Learning objectives
The aim of this course is to give the student the ability to:
- acquire the basic principles of biological sciences and methods.
- learn and apply an evolutionary logic and perspective to interpreting the biological phenomena at different levels of organization (molecular, cellular, organismic)
- understanding the correlation between structure and function at the different organizational levels and the implication of human evolution for the bio-medical research( i.e. such as that involved in sport science) and finally acquire a biologica perspective in the analysis of human agonistic behavior as the biological foundation of sport competitive activity
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The purpose of this course of Biology for Sport science and health is to give students the ability to learn and appreciate the importance of biological thinking for the cultural background of people involved in sport science. The evolutionary approach is the core theme of the present course. In fact the theory of evolution is the unifying core of the biological sciences ranging from molecule activities to behavior of organisms. In this connection the various topics ( focused mainly on animal biology) cellular biology, genetic, reproduction , animal and human behavior ( in particular agonistic behaviour which is an expression of intraspecific competitive activity) are necessarily approached s with a good knowledge of the mechanisms of evolution. This lecturing program is tailored on the potential professional application of an expert of sport science that must integrate the care of the "body" and that of the "mind".(i.e. Mens sana in corpore sano = Healthy mind in a healthy body)
Full programme
1. La biologia come scienza: Il principio unificante della Biologia: La teoria dell’evoluzione.
2. Biologia della cellula. Evoluzione della cellula: Procarioti ed Eucarioti. Struttura e funzione della cellula.
3. Riproduzione asessuata: Ciclo e riproduzione cellulare ( mitosi).Riproduzione sessuale. La meiosi e i cicli sessuati. Evoluzione, conseguenze e significato adattativo della riproduzione sessuale.
5. Genetica. Mendel e l'idea di gene. Le basi cromosomiche dell’eredità: Gli esperimenti di Morgan. Cromosomi sessuali, determinazione del sesso e disordini legati al sesso. Esempi di genetica umana: aberrazioni cromosomiche; malattie autosomiche recessive e dominanti. Le basi molecolari dell’eredità: il DNA. Dal gene alla proteina: sintesi proteica e codice genetico. Mutazioni geniche.
6. I meccanismi dell’evoluzione. La teoria di Darwin e La sintesi moderna. Il teorema di Hardy-Weinberg. Microevoluzione.
7. Evoluzione dell’uomo. Evoluzione dei Primati. gli Ominidi e il genere Homo. Evoluzione del cervello e del linguaggio.
8. Biologia del comportamento. Cause prossime e cause remote. Istinto e apprendimento: Nature vs Nurture. Selezione sessuale, competizione intraspecifica e comportamento agonistico.
Bibliography
Solomon et al., Fondamenti di Biologia EDISES
Teaching methods
Classroom lectures. Characterized by interactive lectures accompanied by a) seminar on major topic and b) reading and discussing a scientific paper by the students. This allow the student to acquire a better understanding of topic and also improve learning capacities.
Assessment methods and criteria
Written test composed by multiple choice questions.
Other information
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