This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2006-2007 (archived)
Module BIOL2201: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
Department: Biological and Biomedical Sciences
BIOL2201: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 2 | 20 | Available in 2006/2007 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- Introduction to Molecular and Cell Biology (BIOL1072).
Corequisites
- None.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To promote an appreciation of how organisms organise and regulate gene expression with particular emphasis on how they develop and respond to environmental changes.
Content
- Overview of regulation of gene expression.
- Models of transcriptional control in prokaryotes.
- Transcriptional control in Eukaroytes.
- DNA rearrangements and transcriptional control.
- Post-transcriptional control mechanisms.
- Chromatin structure and gene expression.
- Chromatin organization in higher eukaryotes.
- Chromatin organization and gene expression.
- Transgenesis I - Introducing foreign genes to study expression.
- Transgenesis II - Chromatin organization and transgene expression.
- Transgenesis III - specialised vectors for gene identification.
- Evolution of the genome.
- Transposable elements and mutation.
- DNA replication.
- Genetic engineering, overview, enzymology of cloning technology, cDNA cloning, clone selection, genomic cloning, specialised strategies, measuring gene expression, controlling gene expression.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- By the end of the module each student should be able to: Demonstrate how different organisms regulate gene expression.
- Appreciate the different strategies used by simple and complex organisms to regulate gene expression during development or in response to environmental change.
- Understand the experimental procedures used to investigate gene expression.
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
- Extract, compile and review relevant scientific information from various sources and evaluate them critically.
- Interpret and critically analyse sample experimental data and present the results effectively.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Teaching and Learning in this component is primarily through the means of lectures.
- Skills will be acquired through the manipulation and presentation of data.
- Knowledge will be formatively assessed through the use of MCQs and summatively by a written examination.
- Interpretation of data will be assessed by means of an unseen data handling paper.
- Understanding will be assessed by means of a written examination.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 45 | 2 per week | 1 hour | 45 | |
| Tutorials | 1 | 1 hour | 1 | ||
| Workshop | 1 | 2 hours | 2 | ||
| Preparation and Reading | 152 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 60% | two question, formal examination | 2 hours | 100% | |
| Coursework | 40% | data handling exercise 1 | 50% | ||
| data handling exercise 2 | 50% |
Formative Assessment
MCQs to assess knowledge.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.