BIOSCI 101 has three overarching topics which are delivered in the following order during the semester. Each topic takes about four weeks.
BIOENERGETICS: The lecture topics include: an introduction to biochemistry, thermodynamics and its relevance to metabolism and life; the chemical components of cells; Glycolysis; The Citric Acid cycle (CAC), the second of Kreb’s cycles; The Electron Transport System, the spark of life; ATP synthesis, the search for the squiggle (~); Glucose, eat it or make it; Blood glucose levels during the fed and fasting states, exercise and diabetes; Photosynthesis, the conversion of light energy to chemical energy; or knowing where French fries really come from?
CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY: This topic includes Cells and organelles; Cell membranes, cell junctions and membrane transport; The structure and composition of proteins; Enzymes and the nature of enzymic catalysis; Structure and function of nucleic acids; Synthesis of mRNA (transcription) and protein synthesis (translation); The genetic code and transcriptional control; Control of gene expression in bacteria - the lac operon.
GENETICS: This topic includes: the genetic basis of inheritance; population genetics; how genes interact with the environment; DNA technology, including the latest DNA sequencing techniques and their ethical implications; biotechnology and gene editing; personalised genomics, with a focus on research applications in New Zealand.