Undergraduate Course: Molecular and Synthetic Plant Biology 3 (BILG09021)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course will cover the physiology, molecular biology and biochemistry of higher plants and their interactions with microorganisms. This course particularly explores the aspects of biology that makes plants unique. It also highlights research areas that may be particularly relevant to agricultural biotechnology. |
| Course description |
Molecular and Synthetic Plant Biology 3 is a course that looks at how plants work and how this knowledge is being used in crop improvement and biotechnology. It is also about developing your skills in thinking: from designing and analysing experiments to finding, evaluating and presenting information.
The course particularly explores aspects of plants that make them unique. It is centred on the processes underlying growth and development and how plants interact with the physical conditions of their environment and with the pathogens and symbionts that they share their environment with.
By the end of the course, the students should know the basic features of how plants feed themselves, how they transport nutrients and signals, how they defend themselves, and how this knowledge can be applied for crop improvement.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Equivalent of the courses listed above. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Learn the basic features of light signalling and plant development.
- Learn the methods and applications of plant genomics, the responses of plants to pathogenic and symbiotic micro-organisms.
- Learn about the movement of organic substances and pathogens between cells and over long distances.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Knowledge and Understanding: All components of the course provide this to some degree but the lectures, in particular, provide an important framework upon which the students can build these attributes. This University considers itself to be a research-led Institution and the students will be exposed to cutting edge information and ideas as they progress through the degree course. In this course the students will develop a comprehensive knowledge of the basic functions of plants, the complex interplay between plants and pathogens, and the molecular basis of signalling in plants. By the end of the course, they should have an in-depth understanding of how plants "work", and how this knowledge can be used for crop improvement.
Research and Enquiry: These skills are enhanced by encouraging further reading of books, research papers and electronic materials. An oral presentation, based on a current "hot topic" in Plant Biology, will allow the students to develop communication and enquiry skills, and own views of the subject. This provides a platform to surveying current and past scientific arguments, in an appropriate context, and provides the foundation for hypothesis-driven analysis.
Personal and Intellectual Autonomy: By reading and preparation of materials for tutorial sessions, the students will learn to synthesise their own views, develop reasoned arguments and further refine their scientific judgement. A number of feedback sessions are offered, both during practical and lecture time, allowing students to voice their opinions and views on the subjects discussed. In addition, we encourage self-development through use of past test papers, and a specific session is offered on how best to tackle exam questions. Such skills will enhance the capacity for life-long and independent learning.
Communication: It is important that students develop skills to interact constructively with others and convey knowledgeable and balanced scientific views. During the course, they will gain experience in oral presentation skills by both presenting and listening to short talks. Constructive feedback is supplied during these sessions by both staff and fellow students.
Personal Effectiveness: The ability to organise and summarise thoughts and material in a flexible and accessible way are core features that are required for personal effectiveness. Planning, time management and reflection are central to this. By providing the students with a timetable where key submission dates are highlighted, we encourage them to develop effectiveness throughout this course. These same skills extend to other courses and also to overall ability to maximise their achievement whilst studying at this University.
Technical and Practical Skills: In order to continue in a scientific career, it is important that students not only understand the conceptual basis of how experiments are designed and carried out but also to develop the underpinning practical skills required for employability. Our course has a major lab component which is designed to prepare for this. The laboratory training provides skills in plant transformation and editing techniques, numerical handling of data, molecular and cutting-edge techniques/technologies. The lab skills students develop from practical sessions, in critical observation, investigation and interpretation, careful recording, quantification and analysis, should serve the students well in any future employment. |
| Keywords | Plant Biology,Molecular,Synthetic |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Attila Molnar
Tel: (0131 6)50 5335
Email: Attila.Molnar@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Dr Edward Dewhirst
Tel: (0131 6)50 8649
Email: edewhirs@ed.ac.uk |
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