BSc Medical Biochemistry with Industrial/Professional Experience

'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-requisite is BIOL10221

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 Canvas 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

Tuition fees for home students commencing their studies in September 2027 will be £10,050 per annum. Tuition fees for international students will be £38,000 per annum.

For general information please see the undergraduate finance pages.

Tuition fees are considerably lower for your placement year. Please see the fees page for full details.

All students should normally be able to complete their programme of study without incurring additional study costs over and above the tuition fee for that programme. Any unavoidable additional compulsory costs totalling more than 1% of the annual home undergraduate fee per annum, regardless of whether the programme in question is undergraduate or postgraduate taught, will be made clear to you at the point of application. Further information can be found in the University's Policy on additional costs incurred by students on undergraduate and postgraduate taught programmes (PDF document, 91KB).

Students participating in placements outside the UK may be able to apply for funding from the UK's Turing scheme depending on eligibility. Priority will be given to students from low income households.