BSc Biology with Science & Society

'Omic Technologies and Resources will introduce a range of molecular biology, genetic engineering and bioinformatic techniques (e.g., gene cloning, engineering alterations in a gene, screening for genes, genome mapping, sequencing and editing projects), and illustrate how these can be, and have been, applied and adapted to answer major questions in the biological sciences and medical genetics.

BIOL21152 Pre- & Co-requisites are BIOL10221

This unit will introduce a range of molecular biology, genetic engineering and bioinformatic techniques and illustrate how these can be, and have been, applied and adapted to answer major questions in the biological sciences and medical genetics. Using a topical example-driven approach - including human, animal, plant and micro-organismal - students will be exposed to a number of the important techniques that underpin many of the recent advances in understanding biological systems at the molecular level. Examples will be used to explain the step change that occurs between the analysis of single genes, proteins etc. and the analysis of most, or all, of the genes, proteins and metabolites within an organism. In addition, students will gain an understanding of the cross-talk and interactions that occur between different genes and gene products.

Upon completion of this unit, students will gain an understanding of:

• Gene cloning, engineering alterations in a gene, screening for genes.
• Genome mapping and sequencing projects.
• Manipulating DNA in vitro and genomes in vivo.
• Transcriptomics approaches.
• How proteins can be made and manipulated.
• Using single-celled organisms, plants and animals as experimental models.
• Dealing with large-scale datasets generated from ’omic scale experiments.

• Analysis of individual genes
• Analysis of genomes (transcriptomics)
• Understanding gene function (proteomics)
• Analysis of small molecules (metabolomics)
• Understanding the integration of the above (systems biology)

The written exam is one problem-based question (50% of exam) and one essay from a choice (50% of exam). Weekly online multiple choice exercises make up 20% of the overall mark.

Students will receive feedback via the Blackboard module for this unit, which forms part of the continuous assessment of the unit. Students will also be afforded the opportunity to receive written feedback on an examination-style essay and a series of examination-style short-answer questions.

• Brown, TA (2017) Genomes (4^th edition). Garland Science - recommended