Course Description
An exploration of how advances in the fields of biology and biotechnology shape the way we live our lives and the balance of the ecosystem and planet. This course is designed to introduce students to the importance of biological fields of study.
Athena Title
Impacts of Biology
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are to provide students with a foundation of basic biological concepts while generating an understanding of how those basic concepts are used to generate technologies that help us to produce good quality and safe food, design medical treatments and preventatives, maintain the stability of the ecosystem, and keep our planet clean and livable.
Topical Outline
I. Introduction: what is biology and why do we care? II. Basic concepts in biotechnology III. Advances in medicine a. Gene therapies b. Drug and vaccine development c. Disease detection d. Regenerative medicine e. Advances in fertility f. Ethical debates surrounding key medical advances IV. Advances in agriculture a. GMO crops b. Cloning in the food production industry c. In vitro meat d. Microbiology and managing food safety V. Advances in combatting pollution and human impacts a. Biotechnological advances to combat pesticide pollution b. Bioproduction of sustainable energy c. Zero waste bioprocessing VI. Biodiversity and stability of our ecosystems a. Introduction to ecology and ecosystem dynamics b. Amazing creatures: an introduction to physiological ecology and survival in extreme habitats c. Climate change and other threats to biodiversity