Monash University: University handbooks: Undergraduate handbook: Units indexed by faculty
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Cell biology

Coordinators: Professor John Bertram (Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology), Dr Jun-Ping Liu (Department of Immunology)

The discipline

Cell biology encompasses dynamic processes of life at the cellular level related to the origin of cells, their internal organisation and their functional integration to form tissues and organs. Cell biology is a rapidly advancing contemporary field that strives to understand how an entire cell is organised and how this organisation supports cellular function. This requires an integration of molecular biology, biochemistry, morphology and imaging. Cell biology is an essential component of many areas of the biomedical disciplines such as developmental biology, neurobiology, immunology, microbiology and physiology, as well as both the biomedical and agricultural biotechnology industries. Cell biology is fundamental to the post-genomic era, as the function of gene products can only be clarified in their cellular contexts. For example, in biomedical sciences, the identification of gene products responsible for the genetic defects in inherited diseases represents only the beginning in the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms.

The cell biology units at levels two and three are offered jointly by the departments of Immunology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Units offered

Level two

• CEL2012 Cell biology 1

Level three

• CEL3011 Cell biology 2

Sequence requirements

Minor sequence in cell biology (24 points):

• BIO1011 and BIO1022, and
• ANT2321 and CEL2012

Major sequence in cell biology (48 points):

• BIO1011 and BIO1022, and
• CEL3011 and three of ANT3032, ANT3042, ANT3052, HUP3011, HUP3022.

Details of the ANT and HUP units, and some related sequences, are provided in the ‘Anatomy and cell biology’ and ‘Human pathology’ entries in this section of the handbook.

Recommendations

Honours

A major sequence in cell biology provides the basis for higher-level study of cell biology at honours level within the departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Pathology and Immunology.

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