“BIOL0003 Introduction to Genetics” presents modern genetics in a specifically non-molecular context in the hope that students will see that molecular biology has the potential to answer larger and more important questions rather than being simply an end in itself. You will be introduced to the genetics of a variety of creatures from peas to humans. Topics include: Basic Mendelism, genetic linkage and linkage maps, chromosomes, cytoplasmic inheritance, mutation and mutagenesis, quantitative genetics, family structure, population genetics and evolutionary genetics.

In addition to lectures, you will attend biweekly group tutorial sessions – 4 assessed tutorials and a Drosophila practical.Tutorials are organised as supervised working sessions, where you will be able to work at your own pace.  At the end of the module you should be able to analyse pedigrees, construct simple genetic maps, analyse quantitative characters and the distribution of genes in populations, understand the nature of mutation and have developed some insight into the sort of "genetical thinking" - from Mendel to McClintock - that has the potential to illuminate the important problems of molecular and cellular biology today.

Indicative lecture topics – based on module content in 2021/22

Lecture 1: Introduction to Mendelism

Lecture 2: Recombination and Mendel’s Second Law

Lecture 3-4: Modifications of Mendel

Lecture 5: Sex Linkage and the Chromosome Theory

Lecture 6: Chromosome rearrangements 1/2

Lecture 7: Changes in chromosome number 

Lecture 8: Genetic linkage and two-point mapping 

Lecture 9: Genetic linkage and three-point mapping

Lecture 10: Chromosome structure and further mapping

Lecture 11: Gene and Environment Interaction

Lecture 12: Quantitative Genetics

Lecture 13: Behavioural Genetics

Lecture 14: Family Genetics and Inbreeding

Lecture 15: Genetics with a Single Parent

 Lecture 16-18: Population  Genetics

Lecture 19: Mutation

 Lecture 20: Mutagenesis

Module Aims

To provide a course of basic genetics for students in the Life Sciences that introduces them to the major principles of genetic theory
	To teach genetic theory using examples from both human and non-human systems
	To introduce students to researching and understanding the scientific literature and develop their skills in scientific writing
	To prepare students for more specialised courses in genetics which require an understanding of basic genetic theory
Learning Objectives

By the end of the course, students should:

Understand that genetics underpins all fields of the biological sciences
	Have an enhanced knowledge and understanding of genetics in different human and non-human systems
	Be able to integrate related topics from different parts of the course
	Develop better researching and writing skills