Understanding Biology: 2026 Release ISE

Kenneth A. Mason received his undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from the University of Washington, worked at UC Berkeley, then pursued his PhD in Genetics at UC Davis. He has taught Gentics, Microbial Genetics, Microbiology, Advanced Molecular Genetics, Introductory Biology, and a Genetics Laboratory that he designed. Tod Duncan is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Denver. He currently teaches firstsemester general biology and coordinates first and second semester general biology laboratories. Previously,he taught general microbiology, virology, the biology of cancer, medical microbiology, and cell biology. Abachelor’s degree in cell biology with an emphasis on plant molecular and cellular biology from the Universityof East Anglia in England led to doctoral studies in cell cycle control, and postdoctoral research on themolecular and biochemical mechanisms of DNA alkylation damage in vitro and in Drosophila melanogaster.Currently, he is interested in factors affecting retention and success of incoming first-year students in diversedemographics. He lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his two Great Danes, Eddie and Henry Jonathan Losos is a Monique and Philip Lehner Professor for the Study of Latin America in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Herpetology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University. Losos's research has focused on studying patterns of adaptive ratiation and evolutionary diversification in lizards. The recipient of several awards including hte prestigious Theodosius Dobzhansky and David Starr Jordan Prizes for outstanding young evolutionary biologists, Losos has published more than 100 scientific articles.

• Part I The Molecular Basis of Life1. The Science of Biology2. The Nature of Moleculars and the Properties of Water3. The Chemical Building Blocks of LifePart II The Biology of the Cell4. Cell Structure5. Membranes6. Energy and Metabolism7. How Cells Harvest Energy8. Photosynthesis9. Cell Communication10. How Cells DividePart III Genetic and Molecular Biology11. Sexual Reproduction and Meiosis12. Patterns of Inheritance13. The Chromosomal Basis of Inheritance14. DNA: The Genetic Material15. Genes and How They Work16. Control of Gene Expression17. Biotechnology18. GenomicsPart IV Evolution19. Genes Within Populations20. The Evidence for Evolution21. The Origin of SpeciesPart V The Diversity of Life22. Systematics and Phylogeny23. Prokaryotes and Viruses24. Protists25. Fungi26. Plants27. Animal Diversity28. VertebratesPart VI Plant Form and Function29. Plant Form30. Flowering Plant Reproduction31. The Living PlantPart VII Animal Form and Function32. The Animal Biology and How It Moves33. The Nervous System34. Fueling the Body's Metabolism35. Maintaining Homeostasis36. Reproduction and DevelopmentPart VIII Ecology and Behavior37. Behavioral Biology38. Ecology of Individuals and Populations39. Community Ecology and Ecosystem Dynamics40. The Living World