PDF version of syllabus

Introductory lecture

Everyone registered for this course should now have access to the blackboard site. Let me know if you do not

Simon Alford

sta@uic.edu

Bios 240 Homeostasis:  The Physiology of Plants and Animals (Fall 2008)

Course Information (course call number 11968):

Instructors:
Dr. Simon Alford                          355-0328    sta@uic.edu              Office: 4285 SEL
Dr. Miquel  Gonzalez-Meler      355-3928     mmeler@uic.edu      Office: 3338 SES

Teaching Assistant:             Elena Blanc-Betes mblanc7@uic.edu
                                                              meeting hours and place TBA

Lectures:  2-3:15  Tuesdays, Thursdays  LC F1

Office Hours: 
Drs. Alford and Gonzalez-Meler will be available by appointment (contact via email).

Goals and Objectives:  To present students with a background in the principles by which eukaryotes maintain their internal functional environment. 
               
This course covers the basic physiology of plants and animals in the context of the theme “Homeostasis”.  It focuses on how organisms adjust and respond to changes in their internal and external environments.   The material considers the basic biophysical challenges faced by cells and organisms and uses a comparative approach to understand the means by which these challenges have been met by living organisms.  We specifically chose to emphasize the ways in which cells work together to hold the internal conditions of the organism or its physiological processes fairly constant (homeostasis).

Suggested Texts (exams will be based on material presented in class): 
Animal Physiology (2004). Hill, R. W., Wyse, G.A., & Anderson, M. Sinnauer Associates,
Sunderland, MA.
Introduction to Plant Physiology (2004) 3rd edition, Hopkins, W.G., & Huner, H.P.A.  Wiley & Sons.

Attendance:  Attendance is expected at all scheduled lectures and laboratories; each exam will be based on material discussed in class.   Attendance is required at all scheduled exams, except in cases of illness, mandatory religious obligations or official University activities.

Supplementary materials:  Will be put on the Bios 240 Blackboard website.

Examinations: There will be a total of three exams. Each exam will be based on material discussed in class and include only material presented before that exam. Plagiarism and cheating are not tolerated.   The final exam will be cumulative.  All exams will be at the current lecture classroom (Fall 08 - F1).   To be excused from attending an exam an official medical certificate or an affidavit is required.  No makeup exams will be given. Official conflicts on final exams should be communicated to us at least 10 days in advance.

Grading: Each student's final grade will be computed from total points obtained from the three exams (30%, 30% and 40% respectively).  Exams will include multiple choice questions and other formats including short-essay questions. Students need to properly register for a class in order to earn academic credit. Retroactive enrollments will not be processed.

Final exam  Tuesday Dec 9th 3:30-5:30 at LC F1.
LET US KNOW OF CONFLICTS IN ADVANCE

1. Exam Conflicts. The exam schedule is designed to prevent conflicts. But just in case, here is what happens if you have an exam conflict:
• For terms Summer 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009 – course listed second in the online Schedule of Classes has precedence.
• Regularly scheduled Program PM exams have precedence over combined-section exams.
• A student with an exam conflict is responsible for arranging a makeup exam with his or her instructor