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Unit outline_

BIOL3018: Gene Technology and Genomics

Semester 1, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

A unit of study with lectures, practicals and tutorials on the application of recombinant DNA technology and the genetic manipulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Lectures cover the applications of molecular genetics in biotechnology and consider the regulation, impact and implications of genetic engineering and genomics. Topics include biological sequence data and databases, comparative genomics, the cloning and expression of foreign genes in bacteria, yeast, animal and plant cells, novel human and animal therapeutics and vaccines, new diagnostic techniques for human and veterinary disease, and the genetic engineering of animals and plants. Practical work may include nucleic acid isolation and manipulation, gene cloning and PCR amplification, DNA sequencing and bioinformatics, immunological detection of proteins, and the genetic transformation and assay of plants.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
(MBLG2X72 or GEGE2X01 or GENE2002) and 6cp from (MBLG2X71 or BCMB2XXX or QBIO2001 or IMMU2XXX or BIOL2XXX or MEDS2003)
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
BIOL3918
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Mary Byrne, mary.byrne@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Record+) Type B final exam Theory exam
Theory exam
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO7 LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO6
Assignment Laboratory Notebook
Written assessment
10% Multiple weeks 1-2 pages each week for 11 weeks
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment hurdle task Laboratory Experiment 1 Report
Written assessment
10% Week 08 4 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO3 LO2 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
Assignment Gene Technology Applications Article
Written assignment
20% Week 09 1000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO7 LO6 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment hurdle task Laboratory Experiment 2 Report
Written assessment
10% Week 13 6 pages
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6 LO7
hurdle task = hurdle task ?
Type B final exam = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Theory exam: All students will sit a final theory exam held during the official examination period at the end of semester. The exam may comprise multiple-choice, short-answer and/or mini-essay questions from any area of the lecture and practical program. This assessment is compulsory and failure to attend, attempt, or submit will result in the award of an AF grade. If a second replacement exam is required, this exam may be delivered via an alternative assessment method, such as a viva voce (oral exam). The alternative assessment will meet the same learning outcomes as the original exam. The format of the alternative assessment will be determined by the unit coordinator
  • Gene technology applications article: Employ library and Internet resources to investigate a topic on an application of gene technology. 
  • Laboratory notebook assessments: Students will maintain a laboratory notebook with weekly write up of experiments conducted throughout the semester. The laboratory notebooks will be submitted two times during semester. Several items in the note book will be selected for assessment. 
  • Laboratory experiment report assessments: The weekly writeup in the laboratory notebook will be used to write two reports, one on Experiment 1 and one on Experiment 2, to be submitted during semester. Experiment 1 Report and Experiment 2 Report are compulsory, and failure to submit will result in an AF for the unit.
  • Further information on assessments can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Late submission penalty 5% per day for all written assignments.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Multiple weeks EXPERIMENT 1: GENETIC TRANSFORMATION OF PLANTS Practical (9 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7
EXPERIMENT 2: EXPRESSION OF A EUKARYOTIC GENE IN E. COLI Practical (36 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5 LO6 LO7
Week 01 LECTURE 1: INTRODUCTION TO GENE TECHNOLOGY & GENOMICS Lecture (1 hr) LO6 LO7
LECTURE 2: REGULATION OF GENE TECHNOLOGY Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO7
Week 02 LECTURE 3: GENERATION OF TRANSGENIC PLANTS Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 4: GENE CLONING Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Week 03 LECTURE 5: ASSEMBLY, USE AND COMPARISON OF SEQUENCE DATA Lecture (1 hr) LO2
LECTURE 6: DATABASES & DATABASE SEARCHING Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO6
Week 04 LECTURE 7: COMPARATIVE GENOMICS Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 8: MUTAGENESIS Lecture (1 hr) LO3
Week 05 LECTURE 9: GENE FUSION TECHNOLOGY I Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
LECTURE 10: GENE FUSION TECHNOLOGY II Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 06 LECTURE 11: APPLICATIONS OF GENE EDITING TECHNOLOGIES Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 12: SINGLE CELL GENOMICS Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO6 LO7
Week 07 LECTURE 13: TARGETED GENE EXPRESSION Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
LECTURE 14: RNA INTERFERENCE & GENE SILENCING Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 08 LECTURE 15: THE TRANSCRIPTOME AND NON-CODING RNA Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 16: USING RNAS Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO6 LO7
Week 09 LECTURE 17: GENE TRANSFER INTO ANIMALS I Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4
Week 10 LECTURE 18: GENE TRANSFER INTO ANIMALS II Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 19: MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES & ANTIBODY ENGINEERING Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
Week 11 LECTURE 20: FINDING HUMAN DISEASE GENES Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO6 LO7
LECTURE 21: GENE THERAPY Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO6 LO7
Week 12 LECTURE 22: DNA-BASED DIAGNOSTICS Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO6
LECTURE 23: PERSONALIZED GENOMICS Lecture (1 hr) LO6 LO7
Week 13 LECTURE 24: GENE TECHNOLOGY AND GENOMICS: SUMMARY OF UNIT LEARNING Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5 LO6 LO7

Attendance and class requirements

The laboratory course is an essential part of the unit of study and students must pass the laboratory component in order to pass the unit. In order to pass, students must attend 80% of practical sessions, demonstrate engagement, and submit both the Laboratory Experiment 1 Report and Laboratory Experiment 2 Report. Failure to submit this material will result in AF for the Unit.

If technical issues, illness, a requirement to isolate etc. prevent attendance at a specific class, students should discuss the problem with the coordinator to find out how to make up the missed attendance.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Reading is suggested. A number of textbooks provide information relevant to the content of the unit. There are also references to original research papers and reviews noted in lectures that are available via Canvas or the Library.

Clark D.P. and Pazdernik N.J. Biotechnology. (2nd Edition) Academic Cell. 2016.

Clark D.P., Pazdernik N.J. McGhee M.R. 2019 Molecular Biology. (3rd Edition) London, Academic Press.

Glick B.R. Patten C.L. 2017 Molecular Biotechnology: Principles and Applications of Recombinant DNA. (5th Edition). Washington DC. ASM Press.

Watson, J.D., Caudy, A.A., Myers, R.M. and Witkowski, J.A. Recombinant DNA, Genes and Genomes – A Short Course. (3rd Edition) W.H. Freeman & Company, 2007.

Somerset T.A. Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis: An Introduction. Wiley, 2016.

 

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand regulations governing the generation and use of gene technologies
  • LO2. know, understand and analyse genomic information
  • LO3. define and describe different gene technologies
  • LO4. compare and contrast gene technologies and their application
  • LO5. develop skills in the use and application of molecular biology tools
  • LO6. formulate ideas on the applications of genomic information to gene technology
  • LO7. relate the use of gene technologies to improving our world.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Delivery of the unit of study has taken into consideration student feedback since the unit was last offered.

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.