 1) Basic understanding of immune responses in human and mouse. 2) Immunological tools to analyze immune cells and immunological responses against pathogens in animal and human models 3) Basic and clinical analysis of immunological diseases and inhibitory roles of viruses and cancer in induction of immune responses, 4) Development of novel immunotherapeutic reagents to modulate in vivo immune responses or immunological diseases.

Prerequisite: Taking Biochemistry, Cell Biology or Molecular Biology course is recommended.

This course provides an understanding of the probable origins and evolution of vertebrates belonging to the phylum Chordata, as well as their taxonomy and systematics, anatomical, and ecological characteristics. Using a comparative approach, the course covers the phylogenetic relationships among the three subphyla of chordates and the seven vertebrate classes, notably jawless fishes, cartilaginous fishes, bony fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. The course expands from the evolution of marine Protochordates through to the terrestrial vertebrates with mammals as the pinnacle.

The course highlights the impact of habitat loss on biodiversity and the basis for formulation of effective conservation management strategies. It also introduces the theory of current conservation biology as illustrated by applications in tropical areas, species conservation issues, ecological challenges, role of zoological gardens, legal challenges etc. The course also covers conservation of tropical biota, management of local and regional environmental problems, appreciation and consideration of the socio-economic issues. Conservation priorities and developmental needs at the national level are also be discussed, with emphasis on Singapore and SE Asia. 

This multi-discipline course treats the question of life in the Universe. Where can life have developed? Must it be on a planet similar to Earth? How is life on a planet develop and evolve? Under what extreme circumstances can life persist? We discuss these and similar questions from physical, biological and social perspectives. Students also discuss methods to find and explore planets around other stars (exoplanets) and the search for intelligent life in the Universe and possible philosophical and other consequences of its eventual discovery.