GE1341 - Life and Health

This course will allow students to discover the concept of life from a scientific point of view, with an emphasis on ways to live a healthy life. The course material includes some introduction to biology, biochemistry, and biotechnology. Issues related to the characteristics, origin and organization of  life will be taught. The importance of food and nutrition to maintain a healthy life will be discussed. The use of drugs, traditional Chinese herbs and chemical substances for maintenance or improvement of  life will be reviewed. The impacts of genetically modified (GM) food, fast food, common genetic problems and microbial infection will be discussed. The ethical issues and social impacts of cloning techniques and the latest development of stem cell research will also be addressed and discussed. Teaching and learning activities in this course, include interactive lectures, tutorial discussions, short projects, and presentations will enhance the students’ knowledge relevant to life and health.