Home

General Biology Lecture Schedule

  • Biology (also available in hardcopy)
    • Publisher: OpenStax (2018)
    • ISBN-10: 1947172514
    • ISBN-13: 978-1947172517

 

Week Lectures Topic with link to Openstax pages Openlab Supplement
I 1. BASICS
Introduction to the Course
Definition, Characteristics and Hierarchy of Life
Scope of Ecology: Habitat, Population, Community, Ecosystem
The Scientific Method
Evolution and Classification
Systematics, taxonomy, phylogeny
Biology Basics
     
  2. THE ORIGIN & EVOLUTION  OF LIFE
Darwin & Evolution
The Origin of Life
The Geological Time Scale
Cellular History
Kingdoms and Domains
Evolution and Geological Time
     
II 3. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY I
Definition, Classification and Properties of Matter
Atomic Structure
The periodic Table
Isotopes
Electrons and Energy
Energy
Chemical Reactions: Exergonic and endergonic
Activation Energy
Oxidation and Reduction
Chemistry
     
  4. INORGANIC CHEMISTRY II
Elements, Compounds, Molecules and Mixtures
Bonds: Weak and Strong
     
III 5. WATER & pH
Importance and Properties of H2O
Acids, Bases, pH, Buffers
Water
  6. ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Importance of Carbon
Organic vs. Inorganic Compounds
The Hydrocarbons
Functional Groups
Isomers
Organic Chemistry
     
IV 7. Examination I (Lectures 1-6 inclusive)
Week Lectures Topic with link to Openstax pages Openlab Supplement
     
  8. MACROMOLECULES I
Monomers and Polymers
Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Macromolecules I
     
V 9. MACROMOLECULES II
Proteins
Nucleic Acids
ATP
Enzymes and Metabolic Pathways
Macromolecules II
     
  10. CELLS

The Cell Theory
Methods of Studying Cells
Cellular Size Limitations
Cell Composition
Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic Cells
Cellular Evolution
Anaerobic and Aerobic Cells; Endosymbiosis; Multicellularity; Viruses, Bacteria and Archaea

Cells
     
VI 11. THE EUKARYOTIC CELL

Eukaryotic Cell Structure and Function

Eukaryotes
  12. MEMBRANES & TRANSPORT
Membrane Structure and Function
Passive Transport Processes
Active Transport Processes
Cell Surface Modifications
Membranes
     
VII 13. Examination II (Lectures 8-12 inclusive)
Week Lectures Topic with link to Openstax pages Openlab Supplement
     
  14. ENERGY
Cells and the Flow of Energy
Metabolic Reactions and Energy Transformations
Metabolic Pathways
Oxidation and Reduction
Energy
     
VIII 15. CELLULAR RESPIRATION I
Cellular Respiration (Anaerobic)
Outside the Mitochondria: Glycolysis
Fermentation
Glycolysis and Fermentation
  16. CELLULAR RESPIRATION II
Cellular Respiration (Aerobic)
Inside the Mitochondria:
The Preparatory Reaction (Hub)
Citric Acid Cycle (TCA)
Electron Transport Chain (ETC)
Metabolic Pool
Aerobic Respiration
     
IX 17. PHOTOSYNTHESIS I
Photosynthetic Organisms
The Process of Photosynthesis
Plant as Solar Energy Converters: Light Reactions
Light Capture
> 18. PHOTOSYNTHESIS II
Dark Reactions: Calvin Cycle Reactions (Carbon Fixation)
Other Types of Photosynthesis
Carbon Fixation
     
X 19. ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION
The Cell Cycle and Its Control
Mitosis and Cytokinesis
The Cell Cycle and Cancer
Prokaryotic Cell Division
Cell Cycle
     
  20. SEXUAL REPRODUCTION
Halving the Chromosome Number
Genetic Variation
The Phases of Meiosis
Comparison of Meiosis and Mitosis
The Human Life Cycle (Spermatogenesis & Oogenesis)
Meioisis and Gametogenesis
     
XI 21. CHROMOSOMES 
Changes in Chromosome Number and Structure
 Chromosomes
     
  22. Examination III (Lectures 14-21 inclusive)
Week Lectures Topic with link to Openstax pages Openlab Supplement
     
XII 23. GENETICS I
Gregor Mendel
Mendel’s Law
Human Genetics Disorders
Mendelian Genetics
     
  24. GENETICS II
Extending the Range of Mendelian Genetics
Multiple Allelic Traits
Incomplete Dominance
Pleiotropy
Polygenic Inheritance
X-Linked Inheritance
Environmental Influences
Non-Mendelian Genetics
     
XIII 25. DNA
The Genetic Material
DNA Structure
DNA Replication
Prokaryotic versus Eukaryotic Replication
 DNA
     
  26. GENE FUNCTION
The Genetic Code
Transcription
Translation
Structure of the Eukaryotic Chromosome
Gene structure and function
     
XIV 27. GENETIC REGULATION
Prokaryotic
Eukaryotic
Regulation Through Mutations
Gene Regulation
     
  28. BIOTECHNOLOGY & GENOMICS
DNA Cloning
Biotechnology Products
Gene Therapy
Genomics
Biotechnology and Genomics
     
XV 29. ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT

Early Developmental Stages
Developmental Processes
Human Embryonic and Fetal Development

     
  30. Examination IV (Lectures 23-29 inclusive)