Course Description
Lecture course with an integrated weekly discussion covering major biological principles at work in our everyday lives, emphasizing aspects related to animal, environmental, and human health. Students will choose topics of interest to read and write about, then discuss their findings in the discussion sections.
Athena Title
Biology for a Healthy World
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall, spring and summer
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to describe major anatomical features of the human body.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to compare and contrast major groups of prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to describe the basis of genetic disorders and disorders that result from environmental exposures to pollution and toxicants.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to describe how humans are exposed to and can combat infectious diseases.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to describe the basis of natural selection and evolution, including modern the role of the modern environment on the selection process.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to compare and contrast stem cells, germ cells, differentiated cells, and genetically modified cells.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to apply the use of these cells to solving issues related to environmental exposure and to the use of these to adapt to modern environmental conditions.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to describe the relationships among populations, communities, and ecosystems.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to use some of the relevant health information resources available to them to assess health risks with a biological and environmental basis.
- Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to apply the above learning objectives to their everyday lives.
Topical Outline
- The Scientific Process, Public Policies, Politics and Public Health Regulating the environment to protect public health
- Human Anatomy and Reproduction
- Molecules of Life: Building Blocks of Food & Nutrition; Diet & Exercise: Improving the built environment
- Metabolism, Photosynthesis and Energy Use
- Food Production and Food Safety
-Climate change and food supplies
-Pesticides, herbicides, and other toxicants in the food system
- DNA, Inheritance, Gene Expression, Genetic Disorders, and Mutations
-Regulation of gene expression based on environmental factors/exposures
-Mutagens in the environment due to anthropogenic sources
- Epigenetics, Stem Cells, and Genetic Engineering
- Evolution, Natural Selection, and Adaptation
- Speciation, Taxonomy, Phylogenies, and Biodiversity
- Natural History, Ecology, Forestry, Conservation Biology, and Sustainability
- Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Parasites, Vectors, and Antibiotics
- Air and Water Pollution, Water-borne Pathogens
- Sanitation, Hazardous Waste, Radiation
-Human exposures to pathogens
-Human exposures to hazardous materials
-Human exposure to radiation
- Forensics and Toxicology
-Process by which toxicological effects from environmental exposures are determined
- Children and Transgenerational Effects
-Current environmental exposures that will affect future generations
