120:201 Foundations of Biology

Federated Department of Biological Sciences

NJIT

120:201 Foundations of Biology: Cell and Molecular Biology

Fall 2009 Syllabus

Click this link to reach Blackboard

Instructors
Dr. Gerald Frenkel (Boyden 321), frenkel@andromeda.rutgers.edu
Dr. Miguel Cervantes-Cervantes (Boyden 206), miguelcc@andromeda.rutgers.edu

Times: Tue, Thu 2:30-3:50 PM

Room: Conklin 100

Required Textbook:
Becker WM et al. The World of the Cell, 6^th Edition (2006) ISBN 0-8053-4680-5 OR 7^th Edition (2009) ISBN 0-8053-9393-5. Pearson/Benjamin Cummings.

Office hours: By appointment (via e-mail, miguelcc@andromeda.rutgers.edu)

Date	Topic	Instructor	Readings in Becker
Date	Topic	Instructor	6th Edition	7th Edition
Sep 1	Introduction to the cell I	Cervantes	1-13	1-14
Sep 3	Introduction to the cell II	Cervantes	A1-A24	A1-A24
Sep 10	Chemistry of the cell I	Frenkel	16-23, 33	18-25, 34
Sep 15	Chemistry of the cell II	Frenkel	40-53	41-54
Sep 17	Chemistry of the cell III	Frenkel	61-66	60-65
Sep 22	Bioenergetics I	Frenkel	105-123	106-124
Sep 24	Bioenergetics II	Frenkel	105-123	106-124
Sep 29	Enzymes I	Frenkel	127-143	129-145
Oct 1	Enzymes II	Frenkel	127-143	129-145
Oct 6	Exam 1
Oct 8	DNA structure I	Frenkel	53-60; 510-523	54-61; 508-519
Oct 13	DNA structure II DNA replication I	Frenkel	556-558	552-554
Oct 15	DNA replication II	Frenkel	561-569	557-566
Oct 20	Gene expression I—Transcription	Frenkel	649-650; 661-665	645-646; 656-660
Oct 22	Gene expression II—The genetic code	Frenkel	650-661	646-655
Oct 27	Gene expression III—Translation	Frenkel	684-696	679-690
Oct 29	Gene expression IV—Regulation	Frenkel	715-722	710-716
Nov 3	Eukaryotic molecular biology I	Cervantes	726-757	720-752
Nov 5	Exam 2 [covers through 10/29]
Nov 10	Eukaryotic molecular biology II	Cervantes	576-598	572-593
Nov 12	Membrane structure and function I	Cervantes	74-97; 154-187	75-98 156-190
Nov 17	Membrane structure and function II	Cervantes	191-216	194-220
Nov 19	Energy production—Catabolism I	Cervantes	221-243	224-247
Nov 24	Energy production—Catabolism II	Cervantes	248-264	252-268
Dec 1	Energy production—Electron transport and oxidative phosphorylation	Cervantes	265-283; 288-302	269-289; 293-308
Dec 3	[Exam 3 [covers through 12/1]
Dec 8	Energy production—Photosynthesis Signal transduction I	Cervantes	303-315; 363-387	309-321 365-389
Dec 10	Signal transduction II	Cervantes	392-422	392-423
Dec 22 11:45-2:45	Final exam

Note: Follow the links below to more information on the topic.

Important information regarding the structure of Foundations of Biology
120:201 Foundations of Biology Lecture (120:201; 3 credits) and Laboratory (120:202; 1 credit) are separate courses. They should be taken concurrently. (You will not receive credit for 120:201 unless you complete 120:202 at the same time or have completed it previously).
At the end of the semester you will have two separate grades listed on your transcript. This link takes you to 120:202 Foundations of Biology Laboratory, which opens in a new browser's window.

Grading policies

There are three scheduled lecture exams which will be held on the dates indicated above and a comprehensive final exam to be held during the final exam period, to be announced by registrar.
The lowest grade of the 3 lecture exams will be dropped.
Each of the two remaining lecture exam grades will count for 35% of the course grade.
The comprehensive final exam will count for 30% of the course grade.
There will be no make-up exams for missed tests, with the exception made for an officially approved reason (see university guidelines) for which you have written documentation (e.g., physician's note, religious reason, etc.). Please notify your instructor as soon as possible prior to the scheduled exam. Please note that there will be no make-up exams, special assignments or other activities to improve your grade.
Rutgers University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology have a formal policy on academic honesty and integrity, which will be enforced in this course. Cheating includes (but it is not limited to) talking during the exam, consulting a cell phone "life line," using paper or calculator-based reminders, consulting your book or study guides, and staring at a classmates' exams. Please go to these web sites to familiarize yourself with NJIT and Rutgers' policies:

Updated 11Nov09