GEB 201: Molecular Biology & Biochemistry of the cell (1.0 Unit)

1. Molecular design of life

Introduction: Overview of role of macromolecules; protein structure and function; Role of DNA and RNA; Molecules of heredity.

2. Proteins – A Closer Look

(a) Conformation, dynamics and function
(b) Lessons from study of oxygen- transporting proteins: Myoglobin and hemoglobin
(c) Introduction to biological membranes



3. Bioenergetics - Generation and storage of metabolic energy

(a) Metabolism: basic concepts and design
(b) Role of carbohydrates: Closer look at aerobic respiration. First step- Glycolysis, Second step- Citric acid cycle, Third step- oxidative phosphorylation
(c) Alternative pathways: Fatty acid metabolism
(d) Amino acid degradation and urea cycle

4. Biosynthesis of macromolecular precursors

Biosynthesis of membrane lipids and steroid hormones; Biosynthesis of amino acids, Heme and Nucleotides; Integration of metabolism

5. Expression of Genetic information – Focus on “from RNA to protein”

6. Some special aspects
Membranes and transport mechanisms: Diffusion; Facilitated Diffusion; Active transport; Transport ATPases; Vitamins and Hormones



Suggested readings:

1. Readings from Scientific American., Molecules of Life., W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
2. Darn ell, J., Lodesh, H. and Baltimore, D. 1986. Molecular Cell Biology., W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
3. Stryer, L. 1988. Biochemistry, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
4. Alberts, B. Bray, D. Lewis, J., 1989. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York.
5. Stryer, L. 1989. Molecular Design of Life. W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
6. Voet & Voet, 1991. Biochemistry.
7. Lehninger, Nelson, Cox, 1990. Principles of Biochemistry.



GEB 202: Chemistry for Biologists II (1.0 Unit)

Organic chemistry

1. Aromatic hydrocarbons: Halogen and other derivatives (nucleophilic substitution); Nitrobenzene (electrophilic substitution)

2. Aromatic alcohols: Aldehydes and Ketones, Phenols and Quinones

3. Amines: Diazonium salts and their reactions; Phenyl hydrazines; Sulfonic acids.



4. Drugs: Some esters and amides: Aspirin and other salicylates; Oil of wintergreen
Alkaloids: Opiates such as morphine , heroine and LSD; Vincristine, 
Antibiotics: Penicillin, cephalosporin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol; 
Stroids: Anti-inflamatory agents; Oral contraceptives

5. Polymers: Classes of synthetic polymer (addition polymers, condensation polymer); Fibers and Fabrics; Plastics; Natural and synthetic rubbers; Copolymers; Polymer structure and properties

Physical chemistry – Further aspects

1. Thermodynamics: Application to chemical reactions, Reaction spontaneity, First and Second law of thermodynamics, Entropy, Enthalpy, Calorimetry, Concept of free energy and spontaneous reactions; Chemical equilibrium; Applications of thermodynamics to biochemistry.

2. Chemical kinetics: Order of a reaction: Zero, first and second order eactions, molecularity of a reaction, pseudo first order reaction, half life; Rate laws; Steady state approximation and reaction mechanism; Temperature dependence of reaction rate; kinetics of enzyme catalyzed reactions; Catalysis.



3. Electrochemistry: Electrochemical cells; Electromotive force of a cell; Free energy, entropy and enthalpy change of cell reactions; Nernst equation; Standard electrode potential; Redox potential and biology.

4. Quantum theory and photochemistry: Light energy and its interaction with matter; Excitation and emission; The Frank-Condon principle; chromophores; d-d transitions. (II, II) and (II, n ) transition; fluorescence and phosphorescence.


Suggested readings:

1. Atkins, P.W. 1989. A General Chemistry, W.H. Freeman and Company, New York.
2. Gillespie, R.J., Humpherys, D.A., Bairds, N.C. and Robinson, E.A. 1989. Chemistry., Allyn and Bacon Inc. Boston.
3. Atkins & Carey, 1991. Organic Chemistry: A Short Course, McGraw Hill Publishingcompany.
4. Morris, J.G. A Biologist’s Physical Chemistry.



GEB 203: Physiology & Biochemistry of Living Organisms I (1.0 Unit)

1. Digestion and Nutrition

 Composition, function and regulation of salivary, gastric, pancreatic, bile and intestinal juices; Absorption, nutrition; Balanced diet; Importance of vitamins and minerals and trace elements; Digestive disorders.

2. The circulatory system

Composition and function of blood and lymph; blood group and Rh factor; Blood coagulation, Structure and function of hemoglobin; Sickle-cell anemia, Thalassemia and other disorders of blood cell formation. Heart: a brief introduction to the anatomy of heart; origin, conduction and regulation of heart beat; Cardiac cycle; Electrocardiogram; Blood pressure; Capillary pressure; Regulation of blood pressure. 

3. Respiration: Mechanism and control of breathing

 Transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide; Oxygen dissociation curve of hemoglobin and myoglobin; Bohr effect; Chloride shift; Human respiratory disorders.



4. Structure and function of the kidney

 Micro-architecture of the kidney; Physiology of urine formation; Role of the kidney in the regulation of water, salt and acid base balance; Renal disorders.

5. Muscle

Ultrastructural, chemical and physiological basis of skeletal muscle contraction; Molecular mechanism in muscle contraction.

6. Nervous system

 Structure of neurone; Nature of nerve impulse; Origin and propagation along a neurone; Membrane potential, action potential; Synapse and myoneural junction; Integrtative function of the central nervous system; Structure and function of sensory organs concerned with vision, sound perception, taste, smell and touch receptors; Major neurophysiological disorders in humans.

7. Endocrine system

 Hormones and other signalling molecules; Hypothalamus, pitutary, thyroid, paratyroid, adrenal, pancreas and gonads; Other endocrine elements ( pancreatic islets etc.); Local chemical mediators prostaglandins; Consequence of endocrine malfunction.



8. Principles of reproduction

 The beginning; Reproductive modes; Asexual and sexual; Human reproduction and development.

9. Liver

Structural organization and functions.


Suggested readings:

1. Gyton, M.D. 1986. Test Book of Medical Physiology. W.B. Saunders Company, London.
2. Smith, E., Pateson, C.R. Scratcherd, T. and Read, N.W. 1988. Text Book of Physiology. Longman Group Ltd., Hongkong, 
3. Elaine, N. Human Anatomy and Physiology, 4th Ed. Benjamin/Cummings Scientific Publishing, Menlo Park, California.
4. Thews, 1982. Human anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology.
5. Ganong, 1985. Review of Medical Physiology.




GEB 204: Enzymes and Enzyme kinetics (1.0 Unit)

1. Introduction

Brief history, enzymes as biological catalysts, classification, nomenclature, Enzyme assay, specific activity, enzyme activity units.

2. Factors affecting the rate of enzymatic reactions

substrate concentration, enzyme concentration, pH, temperature, coenzyme and cofactors

3. Enzyme kinetics

Monosubstrate reactions, Michaelis-Menten equation nad its linear transformations, Km and Vmax: definition, determination, significance.

4. Enzyme inhibition

Reversible inhibition, Competitive, non-competitive and uncompetitive inhibition. Irreversible inhibition, specific examples.



5. Identification of functional groups essential for catalysis, ribonuclease and chymotrypsin as specific example.

6. Factors affecting the efficiency of enzyme as catalysts

proximity and orientation, covalent catalysis, acid base catalysis.

7. Bisubstrate enzyme reactions

Single and double displacement reactions, random and ordered mechanisms.

8. Specificity of enzymes

absolute specificity, broad specificity, intermediate specificity, stereospecificity.

9. Active site of enzyme

common features, enzyme substrate complex formation, evidences.

10. Enzyme regulation

allosteric enzymes, cooperativity, special characteristics, Monod and Koshland models, covalent modification of enzymes, specific examples to be studies: ATPase, phosphorylase, lactate dehydrogenase.



11. Mechanism of enzyme action

specific examples; Chymotrypsin, Lysozyme, Ribonuclease A, Carboxypeptidase.

12. Isoenzymes

Characteristics and importance.


Suggested readings:

1. Boyer, 1970. The enzymes
2. Dixon, Enzymes
3. Lehninger, A.L. 1987. Biochemistry.
4. Voet & Voet, 1991. Biochemistry.
5. Fersht, 1985. Enzymatic Reaction Mechanism.



GEB 205: Essential Physics for Biologists (1.0 Unit)

1. Light and Optics

Light: Reflection and Refraction; Wave nature; Interference; Diffraction; Polarizaion; Geometrical Optics: Thick lenses and lens defects; Focussing action of human eye; Fiber optics and insect eyes. Optical and Acoustical Wave Interference: Diffraction from a circular aperture; applications in animal vision; The diffraction grating; Interference in thin films; Polarization of light; The navigation of bees; Acoustic diffraction; use by bats for echolocation. The eye and optical instruments – Microscopes.

2. Electricity and Magnetism

The nature of electric charge; Electric field; Capacitance; Electric energy; Emf; Ohm’s law; Resistivity; Electrical power; Direct current; Electric circuits; Alternating current circuits; Electromagnetic wave; Relevance to biology; Dynamic electrical properties of biological membranes; The electric organ of eels.

3. Electromagnetic Waves: Absorption of radiation

The electromagnetic spectrum; Blackbody radiation; Radiant emission from a human; The greenhouse effect; Infrared radiation and ultraviolet radiation in biology.



4. Basic electronics

Overview of vacuum tube technology; Solid state electronics devices and theeir applications; Diods; Transisters and amplifiers; oscillators; Introduction to operational ampifiers; Integrated circuits; Digitial electronics; Special electronics devices like photocells; photomultipliers; Cathod ray tubes.

5. Atomic and nuclear physics

Determination of the charge and mass of an electron; The photoelectric effect; De Broglie waves; The Heisenbeerg uncertainty principle; Electron microscopy; The nuclear atom model; The Bohr model for the hydrogen atom; Quantum mechanics; Characteristic X-rays: X-ray diffraction; Absorption spectra and colour vision; Radiation effect in biology; Radiation dosage; Diagnostic use of X-ray.

Suggested readings:




GEB 206: Computer Science (1.0 Unit)

Computer Fundamentals

1. Introduction

Brief history and types of computers, application areas. Working principle of a computer system, Single and multi-user systems.

2. Hardware

Organization and architecture, Motherboards and Microprocessors. Memory units; Primary memory, Secondary memory, I/O Devices, Peripheral devices, AT/XT, ISA, EISA. PCI Bus Architecture.

3. Software

Classification, System software, Operating system concepts, importance, components and basic functions of DOS, Windows and UNIX operating system. Application software, database, spreadsheet and word-processing software.



4. Applications

Multimedia systems, Computer networks; Basic concepts on LAN and WAN and Internet systems, Internet services, On-line and Off-line E-mail and WWW.

5. Selection of computer

Hardware, software and cost consideration.

6. Maintenance

Power supply stability, grounding. Effect of surge, sag current and its protection. Effect of static charge on computer devices, handling of computers cards and chips, computer viruses and protections, Software troubleshooting and maintenance.

Programming and Computer Application Lab

This lab is based on CS 101 and CS 102. Simple exercise on DOS, Windows and UNIX operating systems, Development of programs in C and C++ programming languages. The student will also acquire practical experience on word processing, spreadsheet analysis, database and statistical packages and their applications.


Suggested readings:



GEB 207: Practical (1.0 Unit)

Practicals based on course (1 – 4)


GEB 208: Viva voce (½ Unit)