This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2010-2011 (archived)
Module BIOL3501: Ageing
Department: Biological and Biomedical Sciences
BIOL3501: Ageing
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 3 | 20 | Available in 2010/2011 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- Cell Structure & Function AND Molecular Biology.
Corequisites
- At least one other Level 3 Biology module.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- To explain the evolutionary basis of ageing.
- To explain ageing at a molecular level.
- To explain ageing at the level of organ systems.
- To explain the genetics of ageing.
Content
- Mathematical modelling approaches to ageing.
- Oxidative stress pathways and their impacts of protein, DNA and cellular function.
- Ageing in key organ systems including: brain, central nervous system, eye, joints, colon and skin.
- Genetic predisposition to ageing including: segmental progeria and unmodal progeria.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- To explain how reproductive scheduling determines longevity.
- Describe what a longevity outlier is.
- Explain how oxidative stress affects, protein folding, accumulation of DNA damage and cellular senescence.
- Describe ageing in key organ systems and their impacts of health and quality of life.
- Account for genetic predisposition to premature ageing.
Subject-specific Skills
- Students will learn to integrate genetic, physiological and biochemical information.
- Students will learn to analyse data from original papers.
- Students will learn to appreciate subject specific information in relation to real issues in society.
Key Skills
- Students will learn to communicate ideas in the form of posters.
- Students will learn to summarise complex ideas for a lay audience.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures, Workshops, Unseen exam and Data handling.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 40 | Weekly | 1 hour | 40 | |
| Preparation & reading | 160 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 90% | Unseen formal examination | 3 hours | 100% | |
| Continuous Assessment | 10% | Data handling | 100% |
Formative Assessment
None.
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.