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551-0003-AAL 7 Credits MSC D-USYS , D-HEST
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General Biology I+II

Enrolment ONLY for MSc students with a decree declaring this course unit as an additional admission requirement. Any other students (e.g. incoming exchange students, doctoral students) CANNOT enrol for this course unit.
VVZ CR n/a

Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:21:37

Abstract

General Biology I: Organismic biology to teach the basic principles of classical and molecular genetics, evolutionary biology and phylogeny.General Biology II: Molecular biology approach to teach the basic principles of biochemistry, cell biology, cgenetics, evolutionary biology and form and function of vacular plants.

Objective

General Biology I: The understanding of basic principles of biology (inheritance, evolution and phylogeny) and an overview of the diversity of life. General Biology II: The understanding basic concepts of biology: the hierarchy of the structural levels of biological organisation, with particular emphasis on the cell and its molecular functions, the fundamentals of metabolism and molecular genetics, as well as form and function of vascular plants.

Content

General Biology I: General Biology I focuses on the organismal biology aspects of genetics, evolution and diversity of life in the Campbell chapters 12-34. Week 1-7 by Alex Widmer, Chapters 12-25 12 Cell biology Mitosis 13 Genetics Sexual life cycles and meiosis 14 Genetics Mendelian genetics 15 Genetics Linkage and chromosomes 20 Genetics Evolution of genomes 21 Evolution How evolution works 22 Evolution Phylogentic reconstructions 23 Evolution Microevolution 24 Evolution Species and speciation 25 Evolution Macroevolution Week 8-14 by Oliver Martin, Chapters 26-34 26 Diversity of Life Introdution to viruses 27 Diversity of Life Prokaryotes 28 Diversity of Life Origin & evolution of eukaryotes 29 Diversity of Life Nonvascular&seedless vascular plants 30 Diversity of Life Seed plants 31 Diversity of Life Introduction to fungi 32 Diversity of Life Overview of animal diversity 33 Diversity of Life Introduction to invertebrates 34 Diversity of Life Origin & evolution of vertebrates General Biology II: The structure and function of biomacromolecules; basics of metabolism; tour of the cell; membrane structure and function; basic energetics of cellular processes; respiration, photosynthesis; cell cycle, from gene to protein; structure and growth of vascular plants, resource acquisition and transport, soil and plant nutrition. Specifically the following Campbell chapters will be covered: Week 1-5 by Uwe Sauer 5 Biochemistry Biological macromolecules and lipids 7 Cell biology Cell structure and function 8 Cell biology Cell membranes 10 Cell biology Respiration: introduction to metabolism 10 Cell biology Cell respiration 11 Cell biology Photosynthetic processes Week 6-8 by Oliver Martin 16 Genetics Nucleic acids and inheritance 17 Genetics Expression of genes 18 Genetics Control of gene expression 19 Genetics DNA Technology Week 8-13 by Kirsten Bomblies 35 Plant structure&function Plant Structure and Growth 36 Plant structure&function Transport in vascular plants 37 Plant structure&function Plant nutrition 38 Plant structure&function Reproduction of flowering plants 39 Plant structure&function Plants signal and behavior

Resources

Lecture Notes

No script

Literature

Campbell et al. (2021) Biology - A Global Approach. 12th Edition (Global Edition)

General Information

Language
English
Levels
MSC
Frequency
Semesterly recurring

Examination

Type
session examination
Mode
written 150 minutes
Aids
Dictionary

Course Components

Type Title Time & Place Hours
revision course / private study General Biology I+II
Self-study course. No presence required. Please contact Prof. Uwe Sauer for further information.
No time listed 180 h semesterly

Offered In