Specific topics that will be covered include: cellular homeostasis and protein quality control; molecular biology in pathogen research; prokaryotic signalling; biotechnology of algae and cyanobacteria.

You will gain an appreciation of the current state of knowledge of fundamental molecular mechanisms in intact cells, specifically:

pathways that are implicated in human disease and areas of biotechnology;
	how molecular pathways can be manipulated through genetic engineering for academic, translational-based research and large-scale industrial applications;
	experimental strategies exploring molecular biology, biochemistry and structural biology techniques taken from current research;
You will have lectures and will be provided specific reading lists of references to help develop an understanding of molecular mechanisms applying protein/RNA/DNA engineering using rational design, to examine current examples of contemporary biological applications. The material covered in lectures will be drawn from the latest research, and specific topics that will be explored include: human conformational diseases, cellular respiration, single-molecule studies of nucleic acids, prokaryotic signalling in arsenite consumption, biofuel production from algae and cyanobacteria.

Through coursework and workshops you will develop critical reasoning and analytical skills to evaluate research papers effectively, and present scientific information to specialist and general audiences. Through independent learning and group activities, you will learn skills in developing and presenting a scientific research proposal / entrepreneurial idea based upon material covered in lectures.

Indicative Lecture List for 22/23:

Theme 1: Proteostasis & Human Disease 

Examines fundamental principles of how proteins are synthesised and acquire structure in the cell the role of proteostasis, the consequences of misfolding in human disease, and applied approaches towards translational science.

Introduction to proteostasis and human conformational diseases
	Structural biology of protein folding and misfolding during biosynthesis
	Quantitative biophysical studies (including mass spectrometry, fluorescence) of protein conformational change, misfolding and aggregation
Theme 2: Engineering Genetic Processes 

Examines principles of the genome and also the ways in which it can be modified, to understand the transfer of genetic information and how it can be used to solve biotechnology problems in industry.

Single-molecule approaches for genome biology
	DNA topology in disease
	Algae as a novel biofuel
	Engineering new designer biofuels and bioreactors for industry
Theme 3: Manipulating Energetic Processes within the Cell

Examines principles of cellular respiration, metabolism, and signalling and their application in human disease and the environmental sciences.

Structural and biophysical studies of cellular respiration
	Cell signalling and chemotaxis
	Principles of metabolism in the environment