Bachelor’s Studies

The subject Experimental and Molecular Biology (a compulsory part of the state final examination for all specializations) summarizes key knowledge from fundamental theoretical subjects and other subjects forming the profiling basis of the common part of the study plans.

Question topics:

• Bi1700 Cell Biology: Basic properties of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells; structure and properties of biomembranes; transport functions of biomembranes; plasma membrane; osmotic phenomena; biomembranes in prokaryotic cells; membrane organelles of eukaryotic cells, their structure and function; components of the cytoskeleton, their structure and function; protein import into membrane organelles; molecular transport into the nucleus; vesicular transport; cell cycle progression and its regulation; cell cycle checkpoints; chromatin organization and structure of eukaryotic chromosomes; significance and process of mitosis; significance and process of meiosis; cytokinesis in plant and animal cells; principles of cell signaling; types of signaling molecules; receptor types; synapses; signal transduction pathways; secondary messengers; effectors of signaling pathways; cell walls in prokaryotes, plants, and fungi; glycocalyx and extracellular matrix (ECM) in animals; cell-ECM interactions; intercellular interactions; cellular stress responses; stress factors; types of cell death; necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy; evolution of the cell.

• Bi4020 Molecular Biology: Primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of DNA and RNA; DNA conformation; genetic information and the genetic code; molecular structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic genomes; replication and transcription processes in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; post-transcriptional modifications and RNA processing; splicing and self-splicing in eukaryotes; translation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic mRNA; regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and eukaryotes; molecular basis of acquired immunity; causes of antibody variability; molecular mechanisms of mutagenesis and recombination; repair of mutation-damaged DNA; mobile genetic elements; transposons and retrotransposons; basics of genetic engineering.

• Bi3060 General Genetics: Mendel’s laws, principles of segregation and assortment; relationships between alleles of the same gene; gene interactions; Mendelian principles in human genetics; genetic determination of sex in organisms; chromosomal and genotypic sex determination; sex-linked gene inheritance; gene linkage; recombination mapping; gene mutations; physical and chemical mutagens; basics of cytogenetics; chromosome microstructure; karyotypes; changes in chromosome number and structure; genetic basis of quantitative traits and their analysis; basics of population genetics.

• Bi4090 General Microbiology: Characteristics of major groups of microorganisms; structure and division of prokaryotic cells; prokaryotic microorganisms – bacteria, cyanobacteria, archaea; cell structure and function; key representatives, occurrence and significance; eukaryotic microorganisms – microscopic filamentous fungi, yeasts; cell structure and function; occurrence and importance; prokaryotic cell life cycle; bacterial growth curve and kinetics; effects of environmental factors and microbial adaptation; antimicrobials, antibiotics, chemotherapeutics; disinfection and sterilization; microbial metabolism; nitrogen fixation, methanogenesis, secondary metabolite production; chemolithotrophy and phototrophy; bacterial photosynthesis; basics of bacterial genetics; microbial ecology; interactions among microorganisms and between microorganisms and higher organisms; human microbiota; pathogenic microorganisms; microorganisms in agriculture and industry.

• Bi5420 General Virology: Virus morphology and structure; capsid; enveloped and non-enveloped viruses; chemical composition of viruses; virus stability in the environment and inactivation; replication strategies according to nucleic acid type; lytic and lysogenic life cycles of bacteriophages; virophages; cyanophages; plant viruses; viroids; viruses of invertebrates; pathogenesis of viral diseases; mechanisms of virus spread within the host; animal viral infections; imported viral diseases; oncogenic viruses; host defense against viral infections; immunization against viral diseases; principles of vaccination; vaccine composition and types; basic vaccination schedules; antiviral chemotherapy; direct and indirect diagnosis of viral diseases; viral disease surveillance; biosafety in virology laboratories; use of viruses in biotechnology; virus classification and nomenclature; characteristics of prions and prion diseases.

• Bi1060 Plant Cytology and Anatomy: Cell wall, apoplastic space, intercellular spaces; plasmodesmata and symplast; membrane components of plant cells; endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, vacuoles, mitochondria, microbodies; types of plastids; chloroplasts as sites of photosynthesis; morphogenesis; meristematic and conducting tissues; vascular bundles; transport of assimilates; xylem and phloem; structure and function of roots, stems, and leaves; monocots and dicots; hypocotyl structure.

• Bi4060 Plant Physiology: Water transport in xylem; transport of dissolved substances across membranes; phloem translocation; stomatal regulation of gas exchange; photosynthesis process, regulation and structural changes of the photosynthetic apparatus; conversion of primary assimilates, allocation of carbon compounds in plant organs and their role in growth; nitrogen and mineral nutrient assimilation; growth processes in plants; embryogenesis and seed germination; phytohormonal regulation of growth and development; effects of light and temperature on growth and development; plant stress concepts, responses to extreme environmental conditions, adaptation mechanisms to stressors; plant interactions with other organisms.

• Bi2080 Histology and Organology: Fertilization, zygote formation, cleavage; formation of embryonic germ layers (ectoderm and endoderm), notogenesis; characteristics, structure, ontogenesis, and classification of epithelia, connective tissues, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue; cardiovascular system; immune system; respiratory system; excretory system; digestive system; reproductive system, spermatogenesis and oogenesis; nervous system and sensory organs; body surface; endocrine system.

• Bi3030 Animal Physiology: Physiological principles; homeostasis, adaptation and regulation; general neurophysiology; metabolism; temperature, its effects and regulation; body size and proportions; physiology of movement; body fluids function; immune system; circulation; respiratory physiology; digestion and absorption; excretion and osmoregulation; hormonal regulation; nervous system; special sensory physiology; biorhythms.

• Bi5120 Anthropology: Sources of historical anthropological material; types of burial; basics of human skeletal anatomy; bone tissue; basics of skull anatomy; biological information from skeletal material; sex and age determination of human skeletal remains; sexual dimorphism; methods for determining age at death in children and adults; methods for studying cremation burials; thermal changes in bone tissue; study of mummified remains; individual development, growth and development processes; body weight and variability of human body build; morphological body type typology; determination of biological age in adults; characteristics of contemporary populations; individual adaptations; causes and manifestations of human population variability; evolutionary adaptations; stability and predictability of development.

• Bi5040 Biostatistics – Basic Course: Hypothesis testing; samples from biological populations; continuous, ordinal, and nominal data in biology; basics of experimental design and statistical data evaluation; types of data distributions; basic descriptive statistics; comparison of two data sets; analysis of variance; correlation analysis; regression analysis.

Subject: Human Biology

Question topics:

• Bi4121 Human Anatomy I, Bi4121c Human Anatomy I Exercises, Bi5121 Human Anatomy II, Bi5121c Human Anatomy II Exercises: Rules of spatial orientation – axes, planes and directions; basic anatomical position; anatomical terminology; tissue structure of the human body; basics of embryonic development; anatomy of all human organ systems; anatomy of the human dentition; variability.

• Bi6121 Basic Anthropological Methodology II, Bi6123 Auxology, Bi5402 Dermatoglyphics: General laws of growth, growth regulation and heredity; principles of skeletal growth and general growth theories; growth dynamics considering genetic determination of traits; development of child body proportions; ontogenetic development; synchronization of developmental processes; biological age and its correlates; aging and performance; overweight and underweight; clinical applications; evaluation and interpretation of auxological data; secular trends; basic examination methods; somatometric techniques, somatoscopy.

• Bi5123 Basic Anthropological Methodology I, Bi7126 Introduction to Periodization of History, Bi6124 Laboratory Practice in Historical Anthropology: Primary, secondary, and tertiary burials; basic principles of skeletal material processing (from excavation preparation); sex, age and stature determination; measurement techniques; osteometry; Frankfurt horizontal plane; aspect evaluation; minimum number of individuals calculation; study of epigenetic traits; cremations and their processing; thermal changes in bone tissue; mummification and decomposition; bone sampling techniques.