BIOL460-20S1 (C) Semester One 2020

Molecular Biology

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 17 February 2020
End Date: Sunday, 21 June 2020
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 28 February 2020
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 29 May 2020

Description

Molecular biology comprises a suite of tools and approaches for understanding the structure and function of DNA, RNA and proteins. The primary goal of this course is to assist the development of scholars with advanced technical skills in molecular biology who can use these tools to infer evolutionary and functional relationships.

The primary goal of this course is to assist your development as a scholar and advance your research skills in fields of science that use molecular genetic data to answer a wide diversity of biological questions. Molecular Biology is a course that is particularly aimed at students who want to pursue a career in fields of biology that require an ability to analyse and interpret DNA sequence data, such as microbiology, molecular evolution, bioinformatics, systematics, molecular genetics/genomics and molecular ecology.

Recommended preparatory course(s): Any of BIOL333, BIOL334, BCHM 301/BIOL 331, BIOL 335.

Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding and evaluation of experimental design,
    methodology and data in the field of molecular biology (assessment tasks: research project reports and final exam)
  • Understand and critically evaluate scientific methods (assessment task: final exam)
  • Independently perform DNA sequence alignment, execute tests to select models of nucleotide substitution, perform Bayesian phylogenetic analyses, and use the results of these analyses to test evolutionary hypotheses (assessment task: research project report)
  • Discuss the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of different phylogeny reconstruction methods (assessment task: final exam)
  • Explain the most important parameters that are relevant in DNA sequence alignment and selecting models of nucleotide substitution (assessment task: final exam)
  • Critically evaluate the complexities of defining digital sequence information and its geopolitical context (assessment task: final exam)
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the scholarship on digital sequence information as it relates to discussions in the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (assessment task: final exam)


    Skills register
    The following skills are developed in this course:
  • Ability to manage team work. Most jobs require interactions with others to accomplish a task to a particular standard and on time (graduate attribute: employable, innovative, and enterprising).
  • Independent and self-motivated learning. A life-skill that is important in any career (graduate attribute: employable, innovative, and enterprising).
  • Finding, understanding and using information in primary literature and on the internet. These are very general skills that are essential in many careers (graduate attribute: employable, innovative, and enterprising).
  • Written and oral communication. Many employers require employees to have good communication skills (graduate attribute: employable, innovative, and enterprising).
  • Interpretation of phylogenetic trees and reconstructing evolutionary relationships. Important in fields of evolutionary biology such as genetics, bioinformatics, systematics, molecular ecology (graduate attribute: critically competent).
  • Ability to recognise how local and indigenous science influences and is influenced by global activities (graduate attribute: globally aware and biculturally competent and confident).

Prerequisites

Subject to approval of the Head of School.

Restrictions

BIOL434/BCHM405

Course Coordinator

For further information see School of Biological Sciences Head of Department

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Pelser tutorial assessment 40%
Final Exam 60%

Additional Course Outline Information

Notes

• Attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend could result in failing the course. Active participation during seminars and practical sessions is expected.
• You will need to come prepared for the seminars and tutorials by reading assigned material in advance. Students are expected to be able to answer questions when called upon in class during discussions of this material.
• As a rule of thumb, set aside about 12.5 of effective self-study for every class hour (not including remedial review if it is required), in addition to writing time for assessments.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $1,054.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Biological Sciences .

All BIOL460 Occurrences

  • BIOL460-20S1 (C) Semester One 2020
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