DEVELOPEMENTAL BIOLOGY

Unit 1: Introduction 4 hrs

Historical perspective and basic concepts: Phases of development, cell-cell interaction,
pattern formation, differentiation and growth, differential gene expression, cytoplasmic
determinants and asymmetric cell division
(Chapter 1: Gilbert, S.F.; Chapter 1: Balinsky, B.I.; Chapter 1: Wolpert, L.)
___
_
Unit 2: Early Embryonic Development 26 hrs
Gametogenesis, Spermatogenesis, Oogenesis; Types of eggs, Egg membranes; Fertilization
(External and Internal): Changes in gametes, Blocks to polyspermy; Planes and patterns of
cleavage; Types of Blastula; Fate maps (including Techniques); Early development of frog
and chick up to gastrulation; Embryonic induction and organizers
(Chapter 4, 5, 7 and 8: Gilbert, S.F.; Chapter 2and 10:Balinsky, B.I.;Chapter 7 and 9:Slack,
J.M.W.)
Unit 3: Late Embryonic Development 10 hrs
Fate of Germ Layers; Formation of neural tube, Extra-embryonic membranes in birds;
Implantation of embryo in humans, Placenta (Structure, types and functions of placenta)
(Chapter 8 and 9: Gilbert, S.F.; Chapter 10: Balinsky, B.I.; Chapter 9 and10: Slack, J.M.W.)
Unit 4: Post Embryonic Development 11 hrs
Metamorphosis: Changes, hormonal regulations in amphibians and insects; Regeneration:
Modes of regeneration, epimorphosis, morphallaxis and compensatory regeneration (with one
example each); Ageing: Concepts and Theories
(Chapter 15: Gilbert, S.F.; Chapter 18 and 19: Balinsky, B.I.)
Unit 5: Implications of Developmental Biology 9 hrs
Teratogenesis: Teratogenic agents and their effects on embryonic development; in vitro
fertilization, Stem cell (ESC), Amniocentesis.
(Chapter 17: Gilbert, S.F.)
Practical [Credits: 2]
1. Study of whole mounts and sections of developmental stages of frog through
permanent slides: Cleavage stages, blastula, gastrula, neurula, tail-bud stage, tadpole
(external and internal gill stages)
2. Study of whole mounts of developmental stages of chick through permanent slides
(Hamburger and Hamilton Stages): Stage 3 (Intermediate Streak)-13 hours, Stage 4
(Definitive Streak)-18 hours, Stage 5 (Head Process)-21 hours, Stage 7-24 hours,
Stage 8-28 hours, Stage10-33 hours, Stage 11-40 hours, Stage 13-48 hours, Stage 19-
72 hours and Stage 24-96 hours of incubation
3. Demonstration of culture of chick embryo from fertilized eggs to study various
developmental stages.
4. Study of the developmental stages and life cycle of Drosophila from stock culture.
5. Study of different sections of placenta (photomicrographs/ slides).
6. Project report on Drosophila culture/chick embryo development.
7. A visit to Poultry Farm/IVF Centre

EVOLUTION

Unit 1: Life’s Beginning 7 hrs

Chemogeny, RNA World, Biogeny, Origin of photosynthesis, Endo-symbiotic theory
(Chapter 6- 9: Hall and Hallgrimson)
Unit 2: Historical Review of Evolutionary Concepts 4 hrs
Lamarckism, Darwinism, Neo-Darwinism
(Chapter 22: Campbell and Reece; Chapter 10 and 11: Hall and Hallgrimson)
Unit 3: Evidences of Evolution 12 hrs
Palaeontological: Fossils (formation, types and dating); Geological time scale; Study of horse
phylogeny; Molecular: neutral theory of molecular evolution, Molecular clock, Example of
globin gene family, rRNA/cyt c; Phylogenetic trees: types, interpretation and applications
(Chapter 3: Hall and Hallgrimson; Chapter 18: Ridley; Chapter 7: Pevsner)
Unit 4: Raw material for Evolution 6 hrs
___
_
Variations: Heritable variations and their role in evolution
(Chapter 4: Ridley; Chapter 4: Futuyama and Kirkpatrick)
Unit 5: Forces of Evolution: Qualitative studies 8 hrs
Natural selection, Types of selection, kin selection, adaptive resemblances, sexual selection.
frequency dependent selection
(Chapter 4 and 5: Ridley; Chapter 10, 12 and 13: Futuyama and Kirkpatrick)
Unit 6: Forces of Evolution: Quantitative studies 6 hrs
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium: statement, assumptions, derivation of the equation; Derivation
of equations for change in allelic frequencies in a population by evolutionary forces upsetting
H-W equilibrium; Natural selection (concept of fitness, selection coefficient), genetic drift
(founder’s effect, bottleneck phenomenon), migration and mutation (genetic load).
(Chapter 5 and 7: Ridley; Chapter 23: Campbell and Reece)
Unit 7: Product of Evolution 8 hrs
Speciation: Micro-evolutionary changes (inter-population variations, clines, Ring species,
races), Species concept, Isolating mechanisms, Modes of speciation, Adaptive
radiation/macroevolution, Phyletic gradualism and punctuated equilibrium.
(Chapter 3, 13 and14: Ridley)
Unit 8: Loss of Biodiversity 3 hrs
Mass extinctions (events, causes and effects), Detailed explanation of K-T extinction
(Chapter 23: Ridley)
Unit 9: Origin and Evolution of Man 6 hrs
Unique hominin characteristics contrasted with primate characteristics, primate phylogeny
from Dryopithecus leading to Homo sapiens, molecular evidences in human evolution.
(Chapter 25: Hall and Hallgrimson; Chapter 21: Futuyama and Kirkpatric)

Practical [Credits: 2]
1. Study of fossils from models/pictures.
2. Study of homology and analogy from suitable specimens.
3. Construction of cladograms based on morphological characters.
4. Construction of phylogenetic tree with the help of bioinformatics tools (Clustal X,
Phylip, MLK) and its interpretation.
5. Study of variations in a sample human population: (a) Continuous variation:
Height/Weight in relation to age and sex (b) Discontinuous variation: Ability/Inability to
taste Phenyl thiocarbamide (PTC).
6. Study and verification of Hardy-Weinberg Law by chi square analysis.
7. Demonstration of role of natural selection and genetic drift in changing allelic
frequencies using simulation studies.

BIOTECHNOLOGY
Unit 1: Introduction 3 hrs
Concept and scope of biotechnology
(Chapter 1: Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. and Patten, C.L.)
Unit 2: BasicTools for Gene Manipulation 12 hrs
Cloning vectors: Plasmids, Cosmids, Phagemids, Lambda Bacteriophage, M13, BAC, YAC,
MAC and Expression vectors (characteristics). Restriction enzymes: Nomenclature, detailed
study of Type II, DNA modifying enzymes. Transformation techniques: Calcium chloride
method, electroporation and biolistic method. Construction of genomic and cDNA libraries
and screening by colony and plaque hybridization
(Chapter 3: Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. and Patten, C.L; Chapter 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8: Brown,
T.A.)
Unit 3: Advance Tools and Techniques 18 hrs
Southern, Northern and Western blotting DNA sequencing: Sanger method, Next generation
sequencing (Illumina), Polymerase Chain Reaction, DNA Finger Printing and DNA micro
array, Gene Editing Tools: Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like
effectorbased
nucleases (TALEN) and the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats
(CRISPR/Cas9) system
(Chapter _: Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. and Patten, C.L_ Chapter 9, 10 and 16, Brown, T.A.)
Unit 4: Genetically Modified Organisms 18 hrs
_ _
_
Production of cloned and transgenic animals: Nuclear Transplantation, Retroviral Method,
DNA microinjection; Applications of transgenic animals: Production of pharmaceuticals,
production of donor organs, knock out [Link] of transgenic plants:
Agrobacteriummediated
transformation. Applications of transgenic plants: insect and herbicide resistant
plants.
(Chapter 9, 16, 18, 19 and 21: Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. and Patten, C.L; Chapter 15:
Brown, T.A.)
Unit 5: Applications of Genetic Engineering 9 hrs
Molecular diagnosis of genetic diseases (Cystic fibrosis, Sickle cell anemia), Recombinant
DNA in medicines: Recombinant insulin and human growth hormone, Gene therapy
(Chapter 9: Glick, B.R., Pasternak, J.J. and Patten, C.L; Chapter 13 and 14: Brown, T.A.)
Practical [Credits: 2]
1. Genomic DNA isolation from [Link]
2. Plasmid DNA isolation (pUC 18/19) from [Link]
3. Demonstration of Restriction digestion of Plasmid/Lambda DNA.
4. Construction of circular and linear restriction map from the data provided.
5. Calculation of transformation efficiency from calcium chloride method.
6. To demonstrate following techniques: (Optional)
Southern/ Northern/Western blotting (Any one)
PCR
DNA fingerprinting
DNA Sequencing (Sanger's Method)
7. Project report on animal cell culture OR on a visit to any biotechnology Institute

PARASITOLOGY
Unit1: Introduction to Parasitology 5 hrs
Brief introduction of Parasitism, Parasite, Parasitoid and Vectors (mechanical and biological
vector) Host parasite relationship, Ecology of parasites, Population dynamics of parasite and
establishment of parasite population in host body, evolution of parasitism, evolution and
coevolution
of parasite with respect to host strategy, Important case studies in the field of
Parasitology including some historical events such as the role of the mosquito control and the
successful completion of the construction of the Panama canal.
(Chapter 1: E.R. Noble and G.A. Noble; Community Ecology Section: Smith; Introduction
Section: Baker; Introduction Section: Zimmer; Division V: General Discussion: Mala Bose)
___
_
Unit2: Parasitic Protists 14 hrs
Study of Morphology, Life Cycle, Prevalence, Epidemiology, Pathogenicity, Diagnosis,
Prophylaxis and Treatment of Entamoeba histolytica, Giardiaintestinalis, Trypanosoma
gambiense, Leishmaniadonovani, Plasmodium vivax.
(Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5:K. D. Chatterjee; Chapter 1: Arora and Arora; Section I and II:
Parija; Ichhpujani & Bhatia.
Unit3: Parasitic Platyhelminthes 14 hrs
Study of Morphology, Life Cycle, Prevalence, Epidemiology, Pathogenicity, Diagnosis,
Prophylaxis and Treatment of Fasciolopsis buski, Schistosomahaematobium, Taenia solium
and Hymenolepis nana.
(Chapter 6 and 7: K. D. Chatterjee; Chapters 8-11: Arora and Arora; Parija.; Ichhpujani&
Bhatia)
Unit4: Parasitic Nematodes 15hrs
Study of Morphology, Life Cycle, Prevalence, Epidemiology, Pathogenicity, Diagnosis,
Prophylaxis and Treatment of Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostomaduodenale,
Wuchereriabancrofti and Trichinella spiralis. Study of structure, lifecycle and importance of
Meloidogyne (Root knot nematode), Pratylencus (Lesionnematode)
(Chapter 8: K. D. Chatterjee; Chapter 11 and 12: Arora and Arora; Parija; Ichhpujani&
Bhatia)_
Unit5: Parasitic Arthropoda 10hrs
Biology, importance and control of ticks, mites, Pediculus humanus (Head andBody louse),
Xenopsylla cheopis and Cimex lectularius
(Cheng; Heinz Mehlhorn, 2012 Arthropods as vectors of merging Diseases. In Parasitology
Research Monographs, Vol. 3, p. 397)
Unit6: Parasitic Vertebrates 2hrs
A brief account of parasitic vertebrates; Cookicutter Shark, Candiru, HoodMockingbird and
Vampire bat.
(Klimpel & Mehlhorn; Gudger)
Practical [Credits: 2]
1. Study of life stages of Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Trypanosoma
gambiense, Leishmania donovani and Plasmodium vivaxthrough permanentslides/micro
photographs.
2. Study of adult and life stages of Fasciolopsis buski, Schistosomahaematobium, Taenia
solium and Hymenolepis nana through permanentslides/microphotographs.
3. Study of adult and life stages of Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostomaduodenale,
Wuchereria bancrofti and Trichinella spiralis throughpermanent
slides/microphotographs.
4. Study of plant parasitic root knot nematode, Meloidogyne from the soilsample.
5. Study of Pediculus humanus (Head louse and Body louse), Xenopsylla cheopis and
Cimex lectularius through permanent slides/ photographs.
6. Study of monogenea from the gills of fresh/marine fish [Gills can beprocured from fish
market as by product of the industry]
___
_
7. Study of nematode/cestode parasites from the intestines of Poultry bird [Intestine can be
procured from poultry/market as by product]
8. Submission of a brief report on parasitic vertebrates.
9. Visit to rural area/hospital near rural area/NCDC/NMIR/NICD to study natural history of
parasites.
10. Parasite album, photograph collection: Tissue invasion, Life cycle
11. Culturing root parasites in laboratory, field
12. DNA extraction of parasite/s and molecular identification using universal and specific
markers