BIO1140: Introduction to Cell and
Molecular Biology-Winter 2024
Table of contents
Course description ..................................................................................................................... 1
Indigenous affirmation ................................................................................................................ 2
Personnel................................................................................................................................... 2
Course format ............................................................................................................................ 2
Course information & content ..................................................................................................... 2
Learning outcomes .................................................................................................................... 3
Textbook .................................................................................................................................... 3
Equity, diversity, and inclusion ................................................................................................... 3
Academic integrity...................................................................................................................... 4
Content ownership ..................................................................................................................... 4
Bilingualism ................................................................................................................................ 4
Evaluations ................................................................................................................................ 5
Grading scheme......................................................................................................................... 6
Consulting midterms & final exams ............................................................................................ 7
Remarking requests ................................................................................................................... 7
Absences and deferral of the final exam .................................................................................... 8
Withdrawing from the course...................................................................................................... 8
Academic accommodations ....................................................................................................... 9
Mentoring centre ........................................................................................................................ 9
Health and wellness ..................................................................................................................10
Course description
Welcome to BIO1140! This course addresses the fundamentals of cell and molecular biology. We
will cover the structure and varieties of cells, the cytoskeleton, cell membranes and the various
transports we can observe across them. We will also look at the general principles of cellular
metabolism, cell communication and the cell cycle. Finally, we will study the mechanisms of
replication, transcription, and translation as we go from the genes to the proteins they code for.
All these concepts will be illustrated with numerous examples. A somewhat more detailed topic
list is provided further below.
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Indigenous affirmation
We pay respect to the Algonquin people, who are the traditional guardians of this land. We
acknowledge their longstanding relationship with this territory, which remains unceded. We pay
respect to all Indigenous people in this region, from all nations across Canada, who call Ottawa
home. We acknowledge the traditional knowledge keepers, both young and old. And we honour
their courageous leaders: past, present, and future. Learn more here.
Personnel
Professor: Dr. Vahideh Hassan-Zadeh - vhassanz@uottawa.ca
Lab Coordinator: Dr. Fabien Avaron - fabien.avaron@uottawa.ca
Large Class Coordinator: Marc Charette - marc.charette@uottawa.ca
All emails should have BIO1140A, B or C in the subject line and your name and student #
as a signature at the end. You should contact the professor for questions related to lecture
material. Contact Marc Charette for logistics, marking, deferred exams, accommodations, and all
other non-lecture/course content related issues, and Dr. Fabien for lab-related topics. Please
review this syllabus and other course material on the Brightspace website prior to emailing
any course personnel. (Note the labs have a separate Brightspace website: here.) We have put
significant effort into making these documents as comprehensive as possible, and often the
answer to your question is already there. Time, we spend providing information that is already in
the syllabus is time we cannot spend on other aspects of the course. With ~1,100 students, this
can be substantial.
Course format
All lectures will be in-person. Presentations will be posted on Brightspace weekly. In order to do
well in the course, you must keep up with the material and read the content prior to coming to
class. We strongly encourage you to attend the classes as students perform significantly better in
exams when they interact with their peers and the instructor. We have designed the course to be
accommodating of challenges you may be facing, and we encourage you to make use of the
many resources outlined below if you are having difficulty achieving your goals.
Course information & content
All content and information related to the course will be available on the Brightspace course
website. Important announcements will also be made there. The lab component has a separate
website (here). Check both regularly and thoroughly, especially prior to emailing any question
as the answer is often there already.
The course covers 11 modules, they are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Introduction to Biology
Cell Structure and Varieties
Cell Membrane Structure
Cell Membrane Transport
Cell Metabolism and Energy Generation
Cell Communication
Cell Cytoskeleton and Motility
Cell Cycle and Cell Division
Cell Genetic Material Duplication (DNA replication)
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10. Cell Protein Synthesis (Transcription and Translation).
11. Cell Protein Trafficking
Learning outcomes
Learning outcomes are skills that you will acquire in this course and that will help you prepare for
the evaluations. These are used by the instructor to design the lectures, the learning activities,
and the evaluations, so it is useful to review them as you study for the course. Broad-level learning
outcomes are given below; more specific learning outcomes are also provided with each course
topic in the videos/slides.
By the end of this course, you should be able to…
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Describe the fundamental principles of cellular biology
Apply these principles to current biological questions of today
Associate cell structures with their functions
Predict movements of molecules inside and outside of the cell and highlight their
biological importance
Explain the principles of metabolic reactions that occur in cells
Describe mechanisms related to cell communication, cell growth, cell division, DNA
replication and protein synthesis.
Textbook
The course is based on material provided in the lectures and Smart Biology Videos. The
evaluations (online quizzes, the midterm and the final exams) will be based on this. There is no
supported textbook for BIO1140. However, we would like to share some resources that you might
find useful as a complement to the lecture material (the most relevant books for this course are in
bold):
 Life: The Science of Biology, David Sadava (12th edition): Click here
 Essential Cell Biology, Bruc Alberts (any edition): Click here.
 Molecular Cell Biology, Harvey Lodish (any edition): Click here.
 Biology 2e from OpenStax (free): Click here.
 Campbell Biology (any edition): Click here.
 Karp's Cell and Molecular Biology (any edition): Click here.
Again, you will not be directly tested on readings from these textbooks; they are optional to help
with your comprehension of some of the lecture material.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion
In this course, students of all races, colours, cultures, ethnicities, religions, genders, and
sexualities are welcome. We commit to providing a learning environment that fosters diversity,
equity, and inclusion. A commitment to EDI is a process that requires ongoing action and
reflection. We recognize the importance of this commitment to promoting a healthy educational
community and to the success of all students.
EDI actions and resources:
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uOttawa’s Academic Accommodations Service is available to all students to help provide
an equitable opportunity to fully access and participate in the learning environment with
dignity, autonomy and without impediment, while preserving academic freedom, academic
integrity, and academic standards. See the ‘Academic accommodations’ section below for
more details concerning SASS registered accommodations.
The uOttawa library also provides a range of facilities and services to support accessibility.
Details here.
BIO1140 is a space of respect for each other, including students, teaching assistants, staff, and
professors. In support of this, as a code of conduct, we require that participation in this course
is based on principles of inclusion, respect, and tolerance. We cannot, and will not, accept
abusive or discriminatory behavior online or in person.
Academic integrity
Academic integrity is fundamental to all scholarly activity. Every member of the University
community has the moral obligation to learn and share knowledge with honesty and integrity.
Students should be proud to show their diploma, knowing that they have earned it honestly and
by respecting the principles of academic integrity. Academic misconduct and plagiarism create
irreparable inequities in our community by devaluing the work of others. Let's learn together
instead! Because academic integrity is so important, uOttawa created the following website to
provide you with information and tools to identify and avoid academic misconduct, and to
understand its consequences, accessible here.
With respect to all BIO1140 evaluations (i.e., quizzes, midterm and the final exam), you are
expected to work individually, not to pass off the work of others as your own (i.e. no
plagiarism), and not to post questions or answers online. Violations of this policy can result in
serious repercussions that range from a zero on a question or an entire evaluation, to failing the
course, suspension, loss of scholarship, or even expulsion. Academic misconduct is a very
serious issue, and we treat it as such. Cases will be dealt with following uOttawa’s procedures
outlined in Academic regulation A-4 - Academic Integrity and Academic Misconduct.
Content ownership
The materials you receive for this course are protected by copyright and to be used for this
course only. You do not have permission to upload the course materials, including any lecture
recordings you may have, to any website. If you require clarification, please consult course
personnel.
Bilingualism
Every student has the right to require that a course be given in the language used to describe
the course in the course calendar (Academic Regulation A-1). Except in programs and courses
for which language is a requirement, all students have the right to produce their written work
and to answer examination questions in the official language of their choice, regardless of the
course’s language of instruction.
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Evaluations
There will be 2 online quizzes, 8 Smart Biology quizzes, one midterm, a final exam and laboratory
assignments (the latter are detailed on the BIO1140 Laboratory Brightspace website. You are
expected to work individually (i.e. on your own) and you will sign a pledge to this effect
prior to these examinations. Deferral requests or sick notes will not be accepted for the quizzes.
The first online quiz will count for 7.5% of your final grade and will be available on Brightspace
on Friday February 16th at 12pm. There will be 18-25 multiple choice questions covering
modules 1-4 and contents in the Smart Biology units “From atoms to cells” and “Basic Cell
Biology”. You will have a single attempt and once begun, you will have 2 hours to complete this
quiz and it must be submitted before February 18th 11pm.
The second online quiz will count for 7.5% of your final grade and will be available on
Brightspace on Friday March 29th at 12pm. There will be 18-25 multiple choice questions
covering modules 6-8. You will have a single attempt and once begun, you will have 2 hours to
complete this quiz and it must be submitted before March 31st 11pm.
The 8 Smart Biology quizzes will be available on the Smart Biology Website. Smart Biology is
an online learning tool which is specially conceived for introductory courses in cellular biology and
offers a dynamic and active learning experience. You must purchase a student account on Smart
Biology Website with your @uottawa.ca email address. If you use another email address the
grades will not be considered. The price will be 48.00 dollars tax included. If you have already
purchased this tool, you should still have access to it but to retake the quizzes you must reset all
the quizzes. You will find videos organized in three units entitled "From Atoms to Cells,
"Photosynthesis and Respiration" and "Basic Cell Biology". The total showtime for the videos is 2
hours and 30 minutes. It is compulsory to take the quizzes in the unit "Photosynthesis and
Respiration" (covering the module 5 of the course). There will be a total of 8 Smart Biology
quizzes and 74 questions in this unit. The quizzes in this unit will count for 10% of the final grade.
Only a single attempt is permitted. It is not compulsory to take the quizzes of the two other
units and the quizzes of these units will not be counted towards your final grade. However, there
will be questions in the midterm and final exam on the content of all three Smart Biology units. All
Smart Biology quizzes will be available from January 21th until February 25th on the Smart Biology
website. You can watch these modules at dates specified on the course Brightspace page. All
quizzes must be taken prior to February 25th 11pm.
The midterm will be held in-person and during class:
 Section A will have their midterm during class on February 27th.
 Section B and C will have their midterm during class on February 26th.
It will cover the modules 1-5 and Smart Biology contents. You must write the midterm
associated with the course section in which you are enrolled (e.g., if you are enrolled in
Section A, you must write the midterm on Tuesday, Feb. 27th at 11:30am in-class; you cannot
write the midterm for one of the other sections). If you attempt to write in another section any
midterm exam that you do write will be disqualified (i.e. will not be marked) and you will be asked
to leave the exam. Deferred midterms are NOT offered. If you are ill or otherwise miss the
midterm, you do not need to justify your absence; we do not want a doctor’s note or other such
letter. The course grading scheme (detailed below) provides options that reweight the missed
midterm. This will automatically be applied. With this in mind, we recommend that you do not write
the midterm if you are sufficiently ill that you feel it will impact your performance. The mark
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obtained for the midterm will count, even if a medical certificate is retroactively obtained. You can
skip midterm, but there are VERY GOOD reasons why you should not; these are outlined in the
grading scheme below.
The final exam will be scheduled by the Faculty of Science sometime during the designated final
exam period (Apr. 12-25, 2024). It will also be in-person and will cover all material in the course
(i.e., it is cumulative) and Smart Biology content. We have no control over the choice of dates nor
when this is announced. Information about absences and deferred final exams can be found
further below.
The precise structure of the midterm (and the final exam) will be communicated closer to the date,
but there will always be a mix of multiple choice and short answer questions. The midterm and
the final exam will be closed book, meaning that you will not have access to any notes or aids,
unless specified by Accommodation Services. Unauthorized electronic devices are not allowed
and should not be within your reach (e.g., in your pocket). Phones and devices (e.g., smart
watches, unauthorised calculators, etc.) must be turned off and put away in your bag. Failing to
do so may result in an allegation of academic fraud.
We will be taking attendance during the final exam. Please sign the attendance sheet. A complete
exam package (i.e., scantron, exam booklet and exam sheet) need to be returned in order for
your exam to be considered complete and properly submitted. We reserve the right to refuse to
mark any exam that is incomplete. Lastly, answers to multiple choice questions need to be
transferred to the scantron in the appropriate manner, and answers to the short answer questions
must be placed in the exam booklet as specified, for them to be marked. We will not transfer
multiple choice answers to the scantron, nor mark the exam sheet in any way. Answers not placed
in the designated locations will not be marked.
Grading scheme
We will calculate your mark in the following way:
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First online Brightspace Quiz............................................... 7.5%
Second online Brightspace Quiz................................ ..........7.5%
Midterm ………………………….………………………….… 15%
8 Smart Biology Quizzes…………………………….……... 10%
Final exam (cumulative) ………………………….……………35%
Laboratories………………………….……………………….....25%
If you miss the midterm the weight will be transferred to the final exam. A minimum final grade of
D (50%) is required to pass the BIO1140 course (this includes the 25% from the labs).
You must write the final exam. Student obtaining less than 35% on their final exam will
automatically receive a maximal final letter grade of E (49%) in the course.
Policies for the lab component of the course are detailed on the Brightspace labs website
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Consulting midterms & final exams
The midterm will be handed back by a TA at various sessions that will be posted on the course
website. These will be in the 1st floor lobby of BSC. Please note that picking up your midterm
outside these specified sessions is not possible, so please ensure that you attend one of them if
you want to pick up your midterm. Due to provincial privacy legislation, you will need to present
your uOttawa student ID card or U-Pass to pick up your exam, no exceptions possible.
You will be allowed to consult your final exam during sessions that will be held during the month
of May. The schedule will be posted on Brightspace once final exams have been marked. If you
want to consult your final exam you will need to attend one of these sessions and provide your
uOttawa student ID card, again no exceptions.
Remarking requests
Requests to remark a midterm or the final exam must be based on academic grounds (i.e. an
error in marking). Non-academic grounds, such as the following, will NOT be considered:
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Deserving more marks because you worked really hard and never missed a class
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The mark not reflecting the time and effort you put in, or not reflecting your
understanding of the material
Getting A’s in all your other courses
Being really close to the letter grade cut-off
Feeling that the TA marked too hard
Not feeling well, which interfered with your performance
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Remarking requests must be submitted within 5 business days of receiving your midterm or final
exam mark and must include a DETAILED, written justification (grammatically correct,
sentence/paragraph form) that explains, with specific reference to the posted marking
scheme, why you feel there was a marking error*. Requests are NOT automatically granted; if
the professor disagrees with the justification, the original mark will stand. If a remarking is granted,
it is done by a course professor and normally entails remarking the entire evaluation. Note that
mistakes in both ‘directions’ are possible in the original marking (i.e., awarding marks that were
not justified and not awarding marks that were). Therefore, there is no guarantee your mark will
increase upon remarking; it may not change, or it could even decrease. Whatever the outcome,
the reassessed grade is considered final. Remarking requests are therefore designed for
cases in which you feel there is strong academic grounds.
To make a request for a midterm, you must submit your exam booklet containing your detailed
written justification to Marc Charette prior to the deadline, which will be specified in an
announcement on Brightspace. A remarking request drop off box will be available outside Marc’s
office (GNN 281). Remarking will be done for all approved cases after the 5 days deadline. It will
only be possible to submit remarking requests for exams written in ink. Exams written in
pencil will not be accepted for remarking. Any exam suspected of being modified will not be
remarked.
Please do not contact us asking when remarking will be complete; an announcement will be
posted on the course website when updated grades have been uploaded. For the midterm, you
will be able to pick up your remarked midterm afterwards.
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*If the remarking request is a simple addition error, please follow the procedure mentioned above
and clearly state that you are requesting a re-addition of your exam. If possible, please indicate
where you believe the addition error occurred.
Appealing a remarked midterm or final exam:
If, after submitting and receiving your remarked midterm or final exam, you still disagree with the
grading, you can choose to initiate a grade review. A grade review is a formal process governed
by, and subject to, Academic regulation A-9 (Revision of Grades and Appeal), subsection First
stage: Grade review. You must follow the procedure outlined in this regulation.
Absences and deferral of the final exam
Deferred final exams are the responsibility of the Office of Undergraduate Studies within the
Faculty of Science; the BIO1140 instructor and staff have no say whatsoever in the granting and
scheduling of deferred final exams, nor in anything else concerning them. Information and
procedures concerning deferred finals can be found here.
To request a deferred final exam, you will need to provide your justification to the Office of
Undergraduate Studies. Acceptable justifications are outlined in section A-8.6 Justification of
absence from an examination or of late submission of assignments. You should contact the Office
of Undergraduate studies (infosci@uottawa.ca) for any and all questions regarding deferred
final exams.
Typically, students with a justified absence for the final exam are authorised to write the deferred
exam. However, eligibility is not automatic, and you must follow the procedure outlined on their
website. The deferred final exam period is from July 7th to July 13th 2024, but scheduling of the
BIO1140 exam during this period will be decided by the Office of Undergraduate Studies.
Withdrawing from the course
We recognize that it is sometime necessary for students to withdraw from the course. This practice
is commonly called dropping a course. Please note that withdrawing from the course prior to
February 2nd will enable you to receive a financial credit (less administrative fees). Withdrawing
from the course prior to this date means that the course will not appear on your transcripts. After
this date, it is still possible to withdraw from the course until March 22nd, although you will no
longer receive a financial credit. Withdrawing from the course means that you will not need to
complete any more evaluations and the course will appear on your transcripts as DR (dropped),
and it will not affect your GPA. It is not possible to withdraw after March 22nd. If you simply stop
attending a course and do not withdraw, you will receive a grade based on the work you have
submitted (including zero for unsubmitted work/unwritten evaluations), meaning you may fail.
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Withdrawing from a course may affect whether you meet all your program requirements. Be sure
to consider all changes very carefully before going ahead.
Academic accommodations
The Academic Accommodations Service works with other campus services to create an
accessible campus learning environment, where students with disabilities have an equal
opportunity to flourish. They offer a wide range of services and resources, provided with expertise,
professionalism, and confidentiality.
Some services they offer
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Help for students with disabilities in making the transition
Permanent and temporary accommodation measures
Learning strategy development
Adaptive exams
Transcriptions of learning material
Interpretation (ASL and LSQ)
Assistive technologies
Please note that specific accommodations (e.g., extra time on evaluations) are only granted
through this service. BIO1140 course personnel lack the knowledge and background to
diagnose any issues and to recommend appropriate accommodations, whereas the
Accommodation Service was designed precisely for this reason. You therefore must go through
them for an official accommodation. We cannot, for example, grant extra time on an evaluation
in the absence of a documented accommodation from Academic Accommodation Services.
Students registered with Academic Accommodations Service for extra time accommodations
will receive it for their midterm and final exam. Brightspace quizzes are already designed with
extra time accommodations in mind, therefore no extra time will be applied to these evaluations.
If you have other accommodations that require action on our part, please contact Marc
Charette (marc.charette@uottawa.ca) as soon as possible. We will work
with Academic Accommodations Service to try and find a solution that incorporates your
accommodations.
The start of the academic term is a busy time for the Academic Accommodations Service.
Please contact them as early as possible to book a meeting with a Learning Specialist prior to
your midterm. Failure to do so may mean that your accommodation is note finalized in time. You
can contact them at adapt@uottawa.ca.
Mentoring centre
The Mentoring centre hub is a one-stop shop for academic support. Whether you are an
experienced student or just starting out, you’ll find some great resources to help you succeed.
With the Academic support, you can:
 chat with a mentor seven days a week
 register for study groups
 take part in study methods workshops (note taking, time management, exam
preparation, stress management, etc.)
 book an appointment with a mentor
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Health and wellness
Your health and wellness are an integral part of your success. If you do not feel well, it can be
hard to focus on your studies. Dedicated professionals and fellow students who care about you
are always ready to provide advice and support. Depending on your needs, many activities and
services exist to accompany you during your academic journey.
Services include:
 opportunities to connect
 counselling sessions
 peer support
 physical activity
 wellness activities and workshops
 spiritual guidance
You can make an appointment with a counsellor, join a peer chat, or visit the Wellness Lounge in
the Jock Turcot University Centre, second floor, room 203 (Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6
p.m.). You can also access 24/7 professional help through the website. For more information and
to access these services, click here.
We hope that you will enjoy this course and will have a great and enriching learning experience.
Your BIO1140 personnel,
Prof. Vahideh Hassan-Zadeh
Marc Charette
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