Biological Sciences

This course is an introduction to the application of knowledge and principles of agroecology and forest ecology to global agroforestry systems. It includes a one-weekend field trip.

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 first part of the course is devoted to microbiology. Topics in the first part 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. The second part of the course is devoted to virology. Topics in the second part 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.

This undergraduate research course (UROPS) provides students the opportunity to work under the mentorship of NUS faculty and experience the challenges and benefits that come from pursuing an independent research project. It provides undergraduate students the opportunity to foster mentoring relationships with faculty and research staff while working in a specific area of study. This program allows students to engage actively in research, discussions, intellectual communications and other creative activities. Through the typical phases of doing research, students are able to enhance their knowledge in the latest development of science and technology; acquire special communication and presentation skills; experience creative thinking; interact and forge closer ties with the established scientists and members of their groups. 

This course examines plant biology, spanning from evolution, ecology, conservation, agriculture to biotechnology. Topics include plant biodiversity and function, adaptation to environments, interactions with beneficial and pathogenic organisms and improvement for human uses. The wide-ranging roles and uses of plants are also explored with view of food and a sustainable future.

This advanced course covers the main ocean and atmosphere systems, with a particular emphasis on their biogeochemical functioning. This includes an introduction to the major marine biogeochemical cycles, seawater carbonate chemistry, phytoplankton-nutrient interactions and growth kinetics, surface ocean-lower atmosphere interactions, and an introduction to Earth system dynamics. The physical forcings and their biogeochemical and ecosystem responses are quantitatively illustrated for upwelling systems, oligotrophic systems, coastal systems around South Africa, and the Southern Ocean. Emphasis is placed on treating the systems in an integrative manner. Methods of data sampling and analysis, computation of biogeochemical pools, and rates and feedback are covered in the tutorials and practicals.

As land plants are sessile organisms, they have evolved sophisticated defense mechanisms against various environmental stresses. To survive and reproduce, plants adapt to stresses by changing their physiology and gene expression. Insect herbivores are one of major biotic stresses to plants. As plants are the main nutrient sources for these insects, plants have evolved with a number of defense mechanisms to protect themselves. This course explains crop-insect interaction from several aspects (molecular mechanisms, traits, ecology, evolution, and practical farming management). Topics: plant traits to insects, insect traits to plants, tritrophic interactions, plant community ecology and evolution, and implications of crop-insect interactions. Text: C.M. Smith, PLANT RESISTANCE TO ARTHROPODS: MOLECULAR AND CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES; L.M. Schoonhoven, J.J.A. van Loon, and M. Dicke, INSECT-PLANT BIOLOGY. Assessment: final report, presentation, midterm exam, attendance and participation.