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Advanced topics in Biotechnology - BIO00066H

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  • Department: Biology
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Thierry Tonon
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

This module will study and critique the field of industrial biotechnology with a focus on molecules of commercial relevance.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25

Module aims

The approach to teaching will centre on student participation in analysis of contemporary research literature, and associated methods and data analysis. Students will be introduced to topics that highlight impact-relevant approaches at molecular, cellular and synthetic-biological levels. We will focus on how industrial biotech products are discovered/invented and then modified for optimised purposes.

Module learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this module will be able to:

Critically analyse research papers in molecular biotechnology

Discuss recent research landmarks in biotechnology relating to the manufacturing of chemicals and proteins in cellular systems

Design experiments relevant to different aspects of biotechnology

Interpret data to understand how organisms produce molecular/chemical products

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Advanced topics in Biotechnology Online Exam		 6 hours 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Online Exam -less than 24hrs (Centrally scheduled)
Advanced topics in Biotechnology Online Exam		 6 hours 100

Module feedback

Marks for all summative assessments will be made available to you and your supervisor via e:vision. Feedback will be either individual or cohort-level, depending on the assessment format. You should take the opportunity to discuss your marks and feedback with your supervisor.

For exam-style summative assessment, model answers will be provided for all questions along with cohort-level feedback indicating how students answered questions in general. Marks achieved per question will be added to your script.

For coursework assessments (eg. reports or essays) you will receive individual feedback on your work. This will usually be in the form of a feedback sheet that will include suggestions for further improvement.

During the teaching of the module you will receive formative feedback that may be at a whole class or individual level. Such feedback may include: model answers and discussion of workshop questions, summaries of performance in practicals, VLE-based quizzes, individual spoken comments during workshops, individual written comments on formative work.

Indicative reading

These are available through the VLE module site.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.