Biological Sciences

The course gives an introduction to modern developmental biology covering a variety of organisms and discussing the evolutionary, cellular and genetic bases of animal development. The course assumes an intermediate level background in molecular genetics/cell biology but students do not need to have studied developmental biology before. 

This course introduces the discipline of Bioinformatics to students from both physical science and life science backgrounds. It introduces key biological concepts including the main types of molecules (DNA, RNA, and protein) as well as the cell biological processes involved in their regulation and function in biological systems. Students learn to work with and analyze biological sequences through biological sequence databases, process automation, algorithms, and tools to allow pairwise and multiple sequence alignment, as well as approaches using high-throughput next-generation sequence data.

This introductory course in human anatomy and developmental biology (embryology) covers topographical anatomy and development of the nervous system, cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, urogenital system, head and face, and limbs. It also provides an understanding of the basic principles of embryonic development and the formation of the major organs.

This course provides a thorough introduction to animal and human nervous systems, their important parts and their function and role in behavior, learning, and cognition. Topics include cell biology of neurons, coding in neurons by means of electrical potentials, synapse and neurotransmitter function; nervous systems and their properties; output systems and behavior which includes the control of motor systems, reflexes, neural pattern generators and the basis of behavior, learning, memory and cognition. Four practicals and one computer exercise deal with neuroanatomy, neurophysiology and behavior. In a journal club, each student presents a scientific paper for discussion.
 

This course deals with the diversity of plant life in the marine environment. It provides an overview, including Ghanaian examples, of the main groups of marine microalgae and cyanobacteria; macroalgae (seaweeds); seagrass, the submergent aquatic flowering plant; and mangroves, emergent marine flowering plants; with a focus on their identification, biology, physiology, and ecology. A practical component of the course includes visiting estuaries, saline lagoons, and beaches to observe algae, seagrasses, and mangroves; observe the ecological relationships of these plants; and collect material for study in the laboratory.