Experimental Genetics and Model Systems will give you a detailed introduction to the experimental approaches and the major plant and animal models used to study eukaryotic genetics. As each model is introduced, we will discuss how it has been used to shed light on a particular aspect of biology. For example, zebrafish is a model for vertebrate developmental genetics while Drosophila is increasingly used in cancer research.

Learning Objectives

After taking this module you should be able to describe the major eukaryotic model systems used to study genetics and give illustrative examples comparing their use. More specifically you would be expected to know and understand:-

Basic biology and life cycles of genetic model systems including; invertebrates (Drosophila and C. elegans); nonhuman vertebrates (zebrafish and mice) and higher plants (Arabidopsis)
	Experimental approaches used to study these organisms include classical (e.g. linkage mapping, mutant generation and screening), molecular (e.g. transformation, transgenesis and genome editing) and bioinformatic (comparative genetics and the impact of large-scale genome projects and whole genome sequencing).
	Applications of these diverse model systems to study different aspects of genetics..
As well as lectures you will have workshops on forward genetics and gene regulation that will develop your ability to read research papers critically and collaborate with your peers to solve problems. You will learn how to write a news and views article and work in groups to develop and present a research proposal using the experimental approaches covered in the lectures to address a specific question.

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

Zebrafish genetics

Development, disease and mutant screens
	Cloning developmental genes
Mouse genetics

Mutagenesis and obesity mutants
	Cloning obesity genes (positional cloning)
	ES cells and gene targeting
C. elegans genetics

Classical genetics (epistasis analysis and signaling pathways)
	RNAi, functional genomics and whole genome sequencing
Plant and algal genetics

Origins and transposable elements
	Transgenesis and insertional mutagenesis
	Arabidopsis and genome editing
Drosophila genetics

Transgenics and tumourigenesis
	Modelling metastasis in flies