Postgraduate Course: Applications of Synthetic Biology (PGBI11094)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Applications of Synthetic Biology will provide examples of research which has applied synthetic biology tools or techniques to a particular problem. The course will seek to teach students the theory behind the applications; encouraging understanding, which will allow new uses and application in alternative areas to become apparent. |
| Course description |
Lecture Subjects
1 Synthetic life
2 Biofuels and bioenergy
3 Biomaterials
4 Engineering photosynthesis
5 Bioremediation
6 Global health applications
7 Assessment guidance
8 Synthetic communities
9 Medical and veterinary applications
10 Assessment
11 Future, fun and disaster
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2024/25, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 36 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Formative Assessment Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
74 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Delivery:
Students will be taught by a cohort of expert practitioners through lectures and tutorials to gain a broad overview over the possible real-world applications of synthetic biology tools and practice critically assessing them in tutorials looking at recent publications from the field.
Assessment:
Students will be assessed on two assignments. The first is a presentation of a paper of their choice in week 10 that shows an application of synthetic biology (30 % of final mark). The second is a 2000-word essay that includes a brief summary of the paper presented and in-depth answers to questions arising at the presentation (70% of final mark). |
| Feedback |
- Presentation:
Written Feedback
- Essay:
Written Feedback |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Analytical skills, the ability to assess the relative merits of new methods and application of these
- The capacity to recognise and critically appraise the opportunities presented by new biological discoveries
- The ability to look at a wide range of problems from the perspective of solving these with innovative bio-based solutions
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
This course is aimed at developing synthetic biology graduates with skills in critical and reflective thinking and communication that prepares them for a career in research, further education and employment in biotechnology and other synthetic biology related industries. |
| Keywords | ASB,engineering biology,synthetic biology tools,application of synthetic biology |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Louise Horsfall
Tel: (0131 6)50 5363
Email: Louise.Horsfall@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Karen Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3404
Email: Karen.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk |
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