CONTENTS | NEXT PAGE
BIOL424: Technical, Analytical and Communication Skills (TACS)
This module is designed to develop and improve skills in design of experiments; analysis, interpretation and presentation (written, oral) of data; statistical analysis; computing; essay and report writing. It is also used to promote awareness of the student to the role of the subject in society, business, industry, medicine and agriculture/ horticulture.
Formal instruction includes lectures, tutorials, seminars and workshops. Students will be expected to attend all sessions and will be asked to participate both as individuals and in teams to solve problems and make presentations.
This course will be continuously assessed through three data-handling exams and a dissertation.
Sept. 26 Lab Safety Lecture LSLT3 3.00
Sept. 28 Library Introduction HCL Foyer 2.00 Ms Janet Milne
Oct. 3 Careers Seminar LSLT2 3.00 Mr Phil Harrison
Dr Peter Miller - Maths and Oceanography Teaching Centre - Wed, 12.00
Sept. 27 The electronic library (Web of Science, PubMed)
Oct. 4 Sequence databases (EMBL, Entrez, SRS)
Oct. 11 Identifying genes (search by content and signal methods in Prophet, BLAST, dotplots)
Oct. 18 Characterising proteins (SWISS-PROT, hydropathy plot in Excel)
Oct. 25 Phylogenetics (DOMO, ClustalW, Phylip, Treeview)
Nov. 1 Word processing and Presentations (Word, Powerpoint)
Training in these skills is coupled to the written and oral presentation of your Project Work. See the Project section for further details.
Mon. Oct. 9 How to write a scientific paper. LSLT1 10.00 Prof Steve Edwards
Mon. Jan. 22 How to give an oral presentation LT1 11.00 Prof Steve Edwards
Wed. Feb. 7 Practice Project Seminars. 5th floor seminar room 2.00 - 5.00
Wed. Apr. 4 Project Seminars. 5th floor seminar room 2.00 - 5.00
Each subject will be covered in a 2-hour session Friday 2.00-4.00, with a second session the following Tuesday afternoon. After every three such subjects, there will be an exam on that content. Each exam will be worth 2.5% of the Honours mark.
Semester 1 Fri University Lecture Block/LTD; Tues ULB/LTC; Exam ?
Sept. 29/Oct. 3 Gene Cloning Prof. Brian Tomsett
Oct. 6/10 DNA Analysis Dr Kevin Croft
Oct. 13/17 Analysis of Gene Expression Dr Mark Caddick
Oct. 19 Exam (10.00 - 12.00)
Oct. 20/24 Bacterial Genetics Prof. Peter Strike
Oct. 27/31 Classical Genetics - Gene Mapping Dr Lesley Iwanejko
Nov. 3/7 Human Molecular Genetics Prof. Steve Kemp
Nov. 9 Exam (10.00 - 12.00)
Semester 2 Fri/Tues LS Comm. Room; Exam LS 5th Floor
Feb. 9/13 Cloning Strategies Dr Roger Barraclough
Feb. 16/20 Molecular Biology Problems Dr Phil Turner
Feb. 23/27 Biochemical Analysis Dr Chris Green
Mar. 5 Exam (2.00 - 4.00)
We have arranged a number of seminars/workshops to help to widen your appreciation of Molecular Biology:
Wed. Jan. 24 Molecular Biology - a tool for Immunologists. Dr Brian Flanagan
Comm. Room 2.00
Tue./Wed. Molecular Biology in Business and Industry. Prof. Sandy Primrose
........ Donnan Seminar Room (times to be announced)
Wed. Mar. 7 Plant Genetic Engineering Prof. Andy Greenland
Donnan Seminar Room 2.00
1st semester - times to be arranged. Dr Chris Green/Dr Andy Bates
We will gather for a series of tutorials to help develop your knowledge and appreciation of the scientific literature. You will carry out a number of exercises designed to help you gather reference material for your Project Introductory Report, and you will each refine and develop a theme for your Dissertation.
Your dissertation should be between 2,000 and 2,500 words long excluding figures and references. The reference list in your dissertation should be compiled and presented exactly in the style of the Journal of Molecular Biology. A typed (word processor) copy of the complete dissertation, with your name and the title clearly displayed on the front page, and the numbered pages secured by a slide or multiple-ring binder, must be submitted to CDG by Friday of Week 13 (Jan 26). The submitted copy of the dissertation will be retained by the Honours School, so be sure to make a copy for yourself. Your dissertation will be marked independently by two members of staff, and the mark awarded will form 5% of the final Honours mark.
CONTENTS | NEXT PAGE