Biology 01/2004 - Introduction to Biology and Cystic Fibrosis

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on Biology 01/2004, including course administration, lab procedures, and a detailed introduction to Cystic Fibrosis and its treatment with Trikafta.

Nambri and Ngunnawal People

The Indigenous groups whose land the Australian National University (ANU) acknowledges and celebrates.

ANU First Year Biology

The introductory biology course at the Australian National University, emphasizing in-person lectures and engagement.

Uri et al Campbell Biology

The recommended, but not compulsory, textbook for the first year biology course, used as a standard reference.

Lab Requirements (Biology)

Mandatory safety items for biology labs, including a lab coat, enclosed shoes, and safety glasses.

Scientific Report Structure

The expected format for scientific assignments, including an Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion section.

CSIRO Lab Book Standards

Industry standards for lab record-keeping that students are expected to follow for their assessed lab books.

Hurdle Requirement (Exam)

A minimum score of 40% required on the final invigilated exam to pass the course, regardless of performance on other assessments.

Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

A genetic disease where symptoms are acutely manifest in the lungs, caused by a mutation in a specific gene leading to a defective protein.

Andrew Prowse

A young man who died from cystic fibrosis, having established a charity Fun Run to raise money for CF research.

Trikafta

A brand new medicine for cystic fibrosis, a combination of three molecules (elixacaftor, tezacaftor, ivacaftor) that has significantly improved the lives and lifespan of CF patients.

Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

An Australian Government program that subsidises prescription medicines for Australian citizens and permanent residents, making drugs more affordable.

Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee

A committee of doctors and economists that advises the Australian Government on which medicines should be listed on the PBS based on health economics.

Breakthrough Prize

A major scientific award, similar to the Nobel Prize, awarded to Paul Nagelousko, Sabine Hadida, and Frederic Van Gogh for their development of Trikafta.

Francis Collins

A famous American geneticist who identified the gene for cystic fibrosis and led the Human Genome Project, describing Trikafta's development as a phenomenal biomedical achievement.

Recessive Genetic Disease

A type of genetic disease where an individual must inherit two copies of a defective gene (one from each parent) to express the disease symptoms.

CF Carrier

An individual who has one normal copy and one defective copy of the cystic fibrosis gene, showing no symptoms but able to pass the defective gene to offspring.

Gene

A sequence or stretch of DNA that encodes information to form specific proteins.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

A famous double helix molecule containing the genetic instructions for the development and function of living organisms.

Protein

Formed from one or more polypeptide chains, which are long chains of amino acids, and adopt unique shapes that determine their specific functions.

Amino Acids

The 20 different small molecules that are the building blocks of proteins.

Epithelial Cells

Cells that line cavities inside the body, such as the lungs and intestines, where the cystic fibrosis protein is found.

Chloride Channel (CF Protein)

The specific protein that is defective in people with cystic fibrosis, responsible for recognizing and allowing chloride ions to pass across cell membranes.

Osmosis

The process by which water moves across cell membranes in healthy lungs, driven by the movement of sodium and chloride ions, helping to hydrate mucus.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

A particular species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that commonly infests the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis due to mucus buildup, often leading to severe complications.

Jiu Chen

A structural biologist whose research group studies the shape and structure of proteins, including how Trikafta interacts with the mutant CF protein to restore function.

Enzymes

A particular class of proteins that have the capacity to carry out specific biochemical reactions by recognizing and binding to molecules, transforming them into something else.