Høst 2015

BIO-8018 Environmental Molecular Genetics - 20 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for arktisk og marin biologi

Type of course

Theoretical and practical

Course overlap

BIO-3134 Applied Molecular Genetics 20 stp

Course contents

The aim of this course is to give a thorough introduction to molecular genetic methods and bioinformatics used in modern biological research. The course will give a basis for advanced studies in different areas of biology and include practical exercises followed by computer analyses of own data sets. The students will isolate DNA and RNA from Arctic samples, and prepare samples for sequencing and bioinformatics in the first part of the course. The second part includes the study on the epigenetic regulation of gene expression in plants. The laboratory and computer work is running for four weeks and the results are discussed in plenum. The students have to write individual laboratory reports. The lectures will be closely connected to the practical problems to be solved in the laboratory. Selected articles from the scientific curriculum are topics for seminar presented by the students.

Application deadline

Registration deadline for PhD students at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway: June 10th.

Application deadline for external applicants: June 1st.

Admission requirements

The number of participants is limited to 10.

PhD students register for the course through StudentWeb. Registrations for the autumn semester starts June 1st.

External applicants apply for admission through SøknadsWeb. Registrations for applications regarding the autumn semester starts February 1st.

Contact Ingjerd Gauslaa Nilsen at the BFE-faculty if you have troubles or questions regarding registration to the course.

Objective of the course

Knowledge:

Theory of microbial ecology and epigenetics
Theory of gene and gene expression analyses
Critical consideration of scientific literature within the topics for the course
How to write a laboratory report
Critical assessment of own results

Skills:

Isolation of DNA and RNA from environmental samples
Preparation of samples for sequencing
Bioinformatics - analysis of sequencing results, sequence assemblies
Gene expression (qPCR), methylation status analysis
Present objectives, methods and results.
Oral and written discussion of results

General competence:

Theory of environmental genetics
Experimental design
Molecular laboratory work
Evaluation of methods
Discussion of results
Presentation of results

Language of instruction

English

Teaching methods

Lectures 12 hours, laboratory 60 hours during 4 weeks, seminars 16 hours

Assessment

Report (50%) and oral exam (50%). A graded scale of five marks from A to E for pass and F for fail.

Students require to attain a pass grade (A to E) in the laboratory report in order to be able to take the oral examination. There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.