Lecture-1
Biosciences (BSE 102)
Dr. Lokesh Basavarajappa
Course coordinator
Dr. Hitendra Kumar
Dr. Sivaraj M Sundaram
Dr. Sourav Chandra
3
Course details
Course Objective: This course intends to refresh the basics of biology to engineering students who
might not be in touch with this subject after their matriculation
Course outcomes:
1. Gain an appreciation of vital life processes and principles governing homeostasis of the human
body machine
2. Enthuse students to apply engineering principles to biological systems and vice-versa
Text Books:
1. Campbell; Biology, 9th edition. Pearson Higher Education 2011, 151 Go to Index
2. Lehninger & Cox. Principles of Biochemistry (5th edition), W.H. Freeman & Company, USA
Reference Books:
[Link] Belk, Virginia Borden Maier; Biology: Science for Life with Physiology, Pearson New
International Edition, 2013
[Link] R.S., Handbook of Biomedical Instrumentation (2nd edition), Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing
Company Limited, New Delhi
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Course Teaching Plan
06, 13, 15, 20, 22, 27- Introduction, chemistry of life, Plant Diversity, Dr. Lokesh Basavarajappa
January Overview of Animal Diversity, Introduction to
Vertebrates and Invertebrates
Biomedical Imaging
08-January Guest lecture: Origin of life Prof. Sharad Gupta
29-January Micro- and Macromolecules in the living Dr. Hitendra Kumar
03, 05, 10,12,17,19,24- system: Amino Acids, Proteins, Carbohydrates,
February lipids, Fats, and Nucleic Acids. Enzymes
24-February Quiz 1 and 2
17,19,24,26-March Structure and function of Cell, cell physiology, Dr. Sivaraj M Sundaram
02,07,09-April Chromosome and Gene, Genetics.
Organization of the Human Body
09-April Quiz 3
14,16,21,23,28-April Ecology and Environment Dr. Sourav Chandra
Biomedical sensors and Instrumentation
21-April Quiz 4
5
Evaluation
• Total – 100 marks
• End semester – 40
• Mid semester – 35
• Quizzes – (4x5)=20
• Attendance - 05
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Rules for quizzes
• All have to come in person to give the quiz. Any reasons will not
be encouraged after the quiz.
• Attendance and quiz entries will be cross-checked. If an
absentee attends the quiz, a negative mark will be assigned.
Rules for Attendance
• The absence will be marked for that week's attendance if
someone attempts to submit a proxy, like using a photo from an
electronic device.
• A total of five marks will be awarded strictly on the basis of
attendance.
Biosciences
Science: the way of knowing—an approach
to understanding the natural world.
Biology: the scientific study of life science is an inquiry: a search for information
and explanations of natural phenomena.
Organization of life
Biosphere: All life on earth and the places where life exists.
Ecosystem: All the organisms in a particular area and
physical components with which life interacts, such as soil,
water, and light.
Community: All the organisms in an ecosystem.
Population: All the individuals of a particular species living in
a community.
Organism: An individual living thing.
Organs: Body parts that perform a specific function.
Organ systems: Several organs cooperate with each other.
Tissue: A group of similar cells performing a specific function
Cell: The fundamental structural and functional unit of life
Organelle: A membrane-enclosed functional structure in a
cell.
Molecule: A chemical structure consisting of two or more units
called atoms.
Properties of Life
Reproduction: Organisms reproduce
their own kind.
Order: Life is characterized by
highly ordered structures.
Growth and development: Inherited
information encoded in DNA controls
the pattern of growth and development
of all organisms.
Energy processing: Organisms
Response to the environment: All organisms
take in energy and use it to power
respond to environmental stimuli.
all their activities.
Evolutionary adaptation:
Life evolves as a result of
Regulation: Homeostasis interactions between organisms and
Regulatory mechanisms that their environments
maintain an internal environment.
Chemical basis of Life
▪ Matter - All stuff Water (H2 O) molecules
▪ Atom –fundamental unit
▪ Elements – different elements
Geometric
▪ Compound – combination of
structure
elements
Space
filing
model
Chemical basis of Life
Elements of the human body as
Human body of body weight
percentage
6CO2 + 6H2 O → C6 H12 O6 + 6O2
Properties of water
• Solvency
Great solvent
• Cohesion
Binding between molecules
Resulting in surface tension
• Adhesion
Binding between unlike molecules
Properties of water
• Varying density
• High heat capacity
What is engineering?
• Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the
engineering design process to solve technical problems, increase
efficiency and productivity, and improve systems.
• Scientists usually speak of “discoveries,” whereas engineers more often
speak of “inventions.”
• New scientific discoveries may lead to new technologies; new
technologies may increase the ability of scientists to discover new
knowledge.
• The goal of technology is to apply scientific knowledge for some specific
purpose.
Why do engineers study Biosciences?
1. Understanding life: fundamental working of living organisms
from cells to ecosystems
2. Real-world impact: use engineering principles to analyze and
solve problems in biological systems
3. Understand biological processes: study of biological systems
using laws of physics and chemistry
The second law of thermodynamics:
Each time energy is transferred or transformed, the
entropy of the universe increases
4. Applications: engineers with knowledge of
biology can contribute more to innovations
Genetic
engineering
X-ray crystallography
Forensic
testing
5. Future prospects: Be valuable in the current and future
interdisciplinary world
[Link]