BIOLOGY 201 Spring 2016 Syllabus

Christopher A. Johnston, PharmD, PhD

Office: 288 Castetter Hall (Lab: 203)
Contact: johnstca@unm.edu; 277-1567
Office Hours: Wed 2-4PM 288 Castetter Hall (or by appointment)
BIOL 201 is an introductory biology course that will cover topics including (1) the scientific
method, (2) the chemical properties of water, (3) the essential role of carbon in life, (3) the
macromolecules in living organisms, their building blocks, and their roles and functions in
biology, (4) cellular structure and function, (5) cell signaling and communication, (6) enzyme
function, (7) cellular respiration and photosynthesis, and (8) the cell cycle and cell division. BIOL
201 is the first in a series of 4 semester courses that make up the core introductory Biology
curriculum (BIOL 201, 202, 203, and 204). In addition to Biology majors, these courses are
required for Pharmacy majors. Majors in other heath sciences (e.g. nursing or occupational
therapy) may consider BIOL 123 as an alternative. Students wishing to fulfill a general major
requirement for Biology with lab course may consider BIOL 110 and 112L as an alternative.
Required text: Biological Science, 5th Ed., Freeman (2014)
This will be the primary text for the entire Introductory Biology core curriculum series
(BIOL 201-204). This text is a valuable resource and will be relied upon heavily as a source of
lecture and exam material. You are strongly encouraged to obtain a copy.
Course Objectives:
The overarching objective of BIOL 201 is to provide students with an understanding of the
principles of cellular and molecular biology. The topics discussed are designed to integrate with
and build upon the fundamentals of chemistry obtained in CHEM 121/122 or equivalent courses.
Moreover, concepts covered in BIOL 201 are meant to provide a foundation for future
coursework, including but not limited to biochemistry, genetics, physiology, immunology, and
pharmacology. Particularly germane to this BA/MD section of the course, an additional objective
is to provide students with examples of real-world application of the material to medicine when
appropriate. By the conclusion of this course, students should be proficient in the following
specific areas:

Describe the basic aspects that define a living organism.

Understand and describe the scientific method and how biologists conduct experimental
research design.
Describe the unique chemical features of water that make it a vital component of the
living world.
Understand how acids and bases affect chemical reactions and how they alter important
functional groups in macromolecules. Understand how the pKa of a chemical or
functional group relates to the pH of its environment.
Understand the principles of electron configuration and how it relates to chemical bond
formation. Describe the different classes of chemical bonds.
Identify and describe a peptide bond and its formation. Describe the hierarchal structure
of proteins and how primary sequence relates to structure and function. Be able to
describe how each functional group of the 20 amino acids contribute to chemical
bonding in proteins.

Describe the 3 functional groups in nucleotides and how they are synthesized into
nucleic acids. Understand how hydrogen bonding contributes to nucleic acid structure
and function.
Identify the chemical structure of a monosaccharide and how they polymerize to form
carbohydrates. Know the various roles carbohydrates play in biology.
Identify the chemical structure of lipids and describe their chemical nature. Understand
how membrane lipids are formed and the principles of membrane function.
Describe how cell transport is regulated across cell membranes. Compare and contrast
the various mechanisms of transport and the requirements of each.
Identify and describe the key cellular organelles and structures. Describe the biological
functions of each and how they are regulated.
List key biological functions that rely on cell-cell communication. Understand and
describe the various mechanisms of cell signaling, how they differ, and how each is
regulated
Understand the principle of free energy and how it governs chemical reactions. Describe
the function of enzymes in cellular function. Describe different mechanisms by which
enzymes are regulated and how that affects function. Be able to interpret enzyme kinetic
graphs and describe how changes in enzyme activity are reflected graphically.
Understand the key principles of cellular respiration. Define the inputs and outputs of
each stage of respiration and how alterations can affect cell function and physiology.
Understand the key principles of photosynthesis, the requirements for each step, and the
end products. Discuss how photosynthesis in plants differs from cellular respiration in
animals as well as how they interrelate in the living world.
Describe the key steps of the cell cycle and understand how and why they are regulated.
Understand the various stages of cell division and how genetic information is segregated
into daughter cells. Describe how changes in cell cycle relate to disease.
Course Structure and Assessment:

Lecture: In addition to concepts found in the textbook, we will routinely cover topics in lecture
that are not in the assigned reading. This makes attendance in lecture very important. You
should read the textbook chapter before each respective lecture; staying current in the
reading will be helpful in being able to work the problems for the 201L discussion section.
Grading: Overall course grades will be weighted 75/25% for lecture/lab components. The
lecture component will derive from 4 midterm exams, each worth 100 points. Your lowest exam
score will be dropped; however, the fourth exam is mandatory and cannot be dropped. An
additional 50 points will come from 10 group worksheets we will do in class on Thursdays.
These will be posted to Learnyou will be expected to bring a printed copy to turn in for
credit. The 201L component will derive from 10 written homework assignments worth 10 points
each as well as your participation in discussion topics each week.
201L Discussion Sections and Homework: Each week, all students must attend a 75-minute
discussion section, during which important concepts from the lectures will be studied, and in
which some new material may be introduced. You will be assigned homework problems that will
be part of the discussion section assignment for the following week. These assignments will
be completed using the Mastering Biology online resource (see below). Your grade in the
discussion section will be based upon completing the homework assignment themselves, as
well as your class participation during the 201L class sessions. Please come to the discussion
section prepared.

Exams: Exams consist of mostly short answer style questions, but also some multiple choice.
These questions will be designed to test your ability to apply lecture material to questions rather
than simply recall facts. You will not be allowed any resources during the exam such as note
cards.
*A note on cheating: Cheating will be taken very seriously and not tolerated. Documented
cheating will result in an immediate failure of BIOL 201 as well as reporting to the upper
administration. In other words, just dont do it.
How to succeed in BIOL 201:
Read each assigned textbook chapter, focusing on the stated Key Concepts in
particular. Freeman does an good job highlighting the most critical parts of the material,
and exam questions will rely heavily on these concepts.
Use the Check Your Understanding and Chapter Review questions as gauges to your
understanding and comprehension of the material.
That said, the textbook often does not go in as much detail as we will in lecture on
certain topics. Therefore,
Attend every lecture, take good notes, and ask questions. Visit office hours for additional
help and explanations of difficult material.

Course Expectations:
Having a relatively small class size will allow implementation of several active, team-based
learning approaches, which studies show help achieve more significant understanding of
material by incorporating analytical and application aspects to the classroom. Additional benefits
to this approach include learning to work well with peers, which is an essential component to the
future workplace, especially in various medical fields. However, for this approach to be
successful, you must come to class prepared. This includes not only being ready to help discuss
material you understand, but also to be willing to ask others questions regarding material you
found difficult or confusing. Moreover, helping explain material to others will further improve your
comprehension of material with which you already feel comfortably. This approach will help shift
your focus from a passive observer in lecture to an active participant!
How to prepare BEFORE each class period:
Read the assigned reading from Biological Science textbook
Complete associated homework assignments for weekly 201L sessions (using Mastering
Biology)
Come to lecture prepared to ask questions during lectures. I prefer class sessions in
which students are actively engaged and communicating with me and fellow classmates.
How to participate DURING class:
Stay engaged and avoid the temptations of your smart phone (which I humbly ask you to
turn off during class). Take notes!
ASK QUESTIONS-- if there is something you dont understand (or, believe it or not, that I
am explaining incorrectly) do not hesitate to speak up. If you are struggling with a
particular concept, I can almost guarantee that others are as well, and anything that
generates a discussion among the class will be beneficial to everyone.

Actively participate in any small-group discussions. For certain material, I will pose
questions for you to discuss with neighboring students. Each of you will likely bring
unique aspects to the group, so full participation is appreciated.

What to do AFTER class:

Review the material, especially any notes you took to explain the concepts you did not
understand during the pre-class assignment. Reviewing ASAP after lecture will help
reinforce the things we discussed and ensure that you more thoroughly retain the
material.
Attend office hours-- it will greatly improve the outcome of office hour sessions if you
come prepared with specific questions. For example, Can you explain how charged
amino acid side chains form bonds in proteins? will be much more productive than Can
you go over proteins again?.
Develop a study plan that you can adhere to. While this will be different for each student,
setting goals and repeating successful study habits will help you stay on top of the
material, especially when subsequent material builds upon previous lectures.
Begin preparing for the next class!

Mastering Biology:
Mastering Biology is an online component of the textbook that offers tutorials and assessment
methods. Additionally, we will use Mastering Biology for homework assignments. A course
calendar will appear on your homepage where you will find links to homework assignments and
their due dates/times. These assignments are to be completed online using the Mastering
Biology interface.
You are encouraged to use Mastering Biology for its additional resources that will complement
material in the textbook. These include animated tutorials as well as additional reading material
and questions to assess your understanding of the material.
You will need to register for Mastering Biology using your e-mail address and access code
you should have received when purchasing the textbook. When registering, you will use the
course ID: BIOL201JOHNSTON2016
Below are further instructions from Pearson on how to register for Mastering Biology. Please
contact me if you have any questions.

BIOL 201 (Spring 2016) Lecture Schedule: T/R 12:30-1:45PM Castetter 55

Sections 004, 005 Johnston
Week

Date

Lecture Topic

1/19

Course intro; Scientific

Method
Chemical Bonds; Chemistry
of Water; Acids/Bases
Chemical Reactions; Carbon
and Functional Groups
Review of Chemistry
Macromolecules:
Carbohydrates
Macromolecules: Proteins

1/21
2

1/26

1/28
2/2
2/4

4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

2/9
2/11
2/16
2/18
2/23
2/25
3/1
3/3
3/8
3/10
3/133/20
3/22
3/24
3/29
3/31
4/5
4/7

Macromolecules: Nucleic
Acids
Review of Macromolecules
EXAM #1
Macromolecules: Lipids
Membrane Permeability
Cell Membrane Transport
Cell Structure and Function
Cell Structure and Function
Review of Lipids and
Membranes
EXAM #2
SPRING BREAK

4/12
4/14
4/19
4/21

Cell Signaling
Cell Signaling
Cell Signaling
The Cell Cycle
The Cell Cycle
Review of Cell Signaling and
the Cell Cycle
EXAM #3
Energy and Enzyme Function
Energy and Enzyme Function
Cellular Respiration

4/26
4/28

Cellular Respiration
Photosynthesis

5/3
5/5

Photosynthesis
Review of Enzyme Function,
Cellular Respiration, and
Photosynthesis
EXAM #4

5/12

Reading
Assignment
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
(2.1-2.2)
Chapter 2
(2.3-2.4)
WS#1
Chapter 5
Chapter 3
WS#2
Chapter 4

Homework*

#1
#2

#3

WS#3
Chapter 6 (6.1)
6.2-6.3
6.4
WS#4
Chapter 7
WS#5

Chapter 11
WS#6

#4
#5

#6

Chapter 12
#7
WS#7
Chapter 8
#8
Chapter 9
WS#8
#9
Chapter 10
WS#9
#10
WS#10