Genetics

It is widely held that nothing in biology makes sense, except in the light of evolution. But evolutionary theory is crucial not only for making sense of organic diversity, but also for helping us understand and manage our interactions with other organisms: antibiotic and insecticide resistance, disease virulence, fisheries decline, spread of invasive species, human behaviour and life-histories are all informed by a knowledge of the processes of evolution. This subject will reveal the ubiquity of biological evolution in both natural and human modified environments. It will describe and explain the agents of change— drift, migration and selection, and show their effects on both single and multiple gene traits, and on the phylogenetic relationships of species. The subject will introduce co-evolutionary processes, which are critical for understanding traits that evolve through interactions between species, including humans. Particular topics will include (but not limited to): heritable variation; agents of evolution; artificial, natural and sexual selection; phenotypes and quantitative genetics; phylogeny, speciation and the tree of life; and antagonistic and mutualistic co-evolution. The subject will emphasise both the outcome and process of scientific research leading to our understanding of evolutionary processes, drawing on examples from across the diversity of life.

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This subject will describe the fundamental characteristics of a genome, its structure and how genetic information contained within the genome is expressed and transmitted. The subject will integrate the molecular basis of genetic variation with the principles of Mendelian, quantitative and population genetics to explain patterns of genetic variation. A core aspect of this subject will be the development of analytical skills associated with solving genetic-based problems and interpreting data from genetic experiments.

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The emphasis of this subject is on understanding how evolutionary forces shape the gene pool, on the use of molecular markers in genome mapping, in dissecting polygenic traits by mapping quantitative trait loci, and in other applications such as phylogenetics and conservation biology. The topics covered will be classical population genetics, the impact of natural selection, processes of speciation, conservation genetics, evolution of development, phylogenetic reconstruction, development of saturated linkage maps, physical mapping of genomes, mapping quantitative trait loci, comparative genomics, functional genomics and high-throughout methods of scoring genetic polymorphisms.

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This subject focuses on gene structure, function and regulation, which form the molecular basis of many important biological phenomena such as short-term organismal and cellular responses to rapid changes in environmental conditions and long-term controls of development. The molecular mechanisms underlying these phenomena are frequently exploited in biotechnology, medical and agricultural applications. The topics covered in this subject include gene structure; genome organisation; regulation of gene expression by transcriptional, translational and post-translational control; and regulatory networks. These processes are presented in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, using examples in model organisms and humans. Understanding of these processes is considered in the context of significant historical genetic experiments and through the application of current molecular genetic and genomic techniques.

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The subject provides a capstone experience for students majoring in Genetics. It involves lectures and practical exercises which demonstrate advanced principles and techniques of genetic analysis from classical and population genetics to modern molecular technology. An emphasis is placed on student participation in experimental design and data analysis. Tutorials will be used to illustrate modern aspects of Genetics by the in-depth consideration of current publications in the field.

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A capacity to interpret data is fundamental to making informed decisions in everyday life. The design of experiments, analysis, and interpretation of biological data also lie at the very heart of the scientific enterprise. You cannot be a scientist without an understanding of data and design. This subject introduces you to fundamental concepts in data science for biology, with emphasis on modern statistical methods. Drawing on real biological problems and datasets, as well as drawing on data collected by the class, the lectures cover foundational concepts in experimental design and statistical modelling. The subject emphasises hands-on problem solving. As well as a solid grounding in statistical methodology, you will also develop practical skills, developing your capacity to design experiments, collect data, and analyse those data using the R statistical environment.

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This subject develops a student’s knowledge of cell biology, introduced in second year subjects. The subject describes the molecular mechanisms underpinning eukaryotic cell and tissue organisation, morphology and behaviour and their importance in biomedicine. We will explore the relationships between cellular organisation and the biological functions of normal and stressed cells, as well as experimental strategies for investigating the molecular basis of these relationships. The subject matter includes the compartmentalisation of eukaryotic cells; intracellular trafficking of biomolecules; the structure, function and biogenesis of subcellular organelles; protein folding and maturation; vesicle-mediated transport; structure and function of the extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules and their role in diseased states such as malignancies; cellular stress responses and linked signal transduction events; cytoskeletal structures and the signal transduction processes regulating the assembly and disassembly of actin-cytoskeleton; molecular processes determining cell movement and shape changes; imaging of processes within live cells. Students will also gain an appreciation of the major concepts involved in the development of a range of organisms. This multi-disciplinary subject is co-taught by staff in the School of Biomedical Sciences and School of BioSciences. A feature of this subject is the application of this knowledge in pure and applied research and thus will provide a platform for students in many Life Science majors.

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Genetics permeates all aspects of modern life, and modern genetic technologies are being developed at an unprecedented rate with impacts on our understanding of human biology and implications for medicine. This subject will expose students to a deeper understanding of human genetics including the origins of human genomes, rapidly advancing technologies to study and understand genomes, and how this can be used for understanding and improving human health, as well as the overarching ethical considerations.

This subject focuses on several key areas in contemporary human genetics: the contributions mutation and natural selection make to human populations; the genetic basis of non-communicable diseases; strategies (technologies) for identifying the genetic basis of human disease; genetics of cancer and ageing; genetic counselling and gene by environment interactions.

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