Cellular biologists aim to understand these functions of cells in structural and molecular terms. This module provides an introduction to the study of cell biology. We focus on the elementary principles of cell structure and function. We examine the eukaryotic cell cycle and its' regulation. The basic biochemical characteristics of the small molecules and large macromolecules that make up all cells are described. How the cell utilises energy is critical to its survival, we will examine the way cells use and store energy. Finally the biochemical properties and metabolic reactions that are common to most eukaryotic cells are described and discussed in the context of different areas of biology
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1. describe the structure, evolution, structure and organisation of simple molecules, macromolecules, cells and organelles;
2. describe the basic principles and regulation of energy transformations in the cell and how cell structure, function and metabolism are integrated and modulated;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the cell cycle;
4. demonstrate competence in microscopy and spectrophotometry and present and analyse data from simple experiments.
Living life on a knife's edge - explore the vital role of plants play in our biosphere, their diversity and intricate relationships that support our planet; know the value of these natural resources; examine the consequences we face when the balance is disturbed.
From studying how plants affect and are affected by their environment you learn what we can expect from a changing world. Examine how we influence the world around us and find out how scientists work together to observe and test diverse views. You apply this knowledge to the field, learning to collect, present, analyse and eventually interpret data.
Understanding the fundamentals of ecology and plant diversity allows you to explore possible solutions to our environmental problems.
Aim:
To introduce students to the diversity, importance and wonder of plants together with an awareness of the biotic and abiotic factors influencing their distribution patterns in the biosphere.
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module, students will need to be able to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of plants;
2. Describe the diversity, evolution and distribution of plants;
3. Explain how abiotic factors and biotic interactions relate to adaptations in anatomy and morphology of angiosperms and to the and the distributions of plants in ecosystems;
4. Explain primary production and nutrient cycling in ecosystems;
5. Explain the unique features of plant biochemistry and metabolism including photosynthesis;
6. Describe the processes that determine Earth's climate (past, present and future), the links between the earth-atmosphere-ocean system and the role of organisms in climate;
7. Describe the effects of humans on ecosystems;
8. Demonstrate competence in observation, experimentation and recording, analysis and presentation through laboratory field, group and individual work.
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1. describe the major types of marine communities, the major types of organisms that inhabit these communities and the roles that these organisms play in the marine environment;
2. demonstrate an understanding of the physical and chemical characteristics and processes
within the marine environment;
3. describe the effects of these physical characteristics and processes on the distribution, abundance and productivity of marine organisms;
4. describe key biogeochemical cycling and their importance in the environment;
5. describe how human activities are affecting the marine environment, both directly and indirectly;
6. demonstrate understanding of key scientific measurement concepts and carry out, analyse and present competently basic aquatic physical, chemical, biological measurements and observations.
Learning Outcomes
In order to pass this module, students will need to be able to:
1. describe the key structural features of proteins and explain how protein structure relates to function
2. outline the basic principles of protein structural bioinformatics and protein structural evolution
3. describe how ligand-binding equilibria may form the basis of diverse biological phenomena;
4. describe the structures and functions of the major types of carbohydrates and lipids
5. demonstrate competence in the analysis and interpretation of data, b) written communication, c) biochemical methodology and d) calculation of biochemical parameters.
PART I AUTUMN TERM
In order to fully appreciate the roles of biological molecules it is first necessary to understand how they are formed from individual atoms, and moreover how the properties of these constituent atoms influence molecular structure and reactivity. This part of the module therefore examines in detail fundamental concepts including chemical bonding, electronegativity, acidity, basicity, hydrogen bonding, the range of common organic functional groups and different types of isomerism.
PART II SPRING TERM
In order to fully understand the complex molecular processes involved in the cell it is first necessary to gain an appreciation of the reactivity of simple organic compounds. This part of the module therefore examines in mechanistic detail a range of reactions that model those commonly occurring in biological systems.
Learning Outcomes:
PART I AUTUMN TERM
By the end of this part of the module students should be able to:
1. describe basic chemical principles including the structure of the atom, chemical bonding and layout of the periodic table, and also apply the concept of orbital hybridisation;
2. show how 3 dimensional molecules are represented in 2 dimensions;
3. describe the concept of functional groups and how these groups give rise to characteristic properties including biological activity;
4. describe the nature of stereoisomers and their implications for biological systems.
PART II SPRING TERM
By the end of this part of the module students should be able to:
1. draw mechanisms for a range of organic reactions;
2. describe how the fundamental principles of electronegativity and polarity underpin organic reactions;
3. describe how the reactivity of organic compounds can be related to Lewis and hybridisation models for bonding;
4. demonstrate competence in experimental practice, written communication, and data analysis & interpretation.
The INORGANIC CHEMISTRY component concentrates firstly on small biochemically pertinent molecules containing the p-block elements oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur & phosphorus. The underlying emphasis is on the importance of electron accountancy in structural representations, which leads to comprehension of the action of redox enzymes in metabolism. Also covered are properties of main-group and transition metal cations, followed by an introduction to their roles in biology.
The PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY component is partly directed towards understanding (bio)chemical kinetics and thermodynamics. Emphasis is on determining reaction mechanisms from experimental kinetic data that inform us on reaction orders, reaction rates (and rate constants) and activation energies, plus assessing to what extent a reaction may proceed based on thermodynamic parameters. Also included is an introduction to several types of spectroscopy, which is centred upon considering the effects of absorption of electromagnetic energy by molecules.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1. describe the structure, bonding & biochemical importance of small molecules containing the p-block elements O, N, S & P;
2. discuss models for structure & bonding of metal ion complexes;
3. describe fundamental thermodynamics and kinetics and perform associated calculations;
4. explain how the absorption of energy by molecules is used as a basis for understanding spectroscopy;
5. demonstrate basic skills in numerical/data analysis & writing chemical formulae & equations
6. show basic practical skills in analytical and preparative chemistry
Learning Outcomes:
To pass this module students will need to be able to:
1. demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method, experimental design and investigation in the biosciences;
2. demonstrate an appropriate level of understanding of basic chemical concepts;
3. use scientific units and simple algebra and demonstrate understanding of logarithms, exponentials, geometry and elementary calculus;
4. use basic IT systems effectively for data handling and presentation;
5. retrieve and manage information from appropriate sources including textbooks, journals and the internet;
6. communicate scientific information effectively in essay and scientific paper format;
7. be able to analyse data from experiments and draw sound conclusions about the underlying processes using their understanding of mathematics and statistics
8. show a deeper understanding of selected topics in biology and how data informs the topic.
Students will develop their knowledge of the anatomical component parts and major systems of the human body, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, digestive, renal, urogenital, nervous and endocrine systems and their relationship to each other. The module will explore the structure and function of these major body systems, how the body is controlled by the nervous and endocrine systems and how homeostasis is maintained. Students will build their vocabulary of the key terminology of anatomy and physiology. The biology of disease processes in the different body systems and the development of their pathology will be addressed using a series of case studies. The impact of lifestyle upon health and the development of age-related diseases will also be explored.
Learning Outcomes
To pass this module, students will need to be able to:
1. describe the structure, function and control of the major organ systems of the body;
2. explain the maintenance of homeostasis in the human body;
3. describe the pathology of certain diseases in different body systems, including age and lifestyle-related diseases;
4. use appropriate scientific methods and approaches to gather, record, analyse and present data and information clearly and informatively;
5. develop key skills related to ICT, numeracy, problem solving, working with others and self-directed learning.