Module BIOL3521: ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENT

Department: Biosciences

BIOL3521: ADVANCED TOPICS IN DEVELOPMENT

Prerequisites

• Level 2 Development (BIOL2471); Level 2 Molecular Biology (BIOL2441)

Corequisites

• At least one other Level 3 Biological Sciences Module selected from the following list: Behavioural Ecology BIOL3561, Conservation Biology BIOL3551, Ecology of the Anthropocene BIOL3541, Stress and Responses to the Environment BIOL3491, Crops for the Future BIOL3611, Biochemistry and Biotechnology BIOL3601, Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering BIOL3531, Ageing and Age-Related Diseases BIOL3591, Advanced Cell Biology BIOL3481, Biology of Disease BIOL3621, Genomics BIOL3651.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• To provide an advanced theoretical overview of the mechanisms governing animal and plant development.
• To develop advanced understanding of scientific methodology and its application in deciphering the fundamental principles governing living systems.
• To study examples of the molecular and cellular controls which regulate animal and plant development in depth.

Content

• Plant development:
• 1. Characteristics of plant development. Gametophyte development and fertilisation. Molecular control and signalling mechanisms.
• 2. Embryo development. Primary axis determination. Cellular events. Molecular control and signalling mechanisms.
• 3. Organogenesis. Root cellular organisation, regulation of cell states and fates. Molecular control and signalling mechanisms.
• 5. Plant plasticity. Integration of environmental cues with development. Molecular control and signalling mechanisms.
• 6. Hormone signalling and the molecular interplay between environmental and intrinsic signals for the regulation of developmental transitions.
• Animal Development:
• 1. Principles of animal development.
• 2. Early animal development: Fertilization. Axis formation. Patterning. Germ layer formation.
• 3. Later animal development: Organogenesis, Appendage formation. Metamorphosis.
• 4. Principles of developmental evolution. Genetic variation. Modularity. Gene regulation. Co-option. Developmental System Drift.
• 5. Case studies of the genetic basis of developmental evolution and the diversification of animal form and function
• 6. Regeneration. Reinitiation of development to repair/rebuild tissues and organs.

Learning Outcomes

• Advanced knowledge of the fundamental concepts and processes of developmental biology in animals and plants.
• Advanced knowledge of the genes which determine developmental processes in animals and plants.
• Advanced knowledge of the signalling pathways which regulate developmental processes in animals and plants.
• Knowledge of pattern formation systems in development in animals and plants.
• Advanced knowledge of molecular mechanisms and their function.

• To be able to interpret and analyse data from reverse genetics experiments.
• To be able to relate changes at the level of the genome to changes in phenotype in developmental processes.
• To be able to to interpret cell biological and genetic data in the context of understanding developmental mechanisms.

• Literacy, in being able to consult and extract information from printed and on-line archives.
• Data analysis, in interpretation and critical analysis of data relevant to the genetic basis of development.
• Independent thinking and hypothesis generation.
• Self-motivation, in self-guided learning.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• Lectures deliver subject-specific knowledge.
• Workshops support the development of key and subject-specific skills.
• Self-guided learning contributes to subject-specific knowledge and self-motivation.
• Reports / Data Handling Exercises are based on subject-specific knowledge.
• Unseen examinations demonstrate achievement of the appropriate level of subject-specific knowledge of development, with an emphasis on understanding and communication (essay and problem-based questions).

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

2 formative examination exercises of 1 hr each.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University