The first two modules are organized as lectures (2 X 2h). Each course is taught by a first-year bachelor's professor.

  • Essential structures and functions of eukaryotic cells; introduction to cell division

The course provides an overview of the different cellular compartments in an animal and plant cell. The different organelles of the cell are then described from a structural point of view and from the point of view of their main function in the cell. The cell cycle and the process of cell division are recapped.

  • Macromolecules of life; the genetic code and its translation into proteins

The course reviews different macromolecules of living things: lipids (energy source, phospholipids and sterols), proteins (4 levels of organization, structure-function-activity relationship) and nucleic acids (nucleotides, RNA, DNA, double helix, hereditary material).

The following modules (3 X 2h) are organized in groups of more or less 25 students. They are taught by assistants from the Biology department.

  • Metabolism I: notions of enzymes, energy and ATP, catabolism and anabolism

The points covered are:

  • Some thermodynamic aspects
  • Free energy, endergonic and exergonic reactions, balanced reactions, energy coupling, catabolism-anabolism link
  • Carbohydrates, storage and reserve polysaccharides
  • ATP, energy currency of the cell, examples of production
  • Enzymes, activation energy, active site, allosteric regulation, inhibitors, denaturation

  • Metabolism II: Energy flow in the cell (respiration and photosynthesis)

Points covered are:

  • Autotrophs, heterotrophs
  • Fundamental role of ATP
  • Energy-producing metabolisms
  • Aerobic cellular respiration
  • Fermentation
  • Photosynthesis

  • Mendelian genetics, meiosis, crossover and related genes

The points covered are:

  • Historical background to the birth of genetics
  • Recall of meiosis and comparison with mitosis
  • Mendel's laws
  • Phenotype and genotype
  • Test-cross
  • Codominance, partial dominance, polyallelic and polygenic heredity, pleiotropy, epistasis
  • Sex chromosome-related heredity
  • Gene linkage, spanning, genetic map.