INSTRUCTOR
Name: Randall Packer
Campus Address Lisner 351
Phone: 4-6977
E-mail: rkp@gwu.edu no lecture content questions answered by e-mail
Office hours: Mon. 1:45-3:00; Wed. 1:45-3:00; Fri. 10:30-12:00
In 351 Lisner Hall
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Bisc 1111 Introductory Biology – Cells and Molecules
Lectures Mon; Wed; Fri 12:45-1:35 Classroom – Phillips B-156
Quiz dates *
Lecture outline – it may change
Campbell 9th edition
Date
Topic
Text readings
26 Aug.
Chemical bonds in a water environment
pp 46-67
28
Carbohydrates, Lipids and Nucleic acids
68-76; 87-91
30
Proteins
77-86
4 Sept.
Visualization of cells and methods to study their components
94-108
*6
Animal and plant cell structure
108-123
9
Cell membranes
125-130
11
Biological transport driven by gradients
131-135
13
Transport that requires ATP
135-141
16
Laws we can’t break and enzyme function
142-162
*18
Cellular production of ATP
163-172
20
The role of oxygen in ATP production
172-183
23
review
25
Exam 1
27
Metabolic diseases
30
Sunlight +carbon dioxide+ water = sugar
184-205
2 Oct.
All cells come from pre-existing cells
228-238
*4
The cell cycle and cell death
238-245
7
Regulation of the cell cycle
223-225
9
Cancer – cells gone wild
242-243; 373-376
11
Production of eggs and sperm
250-261
14
Classical genetics – did Gregor Mendel fudge his data?
262-269
16
Probability and inheritance
269-276
18
Paired chromosomes trade parts – diversity ensues
286-304
*21
Molecular genetics – Watson and Crick beat Linus Pauling to the punch
305-312
23
DNA replication and repair
312-324
25
review
28
Exam 2
30
Cellular protein production
325-336
1 Nov The life cycle of proteins
336-350
4
Many factors regulate gene expression.
351-373
*6
Mammalian sexual function
1002 -1008
8
The ovarian cycle and fertilization
1008-1010
11
Early development
10 11-1031
13
Organogenesis
1031-1035
15
18
*20
22
25
2 Dec.
4
6
Developmental regulatory factors
Developmental diseases
Innate immunity
How we make antibodies to a million different antigens
Antibodies are almost always your friend
Killer cells
TBA
Review
1035-1043
929-935
935-946
946-952
Note: My Lab/Mastering, 9th ed. (an on-line tutorial), is required. My Lab/Mastering
and the e-text are included with the book sold in the GW Bookstore (ISBN
13:9780321847010). It can also be purchased separately from the book, with (ISBN:
13:9780321865045) or without (ISBN: 13:9780321865069) the e-text, from the GW
Bookstore or BlackBoard (“Pearson’s MyLab/Mastering” icon under “Tools”). The
ISBN# for the book alone (no Mastering or e-text) is 13:9780321558237 (or 0321558235).
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Objectives – Students will be able to
Learn biological concepts from lectures, reading, online tutorials and/or discussions
with peers.
Work with a team to solve problems and analyze the concepts.
Articulate their understanding and analyses of biological systems in speaking and
writing.
Use basic lab techniques to design, execute, and computationally/statistically analyze
experiments.
As a result of completing this course, students will be able to:
1. Characterize polar vrs. non-polar molecules and to distinguish between carbohydrate,
fat and protein molecules .
2. Be able to recognize and characterize the functions of major organelles and understand
the functional characteristics of cell membranes (biological transport) and cell walls.
3. Students will understand the physical imperative of the 2nd law, understand how energy
is stored in chemical bonds in photosynthesis and how that stored energy in bonds of
food molecules is used in endergonic processes in cells; be able to discuss the inputs and
products of glycolysis, fermentation , TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation.
Understand how enzymes are produced, regulated and speed reactions. Students will
begin to develop an understanding of intracellular regulatory networks that will be
developed throughout the remainder of the course.
4. Be able to outline the stages and regulation in different tissues.
5. Students will be able to describe gamete formation and the selective advantages of
sexual reproduction, solve problems of inheritance in classical genetics, understand the
functions of protein coding and non-protein coding DNA regions, describe the various
roles of RNA as well as generation of gene variants by recombination.
6. Students will be able to outline the role of growth factors in vertebrate development
and understand the development of the vertebrate nervous system.
7. Students will be able to distinguish between the innate and adaptive immune systems
and explain the role of the major cellular effectors of immunity as well as the network of
cell-to-cell communication that regulates immune responses.
Laboratory Skills. Students will work in teams to investigate some or all of these: i)
Analysis of Proteins, ii) Biological Transport, iii) ELISA, iv) Enzyme Kinetics, v)
Mitosis, vi) Bacterial Transformation, vii) PCR, viii) Electrophoresis, ix) Drosophila
Genetics, x) Sea Urchin Development, xi) Bioinformatics/Computational Biology, xii)
Searching and analyzing Biological literature.
GRADING The lecture will count for 300 points and the lab 200 points.
The 300 points in lecture will be determined as follows:
 Two 60 point exams during the semester and a 100 point final. The final exam is
cumulative
 Six graded homework assignments –8 points each. There will be at least 6
assigned homeworks. I will count your top 5 scores. Homework will not be
accepted late for any reason.
 6 quizzes 8 points each – top 5 grades count – no make-ups given for any reason
Quizzes will be given at the beginning of the period. If you arrive late you will
have no extra time. If you arrive after the conclusion of the quiz you may not
begin it.
NOTE: IN ACCORD WITH UNIVERSITY POLICY, THE FINAL EXAM WILL BE
GIVEN DURING THE FINAL EXAM PERIOD AND NOT THE LAST WEEK OF
THE SEMESTER
CLASS POLICIES
Attendance is not required but it is hard to do well in the course if you do not attend
lecture. If you have a fever that you think is due to flu – please don’t come to lecture
– Do the readings, look over the lecture outline and get notes from a classmate – see
me if you need help getting notes or if there are concepts you do not understand.
[Late work: Late work will not be accepted]
[Make-up exams are allowed with a valid excuse and advance notification ]
[Religious Holidays – if an exam is scheduled during one of your religious holidays, let
me know at least one week in advance so that we can make arrangements]
[NOTE: for university policies on teaching, see
http://www.gwu.edu/~academic/Teaching/main.htm ]
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
I personally support the GW Code of Academic Integrity. It states:: “Academic
dishonesty is defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work,
taking credit for the work of others without crediting them and without appropriate
authorization, and the fabrication of information.” For the remainder of the code, see:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS)
Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a
disability should contact the Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the
Marvin Center, Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable
accommodations. For additional information please refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER (UCC) 202-994-5300
The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers 24/7 assistance and referral to
address students' personal, social, career, and study skills problems. Services for students
include:
- crisis and emergency mental health consultations
- confidential assessment, counseling services (individual and small group), and
referrals
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices
SECURITY
In the case of an emergency, if at all possible, the class should shelter in place. If the
building that the class is in is affected, follow the evacuation procedures for the building.
After evacuation, seek shelter at a predetermined rendezvous location.