Biological Sciences (Genetics and Genomics)

The growth of an animal from a single embryonic egg is a fascinating notion that you shall explore in this module. Through a mixture of practice and theory, you’ll explore developmental themes based on animal development, including the different stages of embryonic growth, tissue specification, biological mechanisms, and gene regulation.

You’ll be encouraged to investigate deeper into biological development themes to draw fascinating insights about this subject. On completion of this module you will have gained a broad overview of the development process and regulation in animals.

This module will present students with an in-depth introduction to the principles of developmental biology, and provide a broad overview of development processes and their regulation in animals.

You'll unravel key research ideas that are helping today’s biologists solve some of the biology world’s biggest questions. The fundamental concept of cell biology is the understanding of how organisms develop and how they interact and respond to their environment.

You’ll investigate molecular cell structures from animals, plants and fungi through a combination of practical experimental laboratory techniques and theoretical research. You'll be introduced to fascinating established methods such as fluorescent microscopy of living cells. You’ll explore recent advances in cell biology such as novel treatments and therapies for diseases, cell processes such as cell division, and the impact of the environmental on biological systems. You’ll also take a closer look at the composition of a cell – its’ components and intrinsic functions. By the end of this module, you will have an excellent grasp of cell biology, which will allow you to progress to more advanced and specialised topics. 
 

This fascinating applied science module will introduce you to the study of bacteria, yeasts, viruses and protozoa, from a protein and molecular gene level. You’ll be exploring the structures, metabolism, regulatory signals, replication and growth exhibited by microorganisms.

The importance of microbiology spans medicine and communities, as we attempt to control microbials in hospitals, yet also seek to employ microbes to benefit us as human beings through live cultures and biotechnological advances.

Through this module you will explore the interaction and impact of microbes on humans along with an introduction to the challenges facing medical interventions against pathogenic microbes in different parts of the world. Your study will involve practical aseptic laboratory techniques designed to train you in working safely with microbiological organisms and will give you the opportunity to plan and execute simple experimental procedures. 

In this module you shall take several approaches to exploring mammalian tissue cells, including the chemical make-up and nature of compounds that are involved in cellular processes. You will implement biochemical knowledge to research examples of diseases caused by malfunction of these processes and identify biochemical relationships between events at cellular level as well as at systemic level.

You’ll put your skills into action with the most relevant biomedical diagnostic techniques. By the end of this module you shall have a clearer understanding of how the biochemical aspects of cell function determine the outcome of cell processes. 

In this module you’ll delve into the fascinating science behind animal behaviour. Scientists have long studied the nuances of animal behaviour, investigating the underlying behavioural traits and their variation in animals, which is what you’ll be discovering too in this insightful module.

You can expect to study a wide range of elements including physiological, morphological and evolutionary mechanisms. You’ll consider the importance of observation and experimentation on our understanding of behaviour, and adaptive behaviour of animals in the wild. You’ll turn your attention to the influences of resource type and quality on animal behaviour, the evolution of behavioural traits and the acquisition of new behaviours.

Throughout your study you’ll have access to supportive literature and key primary research papers, which shall support your case studies on the importance of animal behaviour in conservation. 
 

This fascinating module will introduce you to the fundamentals of cancerous cells at a molecular level. You’ll explore the nature and causes of cancer with particular emphasis on the underlying biological mechanisms. You’ll investigate the role of oncogenes, tumour suppressor genes, and cell signalling. Furthermore, you’ll explore other cellular processes such as the cell cycle, apoptosis, cell growth and division, and DNA repair in cancer development. You’ll find that a special focus around the concepts of the ‘hallmarks of cancer’ will also introduce you to the emerging field of cancer genomics as well as cover the therapeutic options for tumour patients.

Immerse yourself in most exciting research and developmental topics surrounding microscopic cell biology and bio-imaging analysis. In this module, you will gain an in-depth insight and appreciation of the molecular mechanisms at play in the cell biology of mammals, yeast and plants. You’ll investigate some of the techniques underpinning the latest associated research in the field, and dive into an exploration of fundamental biological processes in topics such as cell signalling and interacting proteins, the endomembrane system, and the cell cycle. Innovative advanced experimental bio-imaging has opened up new avenues to implement highly powerful experimental methods for investigation of cell biology. Light microscopy techniques will allow you to probe important biological questions, observe living cells of animals and plants, and measure intracellular processes including protein interactions in different biological situations.

If you’ve ever been interested in the strategies behind conserving wildlife, this module is for you. You’ll study and identify key concepts which will support your ability to formulate solutions for protecting biodiversity at the local and landscape scale. You’ll focus your learning on core conservation issues, with consideration of controversies and alternative approaches to the practical issues involved in land management for successful conservation.  You’ll build on your foundational knowledge from previous modules. As your study progresses you will gain a practical and theoretical understanding of wildlife conservation and the environmental issues that threaten species. 

Our understanding of the genome is constantly growing. In this module, you’ll be introduced to the fundamental elements of genomics, human genetics and genetic variation. You’ll explore genetics in connection to disease and how genomic medicine can be utilised in relation to disease mechanisms. You’ll get the chance to investigate the effects of gene mutations and variations in DNA sequences (gene polymorphisms) in human health, with an opportunity to join in on an in-depth discussion on linkage. In addition, you’ll learn all about personalised medicine and the role of a key enzyme in the liver (cytochrome P450) in the metabolism of drugs and toxicity.

Understanding the evolution and diversity of animals is a fundamental basis for the growth of both science research and conservation. In this module, you’ll explore the contemporary view of animal diversity and delve into the process by which animal diversity occurs through process of evolution. You’ll explore the evolutionary significance of animals and patterns of diversity at various timescales and levels of the evolutionary journey. You’ll follow the development from egg (cell) to adult in a variety of animal species and will look at comparisons between developmental programmes. You’ll investigate how altering expression patterns in a set of toolkit genes can give rise to morphological variation, both over evolutionary time and in response to environmental variation.

Science has had an impact on all aspects of our lives, and overall, you’ll learn how to set that influence in its social and historical context, in this module. You’ll address alternative views of the world, how they have been developed or replaced in the context of science, and have a clear look at the strengths and weaknesses of a scientific world view. You’ll explore ideas about the value of other life forms and consider environmental philosophy. You’ll take a refreshing perspective on modern contentious ideas and possibilities such as Genetic Modification, organic farming, fracking, stem cell research, manipulation of the human genome and designer babies. In addition, you’ll turn your focus to the political, economic, and moral context of the current environmental crisis. 

This module will involve a supervised work-based learning experience. You will get the opportunity to spend a minimum of 60 hours in a working environment that is relevant to your career path. You’ll gain key skills in reflective practice and professional development, and will learn how to present your insights in a written essay and in a video. By the end of this module you will have obtained useful skills to enhance your future job applications and further your career.

You shall have the opportunity to choose a topic that is relevant to your programme. Building upon your knowledge from your previous year of study, for those on the MBiol programme, you shall get the chance to immerse yourself in the production of a detailed project plan for your Masters year project/dissertation. For all other study programmes, you’ll pick a project in agreement with your supervisor, which shall be submitted for approval by end of week 1 in the semester in which the study is to be undertaken. You’ll start planning your work six weeks before the start of the semester to give you ample time for submission. You’ll have access to Moodle where you’ll be able to view your module learning contract template and find all the information you need to successfully complete your independent study.

The Industrial Placement module lets you gain first-hand experience of applying theoretical and practical science within a professional environment, for example within an industrial biotechnology company or a laboratory. You will gain insight into the work of a professional scientific employer and develop both practical laboratory skills and the ability to self-assess. We will suggest employers but experience tells us that successful students are usually those who are pro-active in searching out their own placements. Many placements do come with a salary, but sadly some employers do not feel they are obliged to offer a salary, and that the expenses they incur by hosting and training you are sufficient outlay for them. This issue of salary will have implications for you and for your funding status. We will give you advice on this during the application process, but you should make sure you understand your situation fully by talking with the Student Finance department.