UR - Elearning Platform

The objective of this module is to provide students with basic theoretical and practical knowledge and skills about basic genetic concepts and evolution theories. This includes genetics basic concepts, Mendelian genetics, and extended Mendelian genetics. Students will learn about the evolution theory, its different theories and proofs.

This course introduces students to the animal diversity. The main content is mainly about the taxonomy of animals abased on their main characteristics of the major animal phyla. Further, it includes an outline of anatomical, physiological, behavioural and ecological characteristics of major phyla from Invertebrates to vertebrates. .

The module introduces students to animal taxonomy and physiology. The content mainly includes classification and anatomical, physiological, behavioural and ecological characteristics of major phyla from Porifera to Chordata. Strategies for teaching and learning this module will be highlighted.

The module introduces students to animal taxonomy and physiology. The content mainly includes classification and anatomical, physiological, behavioural and ecological characteristics of major phyla from Porifera to Chordata. Strategies for teaching and learning this module will be highlighted.

The study of human biology is very important to all human being. The reason being, every person needs to know how a mankind came into existence as well as how his or her body is and how it functions. This course will be applied in human being daily life experience from the acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes. The course will then be transferred to young people who are adolescent and therefore teachers need to be equipping with knowledge and skills that will help in shaping good citizens for their better life as individuals as well as citizens. It is reserved to students who will be awarded a diploma degree after successfully completion.

This module is intended to give a broad overview of human biology. Contents include human life maintenance and coordination systems, diets and nutritional disorders, reproduction and birth control methods. In addition, students will be introduced to ecological concepts and functioning of ecosystems. Strategies of teaching and learning will be highlighted.

This module is intended to give a broad overview of human biology. Contents include human life maintenance and coordination systems, diets and nutritional disorders, reproduction and birth control methods. In addition, students will be introduced to ecological concepts and functioning of ecosystems. Strategies of teaching and learning will be highlighted.

 This module focuses on diseases and their treatment and prevention. The content will include the pathogenic microorganisms  and infectious diseases, social factors affecting good health,sexual education, immunity , and immunization 

This modules aims at introducing to the students the diversity of microorganisms (structure, physiology and classification) and the history of microbiology. It acquaints the students with methodologies and techniques used in observation, culture, isolation and classification of microorganisms. It presents also the role of microorganisms in pathogenicity, environment and industries. It discusses methods to control microorganisms.   

This module  provides an understanding of the structural organization and physiology of plants in relation to their environment. It includes plant morphology and anatomy, metabolic phenomena such as respiration, photosynthesis, nutrition, plant growth and development, transpiration and translocation, ion and water relations.

Teacher: Dr. Gatarira Pierre Cobes

 Teacher: Ndikumana Yvonne

Teacher: Assumpta Mukandera

This module is designed to introduce students to specialized topics in biomedical research, to relate biochemical event at the cellular level to physiological processes occurring in the body to cite examples of disease processes where genetic and biochemical bases have been well established.

 Content

Water and life on earth. Water molecule. Molecular structure, Keq, Kw, and pH,  Acids & bases,   pKa,  Relation between pH and pKa,  Buffers. Blood buffering,  Ampholytes, polyampholytes, pI and Zwitterion,  Role of kidney in acid- base balance.

Biological thermodynamics: Definition and The four laws of thermodynamics

- Zeroth law, first law, second law and third law of thermodynamics (Gibbs law),  Standard state in biological reactions. G, G°, G°’, High energy compounds

Photosynthesis/ Energy harvest by producers: (Just a reminder), Definition. Photosynthesis apparatus, The electromagnetic spectrum, nature of light, The structure of chloroplast and photosynthetic membrane, Chlorophyll and accessory pigment, Chlorophyll a (structure).Other types of chlorophyll, The thylakoid membrane and photosystems,  Chemiosmosis in chloroplasts, Light and dark reactions,  C3 and C4 plants, Photosynthesis versus aerobic respiration.

Organs & tissue/ Cell communication: Introduction, Types, stage of cell signaling. Signal receptors, Second messengers. cAMP, Calcium ions, inositol triphoshate,  Lipid mediators. Metabolic pathway of arachidonic acid.

Intermediate metabolic pathways: Digestion, from mouth to intestine, Overview of carbohydrate metabolic, Glycolysis (anaerobic degradation of glucose), Reactions in the matochodrion matrix/ Krebs cycle. Respiratory chain reactions, Redox complex and Electron transfer in respiratory chain,  Net yield in ATP (complete degradation of one molecule of glucose), Pentose phosphate shunt, Definition and its importance, Reactions involved , Fermentation process, Definition and its importance,  Fermentation of glucose

Fatty acid degradation: Definition and its importance, Mobilization of fat stores, Activation and transfer of fatty acid, Reactions sequence in β-oxidation,  Alternative oxidation pathway and regulation of fatty acid metabolism

Gluconeogenesis: Definition and its importance, Glycolysis versus gluconeogenesis, Coli cycl e and glucogenic amino acids

Urea cycle: Fate of amino acids degradation / Transamination and oxidative deamination,  Urea formation (Citrulline and ornithine involvement),

Mechanism of Diseases:

Urea cycle defects, Atherosclerosis and Heart Diseases,  Definition of Atherosclerosis,  Overview of blood lipids, Heart attack and Stroke, Obesity and its causes, Cancer and Malignancy,  Types of Cancer,  Cancer treatment

This course covers fundamentals of protein structure, conformation and structure-function relationships using myoglobin, hemoglobin, insulin, lactate dehydrogenases, and ribonuclease. The protein studies include also engineering, purification, and analysis techniques. Enzymology studies include enzyme properties, classification, catalysis, kinetics, regulation of enzyme activity and applications.

The aim of the Tropical Ecology module is to provide students with a strong foundational skills in Tropical Ecology. The tropics harbour the richest ecosystems in  plants and animals diversity, but also the most diverse genomes, clades of higher taxa (e.g. Willig et al., 2003; Lomolino et al., 2010). Learnig will mainly focus on tropical ecosystems diversity, structure and functionning. Ecosystems of interest include Forests, coral reefs, mangroves and costal zones, montaine ecosystems, wetlands and peatbogs, inselbergs, savannahs and deserts. Ecological processes that explain the biodiversity distribution and adaptation as well as human factors are key to understand the current biodiversity pattern on earth.  Students will particularly be able to develop an clear appreciation and understanding of the ecology and conservation  of the ecosystems studied.

The module provides opportunities for students to develop the ability to weigh the claims made by scientists against the evidence. This will be a writing-intensive course. Students will have ample opportunity to demonstrate their mastery of the topic, and their fluency in expressing themselves through writing, throughout the module.

The goal is to cover the fundamentals of tropical ecology, including key habitat features, biodiversity, ecological processes and biotic interactions; to provide first-hand experience of ecological research in the tropics, through group exercises and short independent projects and to evaluate the anthropogenic impacts on tropical ecosystems and consider the current conservation and forest management practices.

To be more specific the Students will:
- Understand the main patterns of tropical vegetation and how this
drives animal distribution
- Have an insight in the processes that generate and maintain
biodiversity in the tropics

- Understand the role of climate change and climate variability of vegetation and animal population dynamic and associated possible changes in relation with global warming under the tropics
- Understand the role of humans in historical and future changes in
tropical forest ecosystems
- Have an understanding of theoretical ecology in explaining community
composition in tropical forests

Molecular biology is the study of biology at a molecular level. The field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry. Molecular biology chiefly concerns itself with understanding the interactions between the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA and protein biosynthesis as well as learning how these interactions are regulated.

Teacher: NDIKUMANA Yvonne

This module aims to help students understand the process of research. It starts by defining research methodology and ethical concerns in research. This will be followed by going through all the steps for conducting research: Formulation of research questions, and hypothesis, defining what one wishes to investigate, gathering the data, analysis of data, interpreting data, testing and revising of hypothesis, and concluding the research.

Ecology is the scientific study of interactions between living organisms and their environment. Ecology allows understanding how these interactions determine the distribution and abundance of living organisms. This module introduces students to abiotic and biotic interactions, environmental problems and their solutions. It includes the structure of natural ecosystems, energy flow, biogeochemical cycles, population and community dynamics, animal behavior, pollution, conservation of natural resources with a special focus Rwandan terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and strategies of teaching and learning Ecology and Animal Behavior.

 This course consists descriptive statistical analysis methods , Application of different probability distributions, Inferential statistical Analysis methods(Confidence Interval, Hypothesis Testing, simple linear regression and correlation, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)), Introduction to Research methodology, Research Designs Census and Survey, Designing questionnaire and methods of data collection.

This module is intended to give a broad overview of human biology with more emphasis on human evolution, social hazards, and reproduction. Contents include origin & ancestry of man, social habits and grouping, social hazards, STDs, diets and nutrition, sexual behaviour and reproduction, fertility, in vitro fertilisation, birth control and strategies for teaching and learning Human Biology and Nutrition.