Postgraduate Course: Bioinformatics 1 (INFR11016)
Course Outline
School | School of Informatics |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 10 |
Home subject area | Informatics |
Other subject area | None |
Course website |
http://www.inf.ed.ac.uk/teaching/courses/bio1 |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
Course description | A primary requisite for relevant, and efficient, research in Bioinformatics is that scientists from both
fields (biology and informatics) are involved, or consulted. Team work can only be successful if all
parties have a basic ground knowledge of the respective other field and, most importantly, that they can
communicate with each other.
The aims of the course are to help you overcome both of these difficulties in your future careers. The course
will cover topics that include core biology concepts that relate to bioinformatics, biological data and their
source and structure as well as common tools for their analysis.
The course will also involve group-based practical work on using and developing bioinformatics solutions. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | For Informatics PG and final year MInf students only, or by special permission of the School. Parts of this course assume a basic knowledge in biology beyond general high school standards (i.e. is suitable for everyone with a University education in a biology-related field).
Students with a higher education in a biology-related field can ask to be exempted from the first half of the course (excluding assessed coursework and exam).
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Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | None |
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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Delivery period: 2011/12 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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WebCT enabled: No |
Quota: None |
Location |
Activity |
Description |
Weeks |
Monday |
Tuesday |
Wednesday |
Thursday |
Friday |
Central | Lecture | | 1-11 | | | | | 14:00 - 15:50 |
First Class |
Week 1, Friday, 14:00 - 15:50, Zone: Central. West Lab AT |
Exam Information |
Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
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Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | Bioinformatics 1 | 2:00 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
1. Communicate about essential and modern biology and how it relates to Informatics
2. Describe basic biotechnology in the context of its underlying theoretical basis with an emphasis on the technologies routinely used in modern biological sciences.
3. Implement a suite of core bioinformatics services and describe their application. |
Assessment Information
Written Examination 70
Assessed Assignments 30
Oral Presentations 0
Assessment
Coursework is assessed though two reports on using/deploying the students own bioinformatics services and the remainder through a final examination.
If delivered in semester 1, this course will have an option for semester 1 only visiting undergraduate students, providing assessment prior to the end of the calendar year. |
Special Arrangements
None |
Additional Information
Academic description |
Not entered |
Syllabus |
The course will cover the following:
Essential Biology
* DNA/proteins
* Evolution
* Chromosomes and Cells
* Molecular structures
Note that students with a higher education in biology can be exempted from this part of the course
Modern Biology
* Computational assembly of genomic sequence (including a site visit to see automated sequencing technology at work)
* Expression profiling (including a site visit to the Scottish Centre for Genomics and Informatics Technology, GTI)
* Polymorphisms and Phylogenetics (e.g. RFLP)
* Structure Determination (Crystallography/NMR)
* Proteomics (various techniques)
There will be one written exercise (short essay) which will carry 20% of the course marks; the exam will carry 80%.
Relevant QAA Computing Curriculum Sections: Databases, Developing Technologies |
Transferable skills |
Not entered |
Reading list |
* L.Hunter (1999). Artifical Intelligence and Molecular Biology - Chapter 1. Molecular Biology for Computer Scientists. http://www.aaai.org//Library/Books/Hunter/01-Hunter.pdf
* P. Berg & M. Singer (1992), Dealing with Genes. University Science Books. ISBN 0-935702-69-5
* G.M. Cooper (2000). The Cell: A Molecular Approach. ASM Press |
Study Abroad |
Not entered |
Study Pattern |
Lectures 10
Tutorials 0
Timetabled Laboratories 10
Non-timetabled assessed assignments 30
Private Study/Other 50
Total 100 |
Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Michael Rovatsos
Tel: (0131 6)51 3263
Email: mrovatso@inf.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Kate Weston
Tel: (0131 6)50 2701
Email: Kate.Weston@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2011 The University of Edinburgh - 16 January 2012 6:17 am
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