UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN (UTAR)

Centre for Foundation Studies (Sungai Long Campus)

Course Plan

1. Course FHSC1214 Fundamentals of Cell Biology

Code &
Course
Name:
2. Programme Foundation in Science
of Study:
3. Trimester & June 2021 Trimester (Session 202105)
Session:
4. Credit 4
Hours:
5. Name(s) of Ms. Vun Vui Fui (vunvf@utar.edu.my)
Academic Ms. Harttini Neeni Binti Hatta (harttini@utar.edu.my)
Staff:
6. Mode of Lecture, Tutorial and Practical
Delivery:
7. Course CLO 1 – Relate the structures of biological molecules to their functions.
Learning CLO 2 – Analyse the concept of metabolism and biological processes at the
Outcome(s): cellular level.
CLO 3 – Conduct biological laboratory tasks with standard technical and
analytical skills.

8. References: Main Reference Books:

1. Brooker, R. J., Widmaier, E. P., Graham, L. E., & Stiling, P. D. (2020). Biology
(5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
2. Campbell, N. A., Urry, L. A., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S. A., Minorsky, P. V.,
& Reece, J. B. (2018). Biology: A global approach (11th ed.). Harlow Essex:
Pearson.
3. Solomon, E. P., Martin, C. E., Martin D. W., & Berg, L. R. (2019). Biology (11th
ed.). Boston: Cengage.

Additional Reference Books:

4. Fox, S.I. & Rompolski, K. (2019). Human physiology (15th ed.). New York:
McGraw-Hill.
5. Raven, P. H., Johnson, G. B., Mason, K. A., Losos, J. B., & Duncan, T. (2020).
Biology (12th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
6. Saladin, K. S. (2018). Anatomy & physiology: The unity of form and function
(8th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
7. Tortora, G. J. & Derrickson, B. H. (2017). Introduction to the human body (11th
ed.). Hoboken, NJ: J. Wiley & Sons.

1
Course Plan
 9. Assessment
Methods: No Assessment Method Total
.
1. Continuous assessment
a. Theoretical assessment (Tests) 30%
Test 1 (15%) 50%
Test 2 (15%)
b. Practical assessments (Lab report/ Mini 20%
project/ On-site assessment/ Assignment)
Lab report 1 (9%)
Lab report 2 (6%)
Assignment (5%)

2. Final Assessment 50%

Total 100%
10. Course Knowing the cellular components and understanding how they work are important
Synopsis: in all biological sciences. This course covers the fundamentals of cell and molecular
biology, principles of heredity as well as their applications in biological sciences.
Students are introduced to the microscopic structure, biochemistry, molecular
biology, inheritance and functions of animal and plant cells. This course provides a
fundamental understanding on the structures and functions of animal and plant cells
that can be correlated to the complexity of cellular organisation.

Lecture, Tutorial, Practical and Continuous Assessment Plan

Week Lecture Topic Tutorial Assignment/ Reference(s)
Topic Practical/
Test
1 Topic 1: Biological molecules I X X #Chapter 5
14 June ● Molecular structures, functions,
– biosynthesis and roles in living
20 June
organisms of:
o carbohydrates

2 Topic 1: Biological molecules II Tutorial 1 Lab 1 #Chapter 5

21 June ● Molecular structures, functions, Biological Biological
– biosynthesis and roles in living Molecules I Molecules I
27 June
organisms of:
o lipids
3 Topic 1: Biological molecules III Tutorial 2 Lab 2 #Chapter 5
28 June ● Molecular structures, functions, Biological Biological
– biosynthesis and roles in living Molecules II Molecules II
04 July
organisms of:
o proteins
o nucleic acids
4 Topic 2: Enzymes I Tutorial 3 Lab 3 #Chapter 6
05 July ● ATP structure and role in energy Biological Enzyme
– metabolism Molecules III studies I

2
Course Plan
 11 July ● Enzyme structure
● Enzyme specificity

5 Topic 2: Enzymes II Tutorial 4 Lab 4 #Chapter 6

12 July ● Activation energy Enzyme I Enzyme
– ● Competitive and non-competitive studies II
18 July
inhibitors
● Factors affecting enzyme activity

6 Topic 3: Cell biology and basic Tutorial 5 Lab 5 #Chapter 7 &

19 July tissue histology I Enzyme II Cell biology 40
– ● General characteristics of and basic
25 July tissue
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
histology I
Hari Raya ● Structure and function of
Haji (20.07) eukaryotic cell’s organelles Lab 6
Cell biology
and basic
tissue
histology II

Test 1 (15%)
25 July 2021
Saturday
Topic 1

7 Topic 3: Cell biology and basic Tutorial 6 Lab 7 #Chapter 7 &

26 July tissue histology II Cell biology Cell transport I 40
– ● Light and electron microscopy and basic
01 Aug ● Basic tissue histology tissue Lab report 1
histology I
(9%)
Submission:
Week 8

8 Topic 4: Cell transport I Tutorial 7 Lab 8 #Chapter 7 &

02 Aug ● Fluid mosaic model of cell Cell biology Cell transport 40
– membrane structure and basic II
08 Aug tissue
● Structure and function of
histology II
membrane proteins Submission:
Lab report 1

3
Course Plan
 9 Topic 4: Cell transport II Tutorial 8 Lab 9 #Chapter 8
09 Aug ● Transport processes Cell transport Energetics
– o simple diffusion, osmosis, I
15 Aug
facilitated diffusion, and
Awal active transport
Muharram o endocytosis (pino- &
(10.08) phagocytosis)
o exocytosis
10 Topic 5: Energetics I Tutorial 9 Lab 10 #Chapter 8
16 Aug ● Cellular respiration: Cell transport Cell division
– o Aerobic II
22 Aug Test 2 (15%)
21 Aug 2021
Saturday
Topics 2 & 3

Lab report 2
(6%)
Submission:
Week 11

11 Topic 5: Energetics II Tutorial 10 Submission: #Chapter 10

23 Aug ● Cellular respiration: Energetics I Lab Report 2 & 11
– o anaerobic by 24.08
29 Aug (Tuesday) at
● Photosynthesis:
5pm, sharp.
o light reactions
Assignment:
Presentation
(Pre-recorded
video)
Experimental
Design (5%)

12 Topic 5: Energetics III Tutorial 11 X #Chapter 11

30 Aug ● Photosynthesis: Energetics II
– o dark reactions
05 Sept

National Day
(31.08)

13 Topic 6: Rudimentary cell and Tutorial 12 X #Chapter 12

06 Sept nuclear division I Rudimentary
– ● Cell cycle cell and
12 Sept nuclear
o Mitosis
division
14 Topic 6: Rudimentary cell and X X #Chapter 12
13 Sept

4
Course Plan
 – nuclear division II
19 Sept ● Cell cycle
o Meiosis
Malaysia Day
(16.09) ● Cell cycle control system

15 Final Assessment Week

20 Sept
–
26 Sept
# Campbell, N. A., Urry, L. A., Cain, M. L., Wasserman, S. A., Minorsky, P. V., & Reece, J. B. (2018).
Biology: A global approach (11th ed.). Harlow Essex: Pearson.

X = No class
This course plan is:

Prepared by: Moderated by: Approved by:

________________________
(Name: Vun Vui Fui)
Course Coordinator
Date: 17 May 2021
_______________________
(Name: Norkhalidah Binti Jamali)
Internal Moderator
Date: 24 May 2021
_________________________
(Name: Kong Jee Kim)
Head of Department
Date: 27/5/2021

Note:

The information provided in this course plan is subject to change. Students will be notified in advance of
any changes.

5
Course Plan