BASIC SCIENCES
| MEDICAL GENETICS (1 credits) | HISTOLOGY (1 credits) |
| APPLIED BIOLOGY (2 credits) | MICROBIOLOGY (0 credits) |
Learning outcomes of the course unit
The aim of this course is to give the student the ability to:
Appraise theimplication of human evolution for the bio-medical research
Prerequisites
Basic knowledges of Chemistrt and Physics
Course contents summary
1. TheNature of science and biology: methods and organizing concepts. Diversity and unity of Life on Earth, Emergent properties,correlation between Structure and Function, Proximate and Ultimate causes. TheScientific method. The unifying principle of biology: The Theory of Evolution.
2. Originsand evolution of life on Earth.Procaryotic cells and evolution of Eucaryotic cells and methazoa. Evolution of autotrph and hetrotroph cellular metabolism. Evolution, consequences and adaptivesignificance of sexual reproduction.
3. Evolution. The Darwinian theory. The modern evolutionary synthesis. TheHardy-Weinberg Theorem. Microevolution and its causes. The origin of species. Macroevolutionand Phylogeny. Darwinian Medicine.
4. Evolutionof Vertebrates. Chordate characteristics and the vertebrate genealogy: an overview..Evolutionary trends in Primates.
5. Humanevolution. Early Antyhropoids, Australopitecines and the genus Homo. The evolutionand consequences of bipedal locomotionin Ominids.
6. BiologicalBasis of human behavior: Basic concepts of genetic and evolution ofbehavior. Hormones, aggression and agonistic activity. EvolutionaryBio-psychology.
Recommended readings
Solomon E.P., Berg L.R e Martin D.W..:FONDAMENTI di BIOLOGIA,Edises.;
oppure
: Campbell N.A. “PRINCIPI DI BIOLOGIA” Zanichelli
Palanza P. e Parmigiani S. 'Percorso didattico di Biologia' Libreria Santa Croce (Parma)
PalanzaP e Parmigiani S. 'Biologia e Genetica del Comportamento' Libreria Santa Croce (Parma)
Teaching methods
Frontal class lectures open to discussion.
The evaluation of thestudent is through a written test consisting of amultiple choicequestionnaire and (in case the student get positivemark in the writtentest) a brief oral interview on the questionsfailed in the written test.
