BIOL116-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025

Human Biology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 14 July 2025
End Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 27 July 2025
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 28 September 2025

Description

An introduction to the biology of humans. The course is particularly recommended for students wishing to advance in topics in health and sport, as well as those students advancing in science subjects.

Human Biology is an introductory course that looks at the biology of Homo sapiens from a number of different viewpoints including the actions of individual cells and even individual molecules. Labs in the course have been designed to assist the learning of the broad themes covered in the lectures.

The aim of the course is to introduce students to aspects of human biology and health:
Basic anatomy, nutrition, genetics, immune response, and human body / microbe interface.

Learning Outcomes

As a student in this course, I will develop the ability to:
1. Appreciate the biodiversity of an individual human body: (assessment item: mid-course test) (assessment item: short lab quiz), Graduate Profile 1, 3 and 5
2. Gain basic knowledge about human organs and functions (assessment item: lab reports, final exam), Graduate Profile 1.
3. Relate human health to immune response and microbes associated with the human body (mid-course test and final exam) Graduate Profile 1
4. Understand basic biochemical experiments and detection of common microbes associated with the human body (assessment items: short lab quiz) Graduate Profile 1.
5. Recognise and evaluate genetic deterministic views of human biology, health and disease: (assessment items: mid-course test and final exam), Graduate Profile 1 and 3.
6. Have a basic understanding of molecules of life and human nutrition: (assessment item: lab report and final exam), Graduate Profile 1 and 3.
7. Demonstrate basic knowledge of food allergen and detection using antibody:(assessment item: short lab quiz), Graduate Profile 1.
8. Understand basic biochemical experiments and detection of common microbes associated with the human body (assessment items: short lab quiz), Graduate Profile 1.

Transferable Skills Register | Pūkenga Ngaio
As a student in this course, I will develop the following skills:
1. Completing tasks in a laboratory. Important in many science-related courses and jobs. We will have lab instructions on what is required in each lab session. (Employable, innovative and enterprising), Graduate Profile 2.
2. Providing required information in a written form of acceptable standard. This is necessary in most science-related courses and jobs. We will have previous mid-term test and exam questions on the course Learn site. (Employable, innovative and enterprising), Graduate Profile 2.
3. Learn independently through reading of assigned material. Tests and exams will have components that test your competency in assigned readings. Graduate Profile 1 and 5.
4. Learn foundation knowledge on human biology to gain the ability to advance to other courses and disciplines, Graduate Profile 1 and 5.

Timetable 2025

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 09:00 - 10:00 Haere-roa 118 Ngaio Marsh Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture B B
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Tuesday 10:00 - 11:00 C3 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lecture C C
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 16:00 - 17:00 A1 Lecture Theatre
14 Jul - 24 Aug
8 Sep - 19 Oct
Lab A A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 12:00 - 15:00 West 436
28 Jul - 24 Aug
02 Wednesday 09:00 - 12:00 West 436
28 Jul - 24 Aug
03 Thursday 09:00 - 12:00 West 436
28 Jul - 24 Aug
04 Tuesday 12:00 - 15:00 West 436
28 Jul - 24 Aug

Timetable Note

Lecture Plan (subject to change)

Part 1: Introduction to being human and public health (9 lectures)
Lecturers:
Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll, Arin Basu, Kaaren Mathias, Jack Heinemann (Email:)
(Emails: annabel.ahuriri-driscoll@canterbury.ac.nz; arindam.basu@canterbury.ac.nz; kaaren.mathias@canterbury.ac.nz, jack.heinemann@canterbury.ac.nz)
Weeks 29-31        

Part 2: Genetics in human health and disease   (5 lectures)
Lecturer: Amy Osborne (Email: amy.osborne@canterbury.ac.nz)
Weeks 32 - 33

Part 3: Blood and organs (6 lectures)
Lecturer: Steven Gieseg (Email: steven.gieseg@canterbury.ac.nz)
Weeks 33 - 34

Term Break          
Week 27            

Part 5:  Immunology (9 lectures)
Lecturers:
David Leung (Email: david.leung@canterbury.ac.nz)
Seven lectures covering the following themes:
1. The interface between the environment and the human body-the threats from disease-causing agents
2. Innate immunity I: the barrier defence, chemical defence and cellular defence
3. Innate defence II: an introduction to inflammatory response
4. Adaptive immunity: the concepts of pathogen-specific recognition; an introduction to the cells that play important roles including B cells, T cells; antigen-bind sites (receptors)
5. Primary adaptive immune response: immune cells in action-cell-mediated immune response
6. Primary adaptive immune response: humoral immune response; autoimmune diseases
7. Secondary immune response: memory cells in action; what is a vaccine?

Arin Basu 2 lectures (Email: arindam.basu@canterbury.ac.nz)
Weeks 37 - 40

Part 4: Food and nutrition (6 lectures)
Lecturer:  Claudia Meisrimler (Email: claudia.meisrimler@canterbury.ac.nz)
Weeks 41 - 42


Laboratories

Laboratories start Term 3,  starting in the week of 3rd week of term. The laboratories (3 hours each) help you to develop your understanding of topics addressed in the lectures and
textbook. In addition, they allow you to develop important practical skills and are a great opportunity to ask questions or get help from your lecturers. Preparation for labs is vital to your success in the lab.  

Lab attendance is compulsory.

1st laboratory, Vitamin C in foods and drinks, Dr Claudia Meisrimler.
2nd laboratory, Human Blood Composition, Dr Kaaren Mathias.
3rd laboratory, Anatomy of Digestion (A/Prof Gieseg)
4th laboratory, Immunological detection of gluten in wheat seed and foods (A/Prof Leung)

If you miss a laboratory you can try and attend the a laboratory later in the week. If you are ill, do not attend the laboratory and obtain a doctors certificate which should be sent to the course coordinator (A/Prof Gieseg).


It is compulsory to wear a lab coat and safety glasses in the laboratory.

To purchase approved safety glasses, lab or coats go to https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/science/shop/.
The collection point for purchases is inside the southern entry to the Ernest Rutherford Building, Monday to Friday, hours to be confirmed.

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Campbell and Reece; Biology a Global Approach ; 11th; (This is also available through the library, QH 308.2 .C189 2018, Central Library).

It is the School of Biological Science’s policy that every test or exam will have a substantial and unavoidable component that is based on the assigned readings for courses. Some of these assigned readings may be in textbooks such as Campbell and Reece “Biology A Global Approach”, others may be provided by the lecturer.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,036.00

International fee $5,188.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL116 Occurrences

  • BIOL116-25S2 (C) Semester Two 2025