An integrated module in molecular biology that is taught through lectures, tutorials and a laboratory-based experimental research project. The laboratory project and associated tutorials will introduces you to the processes of DNA cloning and DNA analyses. In the research component emphasis is placed on technical and numerical skills, scientific observation and data analyses. You will write your research project results in the form of a scientific paper and give an oral presentation to your tutor group. You will therefore gain experience in communicating scientific results and findings. To help you prepare for the practicals and exams there will be formative quizzes and online bespoke exercises.

After taking this module you should be able to describe the key concepts and areas of molecular biology findings in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. More specifically you will be expected to know and understand:

Nucleic acids, their structure and properties and how these are used in research techniques.
	Plasmids and their properties and how the plasmids will be manipulated in the laboratory research project. (Plasmids are used in the laboratory research project).
	How information passes between bacteria through the processes of transformation and conjugation.
	How bacteriophage such as bacteriophage lambda infect bacterial cells and use mechanisms to control their survival.
	Techniques of DNA sequence analysis e.g. dideoxy and new generation sequencing technologies applied to human and microbial genomes and the databases that store sequence information. Techniques of RNA analysis e.g. transcriptomics.
	The features of the human genome e.g. genes and gene families, pseudogenes, LINES and SINES.
	Transcription and its regulation in bacteria (exemplified using specific operons as examples).
	DNA replication. DNA proof-reading and repair mechanisms
	Translation of mRNA and the processes and control of protein synthesis
	How cloned DNAs are used to produce proteins in cell culture systems.
	How proteins are targeted to their correct cellular location.
	Eukaryotic molecular biology
	Synthetic Biology and transgene design
Indicative lecture list (based on 2021/22)

Induction
	Nucleic acids; research project
	Plasmids
	Bacteriophage lambda- life cycle and properties
	Cloning vectors, libraries, sequencing; Understanding our genome
	Understanding our genome; Genome projects; RNA profiling
	Gene regulation in bacteria
	Bacterial Conjugation
	Translation, protein synthesis
	Protein Trafficking
	How DNA helps us to study proteins
	DNA replication, repair and methylation
	Synthetic Biology and DIY-Bio