Information Package / Course Catalogue
Biology
Course Code: FE103
Course Type: Required
Couse Group: First Cycle (Bachelor's Degree)
Education Language: English
Work Placement: N/A
Theory: 2
Prt.: 0
Credit: 2
Lab: 0
ECTS: 2
Objectives of the Course

This course aims to enable undergraduate Food Engineering students to understand the fundamental concepts of biology and to interpret the relevance and applications of this knowledge in fields related to food engineering.

Course Content

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of biology at the molecular and cellular levels. It covers the chemical structure of living organisms, types of cells and organelles, membrane structure, and substance transport. Topics include metabolic processes (such as cellular respiration and photosynthesis), cell divisions (mitosis and meiosis), inheritance, and the structure and function of DNA. The course also introduces gene expression, molecular biology techniques, and biotechnology applications. Current topics like microbiota and evolution are also discussed.

Name of Lecturer(s)
Assoc. Prof. Olcay BOYACIOĞLU
Learning Outcomes
1.Explains the basic concepts of biology and the structural and functional organization of living organisms.
2.Describes fundamental biological processes such as cell structure, cellular metabolism, energy transformations, and inheritance.
3.Interprets the structure, function, and regulatory mechanisms of genetic material.
4.Recognizes modern biotechnological applications and molecular biology techniques and explains their basic principles.
5.Analyzes topics such as genomics, molecular evolution, and intercellular interactions across different levels of organisms.
Recommended or Required Reading
1.Biology 2e: Clark, M.A., Douglas, M., Choi, J. OpenStax.org, Rice University, 2020
2.Campbell Biology, 12th edition: Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, Orr. Pearson, 2021
Weekly Detailed Course Contents
Week 1 - Theoretical
Introduction to Biology: Definition, history, and research fields of biology. The scientific method. Levels of biological organization.
Week 2 - Theoretical
Chemical Basis of Life and Biomolecules: Atoms, elements, and chemical bonds. Water and life. Carbon-based compounds. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.
Week 3 - Theoretical
Cell Theory and Cell Structure: Animal and plant cells. Structure and functions of cell membranes and organelles.
Week 4 - Theoretical
Cell Membranes and Transport: Structure of the cell membrane. Passive and active transport, osmosis, diffusion. Endocytosis and exocytosis.
Week 5 - Theoretical
Enzymes and Cell Metabolism: Structure and function of enzymes. Metabolism, anabolism, and catabolism.
Week 6 - Theoretical
Energy Transformations: Cellular Respiration and Fermentation: ATP production. Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, Electron Transport System. Anaerobic respiration and fermentation.
Week 7 - Theoretical
Photosynthesis: Light and dark reactions. Pigments involved in photosynthesis and structure of chloroplasts.
Week 8 - Theoretical
Cell Cycle, Mitosis, and Meiosis: Phases of the cell cycle. Mitosis. Meiosis and genetic variation.
Week 9 - Theoretical
Cell Communication: Intercellular communication. Receptors, signaling pathways. Endocrine, paracrine, and autocrine signaling.
Week 10 - Theoretical
Fundamentals of Inheritance and Mendelian Genetics: Mendel’s experiments. Genotype, phenotype, dominance. Monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.
Week 11 - Theoretical
Molecular Genetics: DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis: Structure and replication of DNA. Transcription and translation. Gene-protein relationship.
Week 12 - Theoretical
Gene Expression and Regulation: Control of genetic material. Operon models. Epigenetic mechanisms.
Week 13 - Theoretical
Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Applications: Recombinant DNA technology. PCR, gene cloning.
Week 14 - Theoretical
Genomics, Omics Technologies, and Introduction to Evolutionary Biology: Genome structure and analysis. Omics sciences (transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics). Molecular evolution and phylogenetic approaches.
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Type of AssessmentCountPercent
Midterm Examination1%40
Final Examination1%50
Attending Lectures1%10
Workload Calculation
ActivitiesCountPreparationTimeTotal Work Load (hours)
Lecture - Theory141242
Midterm Examination1314
Final Examination1516
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours)52
Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes
PÇ-1
PÇ-2
PÇ-3
PÇ-4
PÇ-5
PÇ-6
PÇ-7
PÇ-8
PÇ-9
PÇ-10
PÇ-11
OÇ-1
4
2
2
2
2
OÇ-2
4
3
3
2
2
OÇ-3
4
3
3
2
2
OÇ-4
3
2
3
2
2
2
OÇ-5
4
2
2
2
3
Adnan Menderes University - Information Package / Course Catalogue
2026