Office of Academic Affairs
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Berhampur

BIO 101: Introduction to Biological Sciences (Credit, 3)

Course Content:

1. Why is biology exciting? What is life? What are the basic properties of life? How do biologists study them? What kind of questions biologists are interested in?
2. Origin & evolution of life: Theories of origin of life and evidence of evolution.
3. Tree of life: History of life, Diversification of life - a timeline, Logic behind the tree and classification.
4. Bacteria and Archaea
5. Protists
6. Fungi
7. Viruses and their place in the tree of life
8. Theories of origin of eukaryotes
9. Animals
10. Plants
11. Biological information: Its nature, mechanisms of expression and transmission of information: genetic, epigenetic mechanisms of inheritance; Central dogma of molecular biology.
12. Physiology and Behaviour: Physiology and concept of homeostasis, thermoregulation in animals, hormonal control of plant and animal behaviour
13. Biodiversity and conservation biology: Biogeography, Threats to extant biodiversity (habitat loss and degradation, Invasive species, Pollution, Over-exploitation, global climate change); In-situ and ex-situ conservation; Biodiversity of India.

Suggested Books:

• Life: The Science of Biology, Vol. I Ninth Edition by David E. Sadava et al.,
• Biological Science by Scott Freeman et al.,
• Molecular Cell Biology, 8th Edition. by Harvey Lodish et al.

Back to Course List

Next