Høst 2019

BIO-3018 Environmental Molecular Genetics - 20 stp

The course is administrated by

Institutt for arktisk og marin biologi

Type of course

Master course for biology students - principally aimed at MSc-students specializing in Molecular Environmental Biology. The course is available as a singular course.

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

Applicants from Nordic countries: 1 June for the autumn semester and 1 December for the spring semester.

Exchange students and Fulbright students: 1 October for the spring semester and 15 April for the autumn semester.

Admission requirements

The number of participants is limited to 10.

Local admission, application code 9371 - - Master`s level singular course. Admission requires a Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.

Recommended skills corresponding to courses BIO-2601 General Microbiology (10 stp) BIO-2106 Microscopical imaging techniques (10 stp), BIO-2009 Green Biotechnology and Bioenergy (10 stp).

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

The language of instruction is English and all of the syllabus material is in English. Examination questions will be given in English, but may be answered either in English or a Scandinavian language.

Teaching methods

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

Assessment

One report and an oral exam. The final grade for the course is based upon a complete evaluation of the report and the oral exam. The exam will be assessed with 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.
Re-sit exam:
There will be a re-sit examination for students that did not pass the previous ordinary examination.

Date for examination

Laboratory report hand out date 01.11.2019 hand in date 15.11.2019

The date for the exam can be changed. The final date will be announced at your faculty early in May and early in November.