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 the interpretation of 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 biological perspective in the analysis of human agonistic behavior as the psycobiological foundation of sport competitive activity
Prerequisites
- - -
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 as the expression of intraspecific competition that represnts the psychobiological basis of sport activities) are approached 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. The unifying principle of the science of Biology: the theory of evolution.
2. Cellular biology: evolution of the cell, procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. Structure and function of the cell.
3. Asexual reproduction ( mitosis). sexual reproduction ( meiosis).
5. Principles of genetic : Mendel's laws. Morgan's experiments : genetic linkage and sex linked genes. chromosomal bases of heredity, sex chromosomes, sex determination mechanisms. Molecular bases of heredity : from DNA to proteins, genetic code. Gene mutations and chromosomal mutations. Examples of human genetic : chromosomal and gene mutations responsible of diseaes
6. Mechanisms of evolution: Darwin Theory and the modern synthesis . Microevolution and the Hardy-Weinberg principle. Macroevolution.
7. Huma evolution
8. The biology of behaviour. Proximal and ultimate causes of behaviour. Instinctive and learned behaviours: Nature versus Nurture. Sexual selection ( intra and intersexual) , intraspecific competition and agonistic behaviour. Why sexual reproduction evolved? reproductive strategies and hormonal bases of behavior.
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
- - -
