Biochemistry MSci Hons - 2021 Entry

Course Structure

Lancaster University offers a range of programmes, some of which follow a structured study programme, and others which offer the chance for you to devise a more flexible programme to complement your main specialism. We divide academic study into two sections - Part 1 (Year 1) and Part 2 (Year 2, 3 and sometimes 4). For most programmes Part 1 requires you to study 120 credits spread over at least three modules which, depending upon your programme, will be drawn from one, two or three different academic subjects. A higher degree of specialisation then develops in subsequent years. For more information about our teaching methods at Lancaster please visit our Teaching and Learning section.

The following courses do not offer modules outside of the subject area due to the structured nature of the programmes: Architecture, Law, Physics, Engineering, Medicine, Sports and Exercise Science, Biochemistry, Biology, Biomedicine and Biomedical Science.

Information contained on the website with respect to modules is correct at the time of publication, and the University will make every reasonable effort to offer modules as advertised. In some cases changes may be necessary and may result in some combinations being unavailable, for example as a result of student feedback, timetabling, Professional Statutory and Regulatory Bodies' (PSRB) requirements, staff changes and new research.

Year 1

Core

• Atoms and Molecules

  This module provides a link between A-level and undergraduate chemistry. It covers topics such as the elements and Periodic Table, atomic structure, properties of atoms, molecular shape, types of bonding and the basic principles of spectroscopic techniques and their use in molecule identification.

  The practical laboratory classes include an introduction to chemical synthesis, to build upon skills learned at A-level, and to introduce new lab techniques. Students will use some techniques they may recognise, together with some new techniques, to synthesise and react some simple metal complexes.

• Biotechnology

  Biotechnology is one of the fastest moving fields in the biosciences. Genetic engineering techniques have allowed the manipulation of microorganisms, plants and animals to produce commercially important compounds, or to have improved characteristics. This module examines the techniques that are used in genetic manipulation and looks at examples of how the technology has been applied. The practical outcomes of genome sequencing projects and the way in which knowledge of the human genome can be applied to medicine and forensics are also considered. Practical classes and workshops allow students to perform some of the key techniques for themselves.

• Cell Structure and Function

  This module is an introduction to the structure and function of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. The first five lectures of the module will examine the main components of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the way eukaryotic cells are organised into tissues. The techniques used to study cells will also be reviewed. The next two lectures will look in detail at the structure and function of mitochondria and chloroplasts and the chemiosmotic theory. This will be followed by a lecture on the way cells are organised into tissues. The final four lectures will cover reproduction in prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the eukaryotic cell cycle. The lectures are supplemented by two practical sessions, the first on light microscopic technique and the second covering organelle isolation

• Chemical Reaction Kinetics

  The module offers a complete overview of the theory and practice of chemical reaction kinetics, leading to an understanding of the kinetic principles of reaction kinetics. Using this knowledge, students will determine orders of reaction, rate constants and activation energies from kinetic measurements. The module explores the relationship between temperature and rate, and introduces the Arrhenius Equation. More advanced topics, including collision theory, transition state theory and the kinetics of complex reactions will be studied. Students will become familiar with the steady state approximation and learn how to use this to derive rate laws of complex reactions.

  Practical classes give hands-on experience in measuring physical properties and reinforce the theoretical concepts taught in lectures.

• Coordination Chemistry

  Building on the Inorganic Chemistry module, this module, through a mixture of lectures and practicals, demonstrates how common compounds involving main group elements are prepared, and teaches students to be able to account for the observed reactivity of the elements within an s or p block group. Students will use crystal field theory to account for different geometries adopted by transition metal complexes and will describe and discuss bonding between transition metals and common ligands including organometallics.

  Building on earlier practical sessions, students will learn further inorganic chemistry techniques. Practicals include reacting Werner Nobel Prize complexes to form simple octahedral metal complexes; the synthesis of metal acetyl-acetone complexes; and the synthesis and quantitative analysis of polyiodide complexes. As part of the practical work, the molecules synthesised will be characterised via various spectroscopic techniques.

• Genetics

  This module examines the way in which genetic information, encoded by the DNA of the cell, is replicated and passed on to each new generation of cells and whole individuals. The ways in which genes affect the characteristics of a cell or organism are explored at the molecular level. The fundamentals of these processes are very similar in all organisms but the unique features of eukaryotes and prokaryotes are highlighted. We will also examine the consequences of mutation and look at some examples of diseases and conditions caused by defective genes and alterations in chromosome number or structure.

• Impact of Microbes

  This module introduces students to the world of microbiology. They will receive tuition from lecturers working on the cutting edge of microbiological research.

  Topics related to viruses, bacteria, fungi and protists will be covered. Hands on practical sessions will help students to understand the dynamics of bacterial growth, how to culture and count microbes, antibiotic resistance assays and identification of bacteria.

  Students will start to understand the mechanisms that bacteria use to cause human disease. Several fungi will be examined and students will learn how fungi are exploited in industry. Finally students are introduces to the protists; examine beautiful ciliates and flagellates and watch predatory protozoa in action.

• Infection and Immunity

  Covering a wide range of infectious organisms from viruses to worms, this module provides a comprehensive introduction to infection and immune responses of the host. The biology of the infecting organisms and the host’s immune response will both be examined as these are vital components in understanding the nature of the different types of infection.

  Selected infections will be studied in detail in lectures and practicals and used as paradigms to illustrate principles of the host/pathogen interaction.

• Molecules of Life

  In this module, students will explore the chemistry of some of the most important molecules to life, including water, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. The module begins with an overview of basic chemistry for example atomic structure, bonding, pH and molecular shape. It looks at the properties of water and how these enable water to support life. The structure and bonding within nucleic acids, proteins and carbohydrates are explored with emphasis upon how this is related to function within a cell. Finally, the structure and functions of lipids are described, with emphasis upon the role of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates in biological membranes.

  Workshops on this module enable use of RasMol molecular modelling software, making molecular models and problem-based learning.

• Organic Reactivity and Mechanism

  This module introduces the importance of molecular orbital theory in understanding organic reactivity, and explains how such reactivity can be accurately represented by curly arrow mechanisms. In addition, students will be introduced to important concepts of acidity, basicity, pKa and leaving group ability. With this key information in hand, the reactivity of a broad range of organic functional groups can be readily explained. As such, in the first half of the module, the student will be equipped with the skills to predict the reactivity of a variety of carbonyl compounds and substitution reactions.

  In the second half of the module, substitution reactions including saturated carbon and elimination reactions will be described. In this context, the students will be able to analyse the various factors involved in determining the outcome of these reactions and predicting the reactivity of a variety of organic substrates. Finally, an introduction to the formation of enols and enolates, as well the aldol reaction, will be given.

  Techniques learned in earlier modules will be built upon in the practical laboratory sessions. Students will address the synthesis of more complex organic molecules and the identification of the synthesised molecules, using the full range of spectroscopic techniques including NMR, IR and UV/vis spectroscopies.

• Organic Structure

  Introducing organic chemistry, this module provides a basic understanding of key concepts such as nomenclature, bonding and structure, shape and isomerism, and electronegativity. Students will become familiar with the structures and shapes of organic molecules and be able to explain how these structures are named and represented, and how they can be determined by spectroscopic methods. They will learn about the concept of functional groups and their importance in a biological or environmental context, and will be able to provide examples of chemical reactions in which these groups participate.

  Practical sessions in laboratories develop skills in microscale organic chemistry techniques, including the halogenation of alkenes, the formation of alcohols by reduction of ketones, and the dehydration of alcohols.

• Protein Biochemistry

  The purpose of this module is to expand upon the introduction to proteins given in BIOL111. Our approach is to use specific examples to demonstrate different aspects of protein structure, and to illustrate the way that the different properties of individual amino acids contribute to the function of the proteins they make up. The course is split into two linked themes. Firstly, an introduction to the major structural features of proteins is given, with an emphasis on how protein structure relates to function. Secondly, an introduction to enzyme biochemistry is presented. We consider how enzymes catalyse biochemical reactions, how their activities can be described quantitatively, and how enzymes are regulated within the cell.

• Skills in the Life Sciences

  This module introduces and provides training in the general skills necessary for the study of bioscience. These include use and care of laboratory equipment such as microscopes, spectrophotometers, micropipettes and centrifuges. It will also teach liquid-handling skills, and to calculate concentrations, volumes and dilution of solutions, particularly the importance and use of the mole concept. MS Excel will be used to generate statistics and to plot curves.

  The other main area covered is that of scientific reading and writing. You will learn to recognize good and bad sentences, use correct paragraph structure, to search for, acquire and know how to read scientific literature, and to avoid plagiarism. Finally students will learn the various forms in which science is communicated and the ways public understanding of scientific findings can be distorted.

  At the end of this module you will be able to record scientific investigation, collect data, present results, place them in the context of existing scientific literature and write a short scientific report.

• Spectroscopy and Analytical Chemistry

  This module describes the principles and practice that underpins analytical chemistry and illustrates their utility through a range of challenging analysis applications. Students will gain an understanding of instrumental techniques such as spectrophotometry, spectrofluorimetry, atomic spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, electro analysis, and analytical separations, and they will learn about the differences between these and absolute techniques of chemical analysis.

  Taking part in practical sessions, students will measure quantitative solution conductivities of strong-acid/strong-base, strong-acid/weak-base, and strong-acid weak-acid/strong-base systems. They will investigate selectivity coefficients using ion-selective Li, Na and K electrodes. The sessions also help to develop skills in serial dilutions and calibrations, and the use of potentiometry, to analyse a multi-component mixture by UV/vis spectroscopy.

• Thermodynamics of Chemical Processes

  Here, the main physical chemistry topics of: bulk materials; thermodynamics, chemical equilibria and reaction kinetics, which control the rate of reaction, the yield of reaction, and the stability of a chemical system, are all introduced. The module also relates these principles to catalysis and enzyme catalysed reactions, and provides a grounding in material relevant for second year modules.

  Practical laboratory classes will build upon concepts in accuracy and precision, and will involve the quantitative reaction of acid base systems measured using pH meters. Students will calculate the dissociation constant of weak acids and determine the enthalpy of solution from solubility measurements. They will also investigate the variation of reaction rates with temperature.

Year 2

Core

• Biochemical Techniques

  This module aims to provide a foundation in the core techniques utilised in protein purification.

  Each week the lectures and practicals lead students through the variety of techniques used to purify proteins. The lectures provide students with an understanding of the biochemical methods commonly used and their significance within a protein purification strategy. Practicals will be tightly linked to the lectures, with students being required to follow a purification strategy over the course of the module. Starting with a mixture of proteins, students are set the task of purifying one of the proteins on the basis of their biochemical properties.

  This module has four core topics that direct students through the purification process. They are:

  • Introduction to protein purification and bulk preliminary purification techniques
  • Chromatography techniques for protein purification
  • Protein and enzyme assay techniques
  • Gel electrophoresis and associated techniques.
• Biochemistry

  This module is an introduction to cellular biochemistry focusing on the core pathways of intermediary metabolism which are central to cellular function. Specifically, it focuses on two related and key areas of biochemistry. The first is enzymology; how do proteins function as biological catalysts and how are chemical reactions controlled within a cell? Students will investigate how the many chemical reactions which participate in metabolism are accurately regulated and organised.

  The second is cellular metabolism; particularly, how do cells obtain energy from their surroundings to maintain their complex order?

  The module will cover several seminal and Nobel Prize winning research topics including a detailed look at the key reactions of the citric acid cycle and the coupling of electron transport, proton pumping and ATP synthesis. The concepts and areas of biochemistry covered will be further illustrated by reference to the pathological state and human diseases which result from specific malfunctions in biochemical pathways and reactions.

• Cell Biology

  This module explores the interactions that take place both within and between cells and which allow them to perform their function in the whole organism. Students will consider five key topics within cell biology:

  • The methods used to study cells and the dynamic nature of the cytoskeleton
  • The mechanisms and physiological significance of transport across membranes
  • The mechanisms involved in cells receiving and acting upon information from outside of the cell
  • The mechanisms of development of whole organisms, examining how individual cells become committed to a particular function as development occurs
  • The regulation of the cell cycle, growth, and development. We will illustrate these topics using examples drawn from a range of biological system.
• DNA Technology

  This module introduces advanced techniques of eukaryotic recombinant DNA technology, DNA sequencing, genomics and functional genomics. Bioinformatics, the computer-based analysis of data that result from genome sequencing and the genomic approaches to understanding gene function and expression are introduced and developed in the workshops. The module practicals provide hands-on experience of quantitative gene expression analysis employing widely used state of the art PCR (polymerase chain reaction) based technology.

  Students will gain knowledge and understanding of these techniques, which will provide the basis for the informed reading and comprehension of primary experimental biological research literature required for subsequent undergraduate research projects. These technologies underpin an increasing proportion of modern biological research, particularly in the Biomedical disciplines and form the basis for rapidly developing applications in the field of personalised medicine.

• Employability Skills

  The aim of this module is to provide students with the skills they need to begin their future careers. The module will enhance career awareness, develop oral communications skills and develop CV and cover letter writing. Workshops include sessions on LinkedIn, information skills, assessment centres, interview techniques and entrepreneurship.

• Genetics

  This module takes a molecular approach to understanding heredity and gene function in organisms ranging from bacteria to man. It begins by reviewing genome diversity and how genomes are replicated accurately, comparing and contrasting replication processes in bacteria and man. The module discusses in detail molecular mechanisms, particularly those that ensure information encoded in the genome is transcribed and translated appropriately to produce cellular proteins.

  Students will focus on the importance of maintaining genome stability and damaging effects of mutations in the genome on human health. Examples are drawn from a range of inherited genetic diseases such as phenylketonuria and sickle cell anaemia, paying particular focus to how mutations in key genes are driving cancer development.

  Teaching is delivered by a series of lectures supported by varied practical work, workshops, guided reading and online resources. Laboratory practicals include investigating how exposure of bacteria to ultraviolet light induces mutations – providing a model for understanding how skin cancer may develop as a consequence of excessive sun exposure.

• Medical Microbiology

  This course examines the relationship between microbe and host; with particular focus on bacterial and viral pathogens. The diversity of structure, function and metabolism of bacteria, in relation to their role as a cause of disease, is explored and practical skills in bacteriology are introduced. Morphology and reproductive strategies of viruses are examined and methods for controlling viral infections by vaccination or anti-viral therapies are described. The course introduces principles of clinical microbiology by focusing on epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment of infection and host immune defences. The theme is one of "emergence" illustrating how some new infections have come to be a problem in health care and the importance of protective commensal microbes. The laboratory classes focus on diagnostic processes and illustrate the contribution which the microbiology laboratory can make to clinical decision making and epidemiology. This course also deals with the way in which pathogens (mainly bacteria) survive, and sometimes grow, in the environment and the implications this has for health in the community. The course is given in collaboration with health service consultants and workers from the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Trust.

• The Physical Principles of Spectroscopy

  This module discusses the underlying physical principles that govern spectroscopic techniques that compliment an in depth knowledge of techniques crucial to all areas of chemistry. Students will also be introduced to practical techniques for the recording and interpretation of spectra. The module includes topics such as the electromagnetic spectrum, atomic spectroscopy and x-ray based spectroscopic techniques. Students will also explore nuclear magnetic resonance, luminescence and spectroscopic imaging.

  Additionally, the module offers practical sessions based around NMR, UV/Vis, IR and Fluorescence, and workshops that will connect the theory to the practical interpretation of spectra. The Physical Principles of Spectroscopy aims to consolidate students’ knowledge of spectroscopic methods and expand skills to rationalisation of observed spectra in terms of the underlying chemical and physical properties of molecules and techniques.

Optional

• Bioinformatics

  This module provides a comprehensive introduction to the basics of bioinformatics. The laboratory sessions will introduce students to software for sequence manipulation, genome visualization, phylogenetics, searching for related sequences using BLAST, primer design, structural biology and more. A lab manual written specially for the module is used to guide students step-by-step through learning the software.

  Each student is assigned a virus genome sequence to which they will apply the techniques learned in the lab sessions to produce a coursework portfolio. By the end of the module, students will be prepared for more advanced bioinformatics techniques that they will encounter in third and fourth year modules, and which may also be of use to them in their dissertation projects.

• Molecular Structure Determination

  The first part of this module focuses on conformational analysis of chains and rings, with a particular focus on conformations of acyclic and cyclic hydrocarbons, and the conformations and reactivity of substituted cyclohexanes. Conformations and reactivity of cyclohexene, cyclohexanone, strained and bridgehead-containing rings will also be explored. Students will then concentrate on the application of spectroscopic methods in organic structure determination. The importance of geminal, vicinal and long range coupling in 1H NMR will be assessed, as will the uses of Nuclear Overhauser effect. 2D NMR in structure elucidation will be examined as well.

  Students will gain knowledge, understanding and skills in the conformational analysis and structural determination of organic molecules. Additionally, they will improve their skills in problem solving and analysing and interpreting data.

Year 3

Core

• Advanced Spectroscopy: Theory and Applications

  Electrochemistry and Advanced Spectroscopy explores electricity and chemical changes. The module considers the application of electricity to elicit chemical reactions and provides the fundamentals of electrochemistry and modern electrochemistry. Students will learn to analyse simple electrochemical behaviour. The spectroscopy section of the module gives an overview of a range of optical spectroscopic techniques. Students will gain an understanding of Raman theory including advancements and real world applications of Raman spectroscopy as well as luminescence spectroscopy.

• Advanced Techniques for Analytical Separations

  This module introduces students to ion mobility and column chromatography techniques of analytical separation. The principles of these separation techniques will be described and exemplified, with an emphasis on understanding how each component within a given separation technique contributes to the analytical quality and efficiency of the overall separation process. The practice of analytical chromatography will be described in terms of the application of advanced methods that enable the optimisation of separation resolution, detection sensitivity, and analysis time.

  Students will gain an appreciation of how analytical separation systems rely on a combination of components working together and how the performance of any individual component affects the overall separation process. Throughout, practical examples of separation applications will be used to illustrate the principles and practice taught in the module. The module also demonstrates how an understanding of the fundamental chemical principles of a technique may be used to assist method development and the optimisation of the practical application of a technique. A study of analytical separations brings together both qualitative and quantitative analysis of chemical data.

• Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology

  Students will be introduced to the importance of molecular, metabolic and cellular interactions within parasitic protists, and between a range of parasitic protists and their hosts.

  The course will provide students with an understanding of how the life cycle strategies used by protists enable them to gain access to, and survive within, the host as well as the impact that protist parasites have on human health. Practicals will provide an opportunity for students to apply immunological skills to investigate the host-parasite interaction.

• Proteins: Structure, Function & Evolution

  Understanding how life works depends to a great extent on understanding how proteins work. Thanks to the Human Genome Project, we now have a catalogue of all the proteins that are encoded in the human genome. This might be thought of as life’s toolbox. The next questions are: how do those tools work; how do they interact with each other; and how have they evolved over the billions of years of evolutionary time that have led to us? This module introduces modern techniques for the study of protein structure, function and evolution.

  Lectures cover: structural-functional relationships in proteins; methods for detecting the action of Darwinian selection in protein evolution; methods for reconstructing the evolutionary events that have led to present-day proteins; and, the new lab techniques that are allowing us to study protein function on a large scale. In the practical sessions, you will gain hands on experience of molecular phylogenetics – the main tool for studying evolution at the molecular level – as it is applied to proteins. Assessment is by an exam and a coursework essay on a protein of your choice, giving you a chance to apply your new knowledge of protein biochemistry to any of your own areas of interest in biology.

• The Chemistry of Biomedical Imaging

  This module describes the use of chemical contrast agents in biological and medical imaging. Various techniques will be introduced with a discussion of their strengths and weaknesses and the requirements for chemical agents to enhance their usefulness. The design and synthesis of general classes of agents and specific examples of clinical imaging agents (e.g. FDG, Myoview) will be presented, showing how the biological/pharmaceutical properties (membrane transport, toxicity) and physical properties required for imaging can be successfully balanced with molecular design. Finally, the area of multi-modal agents will be introduced and real-life applications of selected agents is illustrated.

  The module will introduce key concepts relating to the chemistry behind and the design, synthesis and application of chemical agents in MRI; PET; SPECT; Fluorescence microscopy and other optical techniques. Finally the module will introduce the concept of multimodal imaging and explore the issues involved and prospects for development in this area.

Optional

• Cancer

  In this module students are given an overview of the cellular and molecular processes that underpin the development of cancer. This will enable students to discuss the various factors that can affect cancer susceptibility. Students will look at the approaches taken to treat cancer, including some of the new generation of molecularly-targeted cancer therapies.

• Cell Cycle and Stem Cells

  This module looks at the fundamental mechanisms regulating cell proliferation and differentiation and how the cell cycle is central to the development and maintenance of cells and tissues including the role of stem cells. It covers the mechanisms by which cells become terminally differentiated to perform specialised functions and how this process depends on coordinated regulation of the cell cycle, gene expression and apoptosis. The cell cycle’s role in the regulation and differentiation of both somatic and stem cells will be covered. Students will examine the roles of embryonic stem cells in development, and the roles of adult stem cells in the maintenance of various tissues in the adult organism. The module will look at both established and recently developed stem cell technologies. This includes adult, embryonic, cloned embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cell technologies. The pros and cons of autogenic and allogenic therapies will be discussed. The results of the latest clinical trials and the ethics of the different stem cell technologies will also be covered.

• Cell Signalling

  The ability of cells to communicate with one another using signalling pathways is of fundamental importance in multicellular organisms such as mammals. Cell signalling enables the transmission of information that is required for the correct co-ordination of metabolism, growth and development.

  This module revises the basic principles of cellular communication, exploring the molecular basis of signalling in detail by using key signalling pathways as examples. The combination of Lectures and Workshops allows students to evaluate influential scientific discoveries, whilst Laboratory practicals provide the opportunity to put theory into practice.

• Cell Signalling, Transport and Disease

  This module explores some of the key roles played by ion channels and calcium ions in the communication that takes place within and between cells. The module is split into two linked themes. Firstly, an introduction to the diversity of ion channel families and their biological functions including the many different cellular processes throughout the life history of cells that are regulated by calcium ions as signals. Secondly, an investigation of the importance of ion channels and calcium signalling in animals, and human physiology in particular, using examples of diseases that are caused when ion channels malfunction (e.g. myotonia, malignant hyperthermia, sudden heart arrest caused by long QT syndrome.) or calcium signalling is disrupted (e.g. Alzheimer’s disease, polycystic kidney disease, pancreatitis). Students also gain hands-on experience of the techniques used to study ion channels and calcium signalling in cells.

• Clinical Immunology

  Every day our body does something remarkable, but we are completely unaware of it most of the time: our immune system is constantly protecting us from pathogens in our environment as well as threats from within. This highly evolved, interdependent collection of organs, cells and chemical messengers is continually scanning our tissues for any unwanted intruders or abnormal cells. When we get ill, with a cold for example, full mobilisation of our immune system sends armies of cells and molecules to fight the problem in what can sometimes literally be a fight to the death. Fortunately for us, our immune system wins the battle almost every time!

  In this module we examine the various components of the immune system – the organs, cells, and messengers, and how they function in health and illness. We look at particular threats such as allergies, infectious diseases and cancer, providing students with a good understanding of how this vital component of our bodies keeps us well.

• Genetics

  How is DNA, the fundamental building block of life, organised and expressed in different types of organisms such as bacteria and humans? Lectures comparing eukaryotic and prokaryotic gene organisation and expression, chromatin structure and DNA repair will seek to answer this question. In addition, you will study the application of genetics to science and technology during practical and workshop sessions, providing you with the opportunity to develop group and independent working skills whilst reinforcing theoretic concepts.

• Innovation in the Biosciences

  In this module students will work together as a team to propose a solution to a problem of biological relevance, for example antibiotic resistance, invasive species or healthy ageing. The solution may be a patentable, commercial product or a policy proposal. Weekly workshop sessions will be held for the whole class which will include presentations from external speakers on topics such as intellectual property, project management and negotiating skills. Each team will choose a leader who will be responsible for organising regular meetings in which ideas are developed, tasks assigned and information gathered. The team will produce a report in the form of a patent application or policy document which will form part of the module assessment. The remainder of the assessment will be based on an oral presentation. Peer-assessment will be used to adjust tutors' marks according to individual contribution to the project.

• Medical Genetics

  This module aims to provide an understanding of the organisation of the human genome, how disease genes are mapped and how mutations are identified leading to the development of diagnostic tests. The impacts of massively parallel next generation DNA sequencing, microarrays and SNP genotyping on gene discovery and disease diagnosis are examined. The application of modern genetic techniques to identifying susceptibility genes for complex, multifactorial traits will also be studied. A range of diseases will be examined in detail both in lectures and in case study workshop sessions. The final lecture looks at gene therapy and considers the future for treatment of genetic disorders. The practical session aims to give students an opportunity to study their own DNA in a forensics scenario, using techniques that are widely applicable in modern molecular genetics.

• Neurobiology

  Nervous system function, from formation in the embryo to sensory systems and the neural control of complex behaviours, is the focus of this module. The emphasis is on model systems and the use of genetic tools to elucidate developmental pathways and neural circuits. Practical exercises are used to illustrate some of the functions of nervous systems and how these can be manipulated by genetic intervention.

  Students are encouraged to access and evaluate information from a variety of sources and to communicate the principles in a way that is well-organised, topical, and recognises the limits of current hypotheses. On completion of the module, students will be equipped with practical techniques including data collection, analysis and interpretation.

• Tropical Diseases

  This module is presented by academics with many years’ experience working on international tropical disease research. In the era of increasing international travel and trade, and considering the potential effects of climate change, parasites and pathogens that cause tropical diseases are an increasingly important group of organisms globally. These pathogens include viruses, bacteria, protists, worms and arthropods of various kinds.

  Students will focus on the biology of the major pathogens including their life cycles, transmission mechanisms, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control. There will be an emphasis on insect transmitted diseases such as malaria, dengue and neglected diseases such as leishmaniasis. Students will discuss international public health, and specific factors that prevent successful control within economically deprived communities.

  Molecular approaches will not be covered in detail. Case study workshops will look at disease outbreaks, and practical sessions will explore and develop concepts from lectures and demonstrate some practical techniques that can be used to facilitate research into tropical diseases.

Year 4

Core

• Advanced NMR: Proteins, Solids and Imaging

  This module provides an advanced introduction into nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which is the principal spectroscopic technique used by chemists, biochemists, and biologists, to determine the structure of molecules and study their dynamics. In modern usage, NMR is an extremely powerful technique as the experiments can be performed in a way that enhances or removes certain types of information from the spectra, facilitating their interpretation.

  In this module, the basic principles of the method are presented from a physical chemistry perspective. This is followed by discussion of the experimental methods appropriate to the study of both liquid and solid samples. Applications of NMR to the structure and dynamic of proteins, to solid-state inorganic materials and medical imaging are also explored.

• MSci Project Literature Review

  Together with BIOL469 MSci Research Project, the projects comprise half of the final year assessment for MSci schemes. The literature review provides the opportunity for students to explore an area of bioscience, related to the research project, in depth. Published articles are summarised and critically reviewed to identify gaps in current knowledge and to provide the background for the student’s own research. The literature review consists of a 4,000 word dissertation which is written during the autumn term of the final year and submitted along with the research project in the summer term.

• MSci Research Project

  Together with BIOL470 MSci Project Literature Review, the projects comprise half of the final year assessment for MSci schemes. The research project allows students to spend an extended period of time in the research lab of a member of academic staff, carrying out original research and working alongside PhD students and other researchers. Students develop skills learned in the third year project to enhance student independence and provide experience of the laboratory based research environment. Students develop an adaptable, flexible, and effective approach to research questions and the ways in which their practical skills can be used to address such questions. Results of the research are reported in an 8,000 word dissertation submitted during the summer term of the final year.

Optional

• Bioinformatics

  This module is intended to give students the confidence to use bioinformatics tasks in their ongoing professional lives, providing an overview of over a dozen bioinformatics applications. Practical sessions will introduce students to software for a range of techniques including: sequence manipulation, genome visualization, phylogenetics, phylogeographics, evolutionary analyses and structural biology. Practicals are supported by lectures which provide the basics of the algorithms used in bioinformatics. Each student will be assigned a set of virus genome sequences, to which they will apply the techniques learned in the lab sessions, and produce a coursework portfolio demonstrating their mastery of the software applications.

• Diseases of the Brain

  This module introduces the concept of protein misfolding disorders, and expands this through consideration of two major neurodegenerative diseases; Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The role of oxidative stress and proteases in neurodegenerative diseases is covered in detail, before examining the role of lipids in various brain disorders. The module also considers how animal models can be used to study both normal brain aging and neurodegenerative diseases.

• Drug Development (from concept to clinic)

  This module introduces principles involved in the discovery and development of a new drug from initial concept to the identification of a candidate compound to first use in man. This knowledge is extended by learning how the pharmaceutical industry and small biotech companies use contemporary scientific advances to identify drug targets and develop new drugs. How new drug entities are tested, developed and ultimately reach the market is examined using ‘real life’ examples in the form of case studies.

• Emerging Therapeutics in Immunology

  The aim of this module is to provide a broad understanding of the human immune system, more detailed knowledge of human immunological disorders and the application of cutting edge immunological research to biomedical science and clinical practice. Technical skills associated with this course include experience and data analysis of advanced flow cytometry techniques and insight into how research findings are reported and presented to the scientific community and media.

• Molecular Basis of Cancer

  This module provides insight into the underlying molecular events in the development of cancer, how cancers spread through the body and explain how an understanding of the molecular basis of cancer has led to the development of novel cancer treatments. Workshops allow students to study the aetiology and progression of one particular type of cancer in depth, and also to understand how cancer is studied in practice.