BILD 1 — The Cell

This accelerated five-week course introduces the structure and function of cells in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Students examine the molecules found in cells, how cells obtain and use energy, how they respond to their environments, and how biological information is passed to the next generation.

Major topics include:

• comparisons among prokaryotic cells, eukaryotic cells, and viruses;
• relationships between the structures and functions of DNA, RNA, proteins, amino acids, and lipids;
• cell membranes, molecular transport, and the movement of materials into and out of cells;
• cellular energetics, including cellular respiration and photosynthesis;
• cell signaling, the central dogma, and regulation of gene expression; and
• mutation, meiosis, inheritance, and interactions between genotypes and the environment.

Lectures are paired with active-learning questions and discussion activities. Students practice applying cellular and molecular principles to unfamiliar problems and evaluating scientific claims using evidence and reasoning.