BIOL 123 - Living Systems

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FA, SP, and SU. Students construct comprehensive understandings of human interactions with living systems, interconnecting foundational biological concepts to contemporary scientific, societal, ethical, and religious issues. Topics covered include ecological and evolutionary systems (climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem health, natural selection, extinction), human health (nutrition, chronic and infectious diseases, allergies), genetics (mutation, meiosis, heredity, race), and stem cells (mitosis, gene expression). Problem-based learning approaches are employed in this course to examine complex societal challenges, with contemporary problems setting the context for readings, discussions, and laboratory activities that facilitate investigating, thinking, and applying. Three two-hour sessions weekly.