Each acetyl-CoA molecule that enters the Krebs cycle produces:
Pick an answer to see the explanation
Biology is the heaviest section of the IMAT: 23 of the 60 questions, worth 34.5 of the 90 points, and the first criterion in the tie-break order. Questions are short and test definitions and mechanisms — ‘Which of the following occurs in…?’ is the classic stem.
One theme tends to dominate each year: molecular genetics and cell structure in 2024, cellular respiration and human physiology in 2025, physiology and genetics again in 2026. Broad coverage with exact vocabulary beats deep study of one chapter.
Question distribution analysis
IMAT Biology Topics: Frequency
Which topics demand your deepest attention? Below is the topic breakdown from our IMAT question data:
| Topic | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Genetics & Molecular Biology | 16 | |
| Bioenergetics: Respiration & Photosynthesis | 14 | |
| Human Anatomy & Physiology | 14 | |
| Biomolecules & Enzymes | 9 | |
| Cell Structure & Organelles | 8 | |
| Membranes & Transport | 5 | |
| Biotechnology | 2 | |
| Cell Division & Reproduction | 1 |
*Question counts per topic in the official IMAT 2024, 2025 and 2026 papers (MUR), Biology section (23 questions), tagged by the PrepTest question bank. Topics are grouped by PrepTest; the topic mix changes from year to year, so treat the table as a guide to priorities, not a prediction.
Key Takeaways
- Genetics & molecular biology is the largest block over three years (16 questions), although 2025 had none — DNA structure, replication, transcription and translation.
- Bioenergetics appears every year (14 questions in total): glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation.
- Human physiology returned strongly in 2025 and 2026 (14 questions): digestion, respiration, blood, hormones and muscle contraction.
- Cell structure, biomolecules and membranes add 5–9 questions every year — reliable points for precise vocabulary.
- Biotechnology first appeared in the 2026 paper (restriction enzymes, bacterial transformation).
Difficulty analysis
Topic Difficulty & Recommended Study Allocation
Not all topics require the same time investment. Some need extensive problem-solving practice, others rely on precise conceptual recall:
Hard
Genetics & Molecular Biology 2–3 weeksHard
Bioenergetics 2 weeksHard
Human Anatomy & Physiology 2–3 weeksMedium
Cell Division & Reproduction 1 weekMedium
Biomolecules & Enzymes 1 weekMedium
Biotechnology & Evolution 4–5 daysEasy
Cell Structure & Membranes 1 weekNot Sure Where to Begin Your Preparation?
Take the free IMAT diagnostic test: see your baseline in every section and get a personalised AI study plan.
Take Diagnostic TestOfficial syllabus breakdown
IMAT Biology Topics: How Each Is Tested
A topic-by-topic look at the Biology section of the official MUR IMAT syllabus (DM 1005/2026, Allegato A):
01
Chemistry of Life, Biomolecules & Enzymes Medium
- The chemistry of living things and the biological importance of weak interactions (hydrogen bonds).
- Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids: structure and function.
- The role of enzymes: catalysis, active site, competitive inhibition.
How it appears on IMAT: Classification items (glucose is a hexose, collagen is extracellular) and enzyme definitions. Know why triglycerides are the better energy store.
02
The Cell, Membranes & Transport Easy
- Cell theory; prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, animal vs plant cells; viruses.
- Organelles and their functions: ribosomes, ER, Golgi, lysosomes, mitochondria, cytoskeleton.
- Membrane structure and transport: channels, carriers, active transport.
How it appears on IMAT: Direct recall: ‘what are ribosomes made of?’, ‘which structure is made of microtubules?’. Exact wording separates the options.
03
Bioenergetics Hard
- ATP as the energy currency; redox reactions in living things.
- Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation.
- Photosynthesis: where and how it takes place.
How it appears on IMAT: Where each step happens and what it produces — e.g. the NADH, FADH₂, GTP and CO₂ yield of one turn of the Krebs cycle.
04
Cell Cycle, Reproduction & Heredity Medium
- Cell cycle, mitosis and meiosis; chromosome complement.
- Life cycles; sexual and asexual reproduction.
- How meiosis creates genetic diversity.
How it appears on IMAT: ‘What distinguishes meiosis from mitosis?’-style comparisons and chromosome-number reasoning (2n vs n).
05
Genetics: Mendelian, Classical & Molecular Hard
- Mendel's laws, chromosome theory of inheritance and patterns of inheritance.
- DNA structure and replication, the genetic code, transcription and translation.
- Gene regulation (the operon), mutations and human genetic disease.
How it appears on IMAT: Base-pairing items, definitions (allele, anticodon, operon) and human examples such as sickle-cell haemoglobin.
06
Evolution & Biotechnology Medium
- Natural and artificial selection; theories and genetic basis of evolution.
- Recombinant DNA technology and its applications.
- Restriction enzymes, bacterial transformation, cloning.
How it appears on IMAT: Short definition items: ‘restriction enzymes are endonucleases’, ‘a bacterium is transformed when it takes up foreign DNA’.
07
Human Anatomy & Physiology Hard
- Animal tissues; homeostasis.
- Digestive, respiratory, circulatory and excretory systems.
- Nervous and endocrine coordination; musculoskeletal system and muscle contraction.
How it appears on IMAT: Function-level questions (alveoli, epiglottis, oxytocin, insulin) plus a few mechanism items such as the Bohr effect or the role of calcium in contraction.
Official MUR Syllabus
The official IMAT programme is Allegato A of the Ministry of University and Research decree for the 2026/27 admission test:
MUR — DM n. 1005 of 06-08-2026Solved exam problems
IMAT Biology Sample Questions & Elimination Tactics
See how IMAT biology questions are built and how disciplined elimination avoids the −0.4 penalty:
If the sequence CCGTTATTGA is found on a strand of DNA helix, what sequence will be found on the complementary strand?
Pick an answer to see the explanation
Muscle contraction is triggered by an increase in the concentration of calcium ions that bind to:
Pick an answer to see the explanation
Candidate trap analysis
5 Most Common Mistakes in IMAT Biology
Recurring conceptual and tactical errors that cost students crucial points:
01
Process vs location
Glycolysis happens in the cytoplasm, the Krebs cycle in the mitochondrial matrix, the electron transport chain on the inner membrane. Many options mix up only the location.
02
Near-synonyms
Troponin vs tropomyosin, codon vs anticodon, creatine phosphate vs creatinine — the options are built from pairs like these.
03
Counting molecules
Know the yields per glucose and per acetyl-CoA; ‘2 vs 3 CO₂’ decides the answer.
04
Mitosis vs meiosis
Meiosis makes genetically different haploid cells; mitosis makes identical diploid ones. Check 2n/n at every stage.
05
Skipping physiology
Human physiology gave 14 questions in 2025–2026. It is broad but shallow — learn what every organ and major hormone does.
Study roadmap
10-Week Strategic Study Roadmap
Weeks 1–2
Diagnostic & Foundations
Take a timed diagnostic; rebuild the topics marked ‘Easy’ and note every error type: concept, reading or calculation.
Weeks 3–5
Biology & Chemistry First
38 of the 60 questions are Biology and Chemistry. Work through their ‘Medium’ and ‘Hard’ topics in the order of the frequency tables.
Weeks 6–7
Physics, Maths & Logic
Cover the 13-question Physics & Mathematics block and the 5 logic questions with short mixed sets; aim for about 90 seconds per question.
Weeks 8–9
Full Mocks
One full 60-question, 100-minute IMAT mock per week; review every wrong and every guessed answer.
Week 10
Final Polish
Re-do your error log, revise the traps, and practise the skip-or-answer rule: a wrong answer costs −0.4, a blank costs nothing.