biological sciences first year guidebook 2018/19 · biological sciences first year guidebook...

Biological Sciences First Year Guidebook 2018/19

Disclaimer The timetable below was correct at the time of publication. However, you must check your email and Blackboard

regularly, as occasionally changes may have to be made.

Structure of Year One

1. Year One consists of four academic modules • Biological Chemistry and Microbiology BCM including quantitative QUANT support

• Cell Biology and Genetics CBG

• Biology of Organisms OB

• Ecology and Evolution EE including statistics STATS and activities at Silwood Park SP

2. Year One is taught and examined in two parts • BCM and OB are taught in weeks 1 to 12, examined in week 14 (January). • EE and CBG are taught in weeks 16 to 28, examined in weeks 29+30 (June).

3. Year One provides time for structured private study

• There are only c. 40 lectures per module, to allow time for private study, and for Horizons.

4. Each module has associated small-group tutorials with academic staff • All tutorials have clear objectives and teaching materials. They are designed to support the lectured

material, and improve your analytical skills. • Most tutorials are problem-oriented, with problems collated by module Convenors and made available in

advance of the tutorial. • Specific tutorials teach essay-writing skills, criticism of research papers, presentation skills, etc., and some

will be used to discuss your essay submissions. • The Library will provide support in information literacy through lectures and hands-on sessions.

5. Each module has associated practicals, designed to serve a distinct purpose • Some practicals are formatively assessed (i.e. do not contribute to your coursework grade), and some

practicals are summatively assessed (i.e. they do contribute to your coursework grade credit). • Statistical skills and the use of R are taught in workshops in spring term (weeks 15+16), and assessed by a

test in spring term in week 20 that contributes to your EE coursework grade. • Formative practicals in pipetting, microscopy, etc., are timetabled, with lectures to support them. • Students will maintain a lab-book, and this will be commented upon by personal tutors. • Field-trips to Silwood associated with the EE module are scheduled in autumn and summer terms.

6. Personal tutorials and some lectures are scheduled to develop general skills

• Personal tutorials PT are scheduled, with rooms, times, and objectives for each. Topics will include:

o Critical review of lecture notes and lab-book early in autumn term o Revision and exams o Time management o Second year options, planning CVs and careers

• Induction and other help sessions run by the Senior Tutor, First Year Convenor, Library and other staff will

cover revision, study and computing skills, safety, information literacy, careers guidance, team-based learning, and general induction to College and the Department.

• Peer-assisted learning sessions PAL with Y2 and Y3 students are available throughout the autumn and spring

terms. Suggestions of what you might ask your mentors to cover in each session are included in the timetable, but this isn’t meant to be prescriptive: you choose what to do in these sessions!

Biological Sciences Degrees – Department of Life Sciences – Imperial College London 2

Learning objectives for Year One # Objective Formative development Summative assessment

1 Can navigate Blackboard and other College ICT infrastructure

Computing induction in week 1 [Formative only]

2 Knows department's expectations and procedures for coursework, mitigating circumstances, etc.

Biology introduction in week 1 and revision lecture in week 6 Personal tuition

Coursework submissions

3 Works safely in lab and knows how to properly maintain a lab-book

Safety induction in week 1 Lab-coats/safety specs in practicals Sterile technique practicals Guided lab-book review by peers and personal tutor

[Formative only]

4 Is able to take usable and thorough lecture notes (or equivalent)

Second personal tutorial: review of lecture notes (or equivalent), formative tests on Blackboard

Exams

5 Uses databases and RefWorks to identify sources of information and cites sources in the approved Harvard style

Lectures and workshops from Library Formative OB essay in autumn term Use of TurnItIn to detect plagiarism

EE and CBG essays

6 Writes confidently and competently in well-structured scientific English, and in their own words

Lectures and workshops from Library Feedback in academic and personal tutorials

Exams EE and CBG essays

7 Can use R to perform statistical tests including linear regression, t, and χ2 tests, and ANOVA

Statistics workshops STATS test CBG bacterial growth practical, and other practicals as required

8 Is able to use appropriate pipettes, spectrophotometers and other important lab equipment

Quantitative skills lecture Protein estimation practical

[Formative only]

9 Is capable of rearranging equations, including those involving logarithms, and can perform basic lab arithmetic

Maths for Biologists document (on Blackboard) – self-directed study Quantitative skills lecture Protein estimation, bacterial growth and pH/buffer practicals

BCM enzymology practicals

10 Can use a compound microscope and make clear drawings

OB microscopy lecture Autumn term practicals

OB microscopy write-up

11 Is able to critically evaluate scientific literature

Spring term academic tutorials EE and CBG essays

12 Is able to critically analyse methods and results of an experiment

Formatively assessed practicals Assessed practicals, especially… BCM ion exchange practical write-up CBG bacterial growth practical test

13 Can explain meaning and limitations of the 'scientific method'

OB lecture Personal tutorials

[Formative only, but underlying all material]

14 Can give clear oral account of work or ideas in presentations

Autumn term tutorials EE seminar

EE conservation tutorial presentation CBG bacterial growth practical presentation

15 Can use word-processing and spread-sheet applications

Essays BCM protein estimation practical write-up (Excel)

Essays BCM enzymology practical write-up (Excel)

16 Is capable of working independently and in groups

Spring term tutorials Lab-partner (with rotation)

Organisation of… EE algal growth experiment CBG bacterial growth experiment (team based learning)

17 Can design experiments EE tutorials CBG bacterial growth practical

18 Reads around the lecture material Research for essays CBG online assessment Exams

19 Knows and has practiced the types of question set in exams

Online formative tests → MCQs Tutorials → Data interpretation Coursework essays → Essays

Exams


Academic integrity

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s thoughts, words, images or diagrams as though they were your

own. Another form of plagiarism is self-plagiarism, which involves using your own prior work without acknowledging

its reuse. The reuse of previously submitted work, even in parts, is not permitted because a student cannot gain

marks for submitting prior work in subsequent assignments. You are reminded that all work you submit must be

expressed in your own words and must incorporate your own ideas and judgments.

Plagiarism is considered a cheating offence and must be avoided, with particular care on coursework, essays, reports

and projects written in your own time and also in open and closed book written examinations. This includes the use

of text available on the internet.

Submission of a copy of another student's work is not acceptable and will be regarded as plagiarism. No mark will be

awarded. If you suspect that your work has been copied, you should inform staff in the Education Office.

If you prepare a piece of work with other students, for example a practical report, you must write it up using your

own words and incorporating your own ideas and judgements. If two or more reports are submitted using

substantially the same language, a single mark will be applied and this mark will be divided equally between the two

or more students who submitted them.

Similarly, direct quotations from the published or unpublished work of others, from the internet, or from any other

source must always be clearly identified as such by being placed inside quotation marks, and a full reference to their

source must be provided in the proper form. Remember that a series of short quotations from different sources, if

not clearly identified as such, constitutes plagiarism just as much as a single unacknowledged long quotation from a

single source. Equally, if you summarise another person's ideas or judgments, figures, diagrams or software, you

must refer to that person in your text and include the work referred to in a list at the end of your submission. This

list should identify published work that has been used for background preparation (General Bibliography) and also

separately identify items that are specifically mentioned in the text. Full details of these references should be given:

names of authors, title of work, year of publication and where appropriate the volume (mainly scientific journals),

page numbers and publisher (mainly books) or Internet URL

Where plagiarism is detected in group work, members of that group may be deemed to have collective responsibility

for the integrity of work submitted by that group and may be liable for any penalty imposed, proportionate to their

contribution.

Where a first case of plagiarism has occurred and where the Board of Examiners judge that it does not form a

significant part of the work and where the student concerned admits that plagiarism has occurred the case will be

referred to the Chair of the Board of Examiners for action. The action in such cases is:

• The student concerned be informally reprimanded and:

• The mark for the work be reduced, or

• Zero mark for module

More serious cases of plagiarism will be reported to the Academic Registrar who will investigate the allegation. Note

that repeated cases of "minor" plagiarism will be considered to constitute a serious case of plagiarism. If a student is

found guilty of plagiarism the consequences can be severe, including the requirement to leave College.

Where collusion is suspected (i.e. use is made of another student’s work with their consent) then both students will

be penalised if found guilty.

Students should be aware that regular checks for plagiarism will be made on submitted work.


Collusion

This is the term used for work that has been conducted by more than one individual, in contravention of the

assessment brief. Where it is alleged that there has been collusion, all parties will be investigated under the

Academic Misconduct procedure.

Exam offences

Exam offences include behaviour such as bringing authorised material into an exam, attempting to communicate

with others apart from the invigilator, trying to remove examination material without permission, taking an exam for

someone else or getting someone else to take an exam for you.

Dishonest practice

Examples of dishonest practice include bribery, contact cheating (buying work from an essay mill or other individual

to submit as your own), attempting to access exam papers before the exam, making a false claim for mitigating

circumstances or providing fraudulent evidence, falsifying documentation or signatures in relation to assessment.

For further information, please refer the College's Plagiarism, Academic Integrity & Exam Offences site

Mitigating circumstances for exams and coursework If you miss any part of a course, and especially if you can’t submit coursework, through illness or other personal

issues you must notify the Life Sciences Education Office before the deadline by completing a mitigating

circumstances form for each affected submission and emailing it to [email protected].

This information is required to avoid penalties for late hand-in of work and importantly for second and third year

moderation in cases of more serious disruption to your work. All information will be kept to the minimum number of

people within the Life Sciences staff, but you must state if the information is to be kept completely confidential. It is

also advisable to keep your personal tutor informed of any issues that may affect your performance. If you have

documentation that would support your claim, it is advisable to provide this to expedite the decision.

Please do not contact the course convenor directly regarding extensions or absence from other sessions. Once you

have submitted the mitigating circumstances form and supporting documents your situation will be discussed with

the convenor by the Education Office so that a suitable extension to be decided upon can be agreed.

For examinations, if you think you will be unable to attend an examination for medical or another valid reason, or

you miss part of an examination through illness, you must ensure that the Life Sciences Education Office is informed

immediately. Documentary evidence of the reason for absence will need to be provided within one week of the

examination.

Minor and major mitigating circumstances forms can be downloaded from LifeSci Central on Blackboard

http://www.imperial.ac.uk/student-records-and-data/for-current-students/undergraduate-and-taught-postgraduate/exams-assessments-and-regulations/plagiarism-academic-integrity--exam-offences/

mailto:[email protected]

https://bb.imperial.ac.uk/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_1142432_1&course_id=_12010_1


Timetable • All 09:00 and 11:00 morning lectures (and the occasional 10:00 workshops) take place in the Read lecture

theatre in Sherfield.

• Almost all afternoon practicals take place in lab 460 in Sir Alexander Fleming (SAF). A few are in the Barber

lab in RCS1, these are noted in the timetable.

• All academic tutorials take place in the ground-floor seminar rooms in SAF (G17, G67, G68, G69). The

timetable below shows the full 3 hour booking, but your tutorial itself will be a 1 hour slot in this 3 hour

block: check iCal/BB for details for your particular group.

• Peer assisted learning (PAL) sessions take place in the mezzanine seminar rooms in SAF (119, 120, 121, 122)

• All personal tutorials take place in whatever rooms are available: this usually includes the SAF ground-floor

seminar rooms, but also e.g. 213A and 213B in Sir Ernst Chain (SEC), opposite the Education Office, or the 7th

floor common room (SEC 7) in the same building. Some tutors may need to re-arrange the dates/times

because of other commitments. The Education Office will let you know details by email.

• Afternoon sessions (practicals and tutorials) usually start at 14:00 and run till 17:00, except on Tuesdays,

when they start at 13:00 and run to 16:00 to allow space for Horizons.

• Almost all online tests, stats workshops and other computer-based sessions take place in the ground-floor

computer rooms in SAF (G27, and sometimes G28 and G29 too). A few take place in 310 or 311 in SEC, these

are noted in the timetable.

• Almost all deadlines for coursework submission are at 13:00, and require submission in electronic copy to

Blackboard (BB), in hard copy to the education office (EO), or occasionally both (BB + EO).

Autumn term 2018

Week 1 Mon 1 Oct Tue 2 Oct Wed 3 Oct Thu 4 Oct Fri 5 Oct

09:00 (BST)

Freshers’ Fair

Computing

introduction (MS)

First-year introduction

(SRC, HDW)

10:00

10:30 Biological

Sciences welcome

(HDW, SRC, MC, SNC,

AD, PS, LG, JS, JMA, SB) 11:00 Safety introduction

(SH)

Study skills (SNC) 11:00-12:30 (A) Collect

lab coats and lab

books [RCS1 Barber]

(DF, SR) 12:00

12:30-14:00 (B) Collect

lab coats and books

[RCS1 Barber] (DF, SR) 13:00

14:00 College introduction

[Great Hall]

(B) Library

introduction (EK) [G27]

(A) Library

introduction (EK) [G27]

15:00 15:30 Introduction to

RCSU and BioSoc [SAF

122] 16:00 Introduction for

Language for Science

students [315

Sherfield] 17:00

Deadlines 13:00 (A+B) English

test on Blackboard



09:00 ob.01 The Tree-of-Life

(MDB)

ob.03 Scientific method (MDB) Set OB essay titles

ob.05 Origin of the Metazoa (AML)

ob.07 Deep homology and body plans (AML)

ob.09 Fish: jaws, teeth and fins (MDB)

10:00 Imperial expectations

(HDW, AD, SRC, PS, SB)

quant.01 Algebra

workshop (CMC)

quant.02 Logarithms

workshop (CMC)

11:00 ob.02 Phylogenetics

(MDB)

ob.04 Evolution in deep time: rocks, clocks and fossils (MDB)

ob.06 Origin of the Bilateria (AML)

ob.08 Origin of the vertebrates (MDB)

ob.10 Tetrapods: the

conquest of the land

(MDB)

12:00 pt.01 (B)

Meet

personal

tutors:

12:00

pizza in

SEC 7,

then to

smaller

rooms

pt.01 (A)

Meet

personal

tutors:

12:00

pizza in

SEC 7,

then to

smaller

rooms

13:00 ob.p01

(B)

Mammal

skulls

(MDB)

[RCS1

Barber]

14:00 ob.p01

(A)

Mammal

skulls

(MDB)

[RCS1

Barber]

ob.t01 (B) Thinking

about trees

ob.t01

(A)

Thinking

about

trees

Note

taking (B)

(EK, CN)

[Read] 15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines


09:00 ob.11 Amniotes

(MDB) 09:00 Depart South

Ken

10:00 Arrive Silwood

sp.01 Silwood trip

(AG, CEM, MC, SRC)

Bring your own lunch

15:00 Depart Silwood

16:00 Arrive South

Ken

Commemoration Day

(Graduation of last

year’s finalists at the

Royal Albert Hall: day

off for you)

ob.13 Primates (AML) ob.15 Humans (AML)

10:00 quant.03 Graphs

workshop (CMC)

11:00 ob.12 Mammals (MDB)

ob.14 Hominins (AML) ob.16 Cnidarians and

poriferans (RG)

12:00 PAL, e.g. Know/Want to

Know/Learn, accessing

College services

13:00

14:00 Note taking (A) (EK,

CN) [Read]

ob.t02 (B)

Constructing

phylogenies

ob.t02 (A)

Constructing

phylogenies

15:00 (A)

Literature

and

RefWorks

(EK) [SEC

310/311]

(B)

Literature

and

RefWorks

(EK) [SEC

310/311]

16:00

17:00

Deadlines



09:00 ob.17 Platyhelminths

& nematodes (RG)

ob.19 Arthropods: chelicerates and crustaceans (RG)

ob.21 Microscopy

(AG)

bcm.01 Atoms: nuclei,

moles, radioactivity

(SRC)

bcm.03 Bonding: electronegativity (SRC)

10:00 quant.04 Arithmetic

workshop (SRC)

11:00 ob.18 Annelids &

molluscs (RG)

ob.20 Arthropods: insects (RG)

Essay writing (BH) bcm.02 Electrons: orbitals, periodicity (SRC)

bcm.04 Molecules:

VSEPR, chirality (SRC)

12:00 PAL e.g. note-taking,

time-management

Welfare Fair (VEF and

guests) [SAF G16, 120,

121, 122, Concourse] 13:00 quant.05 Excel (SRC)

[Read] (should only

take 60 min, so there

will be a break

before…)

14:00 ob.p02 (A) Squid

dissection (AG)

ob.p02 (B) Squid

dissection (AG)

15:00 Plagiarism (EK, BH)

[Read]

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines

Week 5 Mon 29 Oct Tue 30 Oct Wed 31 Oct Thu 1 Nov Fri 2 Nov

09:00 (GMT) (sunset 1 hr earlier)

bcm.05 Reactions:

nucleophiles,

electrophiles, curly

arrows (SRC)

bcm.07 Redox reactions: OILRIG, redox cofactors (SRC)

bcm.09 Amino acids

(EH)

bcm.11 Monosaccharides (EH)

bcm.13 Nucleotides (EH)

10:00

11:00 bcm.06 Acids and

bases: pH, buffers

(SRC)

bcm.08 Functional groups (SRC)

bcm.10 Protein structure (EH)

bcm.12 Polysaccharides (EH)

bcm.14 Nucleic acids

(EH)

12:00 PAL e.g. essay

planning, writing, and

RefWorks practice

13:00 bcm.p01 (B) Protein

estimation: Gilsons &

specs, lab-book review

(SRC) 14:00 bcm.p01 (A) Protein

estimation: Gilsons &

specs, lab-book review

(SRC)

bcm.p02

(B) pH

and

buffers

(SRC)

pt.02 (A)

Meet

personal

tutors,

review

lecture

notes

bcm.p02

(A) pH

and

buffers

(SRC)

pt.02 (B)

Meet

personal

tutors,

review

lecture

notes

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 bcm.p01 (A)

Protein practical: Excel,

formative [BB]

13:00 bcm.p01 (B)

Protein practical: Excel,

formative [BB]


Week 6 Mon 5 Nov Tue 6 Nov Wed 7 Nov Thu 8 Nov Fri 9 Nov

09:00 bcm.15 Spectroscopy,

fluorescence (EH)

bcm.17 Chromatography (EH)

bcm.18 Energy and

entropy (SRC)

bcm.20 Reaction kinetics (SRC)

10:00 Year in Industry/

Research intro (LB)

11:00 bcm.16 Electrophoresis (EH)

Revision and exams – we’ll be done by 12:30 so you’ll have time for lunch before the tutorials (SRC)

bcm.19 Free energy: ATP and Nernst (SRC)

bcm.21 Enzyme

catalysis (SRC)

12:00 PAL e.g. planning

revision, memory

strategies

13:00 bcm.t01 (A)

Purification of enzymes

lab arithmetic 14:00 bcm.t01 (B)

Purification of

enzymes: lab

arithmetic

bcm.p03 (A) Enzyme

assay (SRC)

bcm.p03 (B) Enzyme

assay (SRC)

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 ob.t00 (A+B)

Essay: referencing,

formative [BB + EO,

max 1500 words]


09:00 bcm.22 Enzyme

kinetics (SRC)

bcm.24 Respiration: NADH, zymogens (SRC)

bcm.26 Krebs cycle

(SRC)

bcm.28 Evolution of metabolism: what is Life? (SRC)

bcm.30 Lipids: specialisation of membranes (SRC)

10:00

11:00 bcm.23 Enzyme

inhibitors (SRC)

bcm.25 Glycolysis: allosteric and kinase regulation (SRC)

bcm.27 Nitrogen metabolism and β oxidation (SRC)

bcm.29 History of membrane science (SRC)

bcm.31 Membrane

transport (SRC)

12:00 PAL e.g. Exam essays

compared to

coursework essays

13:00 bcm.t02 (A) Is the

looking glass milk good

to drink? 14:00 bcm.t02 (B) Is the

looking glass milk good

to drink?

bcm.p04 (A) Enzyme

inhibition (SRC)

bcm.p04 (B) Enzyme

inhibition (SRC)

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines



09:00 bcm.32 Chemiosmosis

(SRC)

ob.22 Algae: endosymbiosis (SRC)

ob.24 Light reactions

(SRC)

ob.26 Photorespiration: historical contingency in evolution of metabolism (SRC)

10:00

11:00 bcm.33 Oxidative

phosphorylation (SRC)

ob.23 Evolution of eukaryotic photosynthesis: origins, losses and retooling of plastids (SRC)

ob.25 Dark reactions: how are pathways elucidated, pentose phosphate pathways (SRC)

ob.27 C4 and CAM (SRC)

12:00 PAL e.g. writing up

practicals, displaying

data effectively

13:00 bcm.p05 (B) Ion

exchange

chromatography (SRC,

CMC) 14:00 bcm.p05 (A) Ion

exchange

chromatography (SRC,

CMC)

bcm.t03 (B) Regulation

of metabolism

bcm.t03 (A) Regulation

of metabolism

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 bcm.p03.04 (A)

Enzyme practicals:

Excel, summative [BB]

13:00 bcm.p03.04 (B)

Enzyme practicals:

Excel, summative [BB]


09:00 09:30-10:30 bcm.q01

Quantitative skills

online test (SRC, MS)

09:30-10:30 (A) [SAF

G27]

10:30-11:30 (B) [SAF

G27]

10:30-12:00 (All

students in A or B with

extra time) [SAF G27]

ob.28 Green algae and mosses (MB)

ob.31 Water and plants: water potential, vascular elements (CT)

10:00

11:00 ob.29 Ferns and conifers (MB)

ob.30 Flowering plants (MB)

ob.32 Light and plants:

photoperception and

phytochrome (CT)

12:00 PAL e.g. using

feedback effectively,

feedforward to next

item

13:00 ob.t03 (A) Discussion

of OB essays

14:00 ob.t03 (B) Discussion

of OB essays

ob.p03 (A) Angiosperm

bioinformatics &

phylogenies (MB)

ob.p03 (B) Angiosperm

bioinformatics &

phylogenies (MB) 15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines bcm.q01 (A+B) Note

online test above

13:00 bcm.p05 (A) IEX

practical, analysis of

methods, summative

[BB]

13:00 bcm.p05 (B) IEX

practical, analysis of

methods, summative

[BB]


Week 10 Mon 3 Dec Tue 4 Dec Wed 5 Dec Thu 6 Dec Fri 7 Dec

09:00 ob.33 Plants under

stress (CT)

ob.35 Fungi (MB) ob.37 Glomeromycota: mycorrhizae (MB)

ob.39 Pseudofungi (MB)

10:00

11:00 ob.34 Plants under

attack (CT)

ob.36 Ascomycota: lichens and pathogens (MB)

ob.38 Basidiomycota: and recycling (MB)

ob.40 Parasitic protists: malaria (TN)

12:00 PAL e.g. data

interpretation question

exam practice

13:00 ob.p04 (B) Microscopy

(AG)

14:00 ob.p04 (A) Microscopy

(AG)

ob.p05 (A) Light stress

(CT)

ob.p05 (B) Light stress

(CT)

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 17:00 ob.p04 (A)

Submit microscopy

drawings by end of lab

[460]

16:00 ob.p04 (B)

Submit microscopy

drawings by end of lab

[460]

Week 11 Mon 10 Dec Tue 11 Dec Wed 12 Dec Thu 13 Dec Fri 14 Dec

09:00 bcm.34 Prokaryotes:

Archaea are not Bacteria

(HDW)

bcm.36 Bacterial cell walls (HDW)

bcm.38 Bacterial

growth (HDW)

bcm.40

Chemolithotrophy:

extremophiles (HDW)

bcm.42 Prokaryotic diversity 1: making order out of diversity (HDW)

10:00

11:00 bcm.35 Prokaryotic cell structure (HDW)

bcm.37 Bacterial nutrition (HDW)

bcm.39 Heterotrophy: role of O2 (HDW)

bcm.41 Phototrophy: metabolic flexibility (HDW)

bcm.43 Prokaryotic diversity 2: differentiation, development, sporulation (HDW)

12:00

13:00 ob.t04 (A)

Plants and

phylogenies

bcm.p06

(B) Gram

staining

(TDDC) 14:00 bcm.p06

(A) Gram

staining

(TDDC)

ob.t04 (B)

Plants and

phylogenies

bcm.t04 (B) Succinate

dehydrogenase

bcm.t04 (A) Succinate

dehydrogenase

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 ob.p03 (A)

Angiosperm

bioinformatics practical,

summative [BB + EO]

13:00 ob.p03 (B)

Angiosperm

bioinformatics practical,

summative [BB + EO]

13:00 ob.p05 (A) Light

stress practical,

summative [BB]

13:00 ob.p05 (B) Light

stress practical,

summative [BB]


Spring term 2019

Week 12 Mon 7 Jan Tue 8 Jan Wed 9 Jan Thu 10 Jan Fri 11 Jan

09:00

Revision

Revision

Revision

Revision Revision

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00 pt.03 (A) Pre-exam

personal tutorials

pt.03 (B) Pre-exam

personal tutorials

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines


09:00

Revision

Revision

Revision

Revision

Revision

10:00

11:00

12:00 PAL e.g. BCM/OB topic

specific problems

13:00

14:00

Revision 15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines



09:00

10:00 10:00-13:00

BCM exam

[Sherfield Great Hall]

10:00-13:00

OB exam

[Sherfield Great Hall]

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines bcm Note exam above ob Note exam above

Week 15 Mon 28 Jan Tue 29 Jan Wed 30 Jan Thu 31 Jan Fri 1 Feb

09:00 09:00-12:30

stats.01 (A) Intro to R

(SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

09:00-12:30

stats.02 (B) Exploring and visualising data in R (SP, JAH) [SAF G27] Complete SOLE at end

of session

09:00-12:00

stats.03 (A+B) Drop-in

session: for any

students needing

additional support (SP,

JAH) [SAF G27]

09:00-12:30

stats.04 (A) Describing

data and experimental

design (SP, JAH) [SAF

G27]

09:00-12:30

stats.05 (B) t and F and χ2 (SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

10:00

11:00

12:00

12:30-16:00

stats.02 (A) Exploring

and visualising data in

R (SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

Complete SOLE at end

of session

13:00

1330-17:00

stats.01 (B) Intro to R

(SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

1330-17:00

stats.04 (B) Describing

data and experimental

design (SP, JAH) [SAF

G27]

1330-17:00

stats.05 (A) t and F and

χ2 (SP, JAH) [SAF G27] 14:00

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 17:00 SOLE for bcm +

ob [BB]


Week 16 Mon 4 Feb Tue 5 Feb Wed 6 Feb Thu 7 Feb Fri 8 Feb

09:00 09:00-12:30

stats.06 (A) Linear

models: ANOVA (SP,

JAH) [SAF G27]

09:00-12:30

stats.07 (B) Linear models: linear regression (SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

09:00-12:00

stats.08 (A+B) Drop-in

session: for any

students needing

additional support (SP,

JAH) [SAF G27]

cbg.01 Prokaryotes and eukaryotes (CMC)

10:00

11:00 cbg.02 Genomes (CMC)

12:00

12:30-16:00

stats.07 (A) Linear models: linear regression (SP, JAH) [SAF G27]

13:00

1330-17:00

stats.06 (B) Linear

models: ANOVA (SP,

JAH) [SAF G27]

14:00 cbg.p01 (A) Sterile technique (CMC) Lab-book review

cbg.p01 (B) Sterile technique (CMC) Lab-book review

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines cbg.p01 (A) Note lab-

book review, formative

cbg.p01 (B) Note lab-

book review, formative


09:00 cbg.03 DNA replication

(CMC)

cbg.05 Regulation of transcription: lac, trp (CMC)

cbg.07 Translation (CMC)

cbg.09 Cell cycle (CMC)

10:00 quant.06 Probability

workshop (CMC)

quant.07 Calculus

workshop (CMC)

11:00 cbg.04 Transcription (CMC)

cbg.06 RNA processing (CMC)

cbg.08 Mutation and repair (CMC)

cbg.10 Cell signalling (CMC)

12:00 PAL e.g. presentation

skills

13:00 cbg.p02 (B) Bacterial

transformation and

inducibility of operons

(CMC) 14:00 cbg.p02 (A) Bacterial

transformation and

inducibility of operons

(CMC)

cbg.t01 (B) Molecular

biology

Students to select

essay topic

cbg.t01 (A) Molecular

biology

Students to select

essay topic

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines



09:00 ee.01 Introduction to

evolution (MC)

ee.03 Purifying selection (MC)

ee.05 Kin and sexual

selection (MC)

09:00-10:30

ee.07 (A) Cepaea

ecology and evolution

case-study (supports

stats teaching) (MC,

JAH) [SAF G27]

10:00

10:30-12:00

ee.07 (B) Cepaea


case-study (supports

stats teaching) (MC,

JAH) [SAF G27]

11:00 ee.02 Natural selection

(MC)

ee.04 Balancing selection (MC)

ee.06 Genetic drift and migration (MC)

ee.08 Evolution in action (MC)

12:00 ee.p01 Subculture #1

13:00

14:00 ee.p01 Algal halotolerance evolution (TB) 14:00-1530 (A) [SAF 460] 1530-17:00 (B) [SAF 460]

Library refresher (A)

(EK, CN) [SEC 310/311]

Library refresher (B)

(EK, CN) [SEC 310/311]

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines

Week 19 Mon 25 Feb Tue 26 Feb Wed 27 Feb Thu 28 Feb Fri 1 Mar

09:00 ee.09 Molecular


(TB)

ee.11 Species (TB) stats.q01 Summative

online test in statistics

– contributes to EE

coursework (SP, JAH,

MS)

09:30-10:30 (A) [SAF

G27]

10:30-11:30 (B) [SAF

G27]

10:30-12:00 (All


extra time) [SAF G27]

ee.13 Coevolution (TB)

09:00-12:00 ee.15.16 EE seminar– Student led presentations (TB)

10:00

11:00 ee.10 Genome

evolution (TB)

ee.12 Speciation (TB) ee.14 Evolution of sex (TB)

12:00 ee.p01 Subculture #2 PAL e.g. managing

group work

ee.p01 Subculture #3

13:00 [ee.15.16 Preparation for presentation group exercise on Friday]

14:00 [ee.15.16 Preparation

for presentation group

exercise on Friday]

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 cbg.t01 (B)

Essay, summative [BB

only, max 1500 words]

13:00 cbg.t01 (A)

Essay, summative [BB

only max 1500 words]

stats.q01 (A+B) Note

online test above


Week 20 Mon 4 Mar Tue 5 Mar Wed 6 Mar Thu 7 Mar Fri 8 Mar


ecology (CBL)

ee.19 Habitat transformation (CBL)

ee.21 Nutrient

loading (CBL)

[ee.23.24 Preparation

for student-led

debate exercise on

Friday: study the

government green

paper (25 year plan

for the environment)

on Blackboard]

09:00-12:00 ee.22.23 EE seminar: student-led debate (CBL)

10:00

11:00 ee.18 Millennium ecosystem assessment (CBL)

ee.20 Climate change (CBL)

ee.22 Over-exploitation and biotic exchange (CBL)

12:00 ee.p01 Subculture #4 Meet the researchers

[SAFB 120, 121, 122,

Concourse] 13:00 ee.t01 (A) Ecology

and evolutionary

biology

Students to select

essay topic

14:00 ee.t01 (B) Ecology and

evolutionary biology

Students to select

essay topic

ee.p01 Subculture #5

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines


09:00 ee.25 Introduction to population biology (TDCB)

ee.27 Intra-specific competition (TDCB)

ee.29 Inter-specific

competition 2 (TDCB)

ee.p01 Collect algal

halotolerance

evolution growth curve

data (TB)

09:00…and hourly

from then on (A) [SAF

460]

09:30…and hourly

from then on (B) [SAF

460]

ee.31 Predation 2 (TDCB)

10:00 ee.p01 (A+B) Growth

curve data [SAF 460]

ee.p01 (A+B) Growth


11:00 ee.26 Density

dependence (TDCB)

ee.28 Inter-specific competition 1 (TDCB)



12:00 ee.p01 Subculture #6

13:00 ee.t02 (A)

Experimental design in

ecology

ee.p01 (A+B) Growth


14:00 ee.t02 (B)

Experimental design in

ecology

ee.p01 Algal halotolerance evolution data analysis (TB) 14:00-1530 (A) [SAF G27] 1530-17:00 (B) [SAF G27]

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines




biodiversity and

conservation biology:

New Zealand (RE)

ee.35 Global biodiversity patterns (RE)

ee.37 State of

biodiversity (RE)

ee.39 Population biology of extinction (RE)

10:00

11:00 ee.34 Biodiversity models (RE)

ee.36 Diversity through time (RE)

ee.38 Drivers of biodiversity decline (RE)

ee.40 Conservation strategies (RE)

12:00 pt.04 (A)

Meet

personal

tutor to

discuss

BCM and

OB

exams

pt.04 (B)

Meet

personal

tutor to

discuss

BCM and

OB

exams

13:00 ee.p02 (B)

IUCN Red

List. group

work,

applying

criteria to a

set of

species.

(RE)

Student

pairs select

endangered

species to

present

ee.p02 (A)

IUCN Red

List. group

work,

applying

criteria to a

set of

species.

(RE)

Student

pairs select

endangered

species to

present

ee.t03 (B) IUCN Red

List presentations.

Students pairs give 10

min presentations on

the conservation

status of a species of

their choice

14:00 ee.t03 (A) IUCN Red

List presentations.

Students pairs give 10

min presentations on

the conservation

status of a species of

their choice

15:00

16:00 Horizons

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 ee.t01 (B) Essay:

summative [BB only, max

1500 words]

13:00 ee.t01 (A) Essay:

summative [BB only, max

1500 words]

ee.t03 (B) Note

presentations above

ee.t03 (A) Note

presentations above


Summer term 2019

Week 23 Mon 29 Apr Tue 30 Apr Wed 1 May Thu 2 May Fri 3 May

09:00 (BST) cbg.11 Mendelian

genetics (CMC)

cbg.13 Meiosis and linkage (CMC)

cbg.15 Chromosome

aberrations (CMC)

Team Based Learning

(TBL) induction and

agreement on ground-

rules (KI, SRC)

cbg.18 Bacterial conjugation (AF)

10:00

11:00 cbg.12 Extensions to-

Mendelian genetics

(CMC)

cbg.14 Mapping genes (CMC)

cbg.16 Sex determination (CMC)

cbg.17 Bacterial transformation (AF)

cbg.19 Bacterial transduction (AF)

12:00 PAL e.g. making

impactful posters

13:00 cbg.p03 (B) Drosophila

crosses and dissection

(CMC) 14:00 cbg.p03 (A) Drosophila

crosses and dissection

(CMC)

cbg.t02 (B) Genetics

problem sets

cbg.t02 (A) Genetics

problem sets

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines

Week 24 Mon 6 May Tue 7 May Wed 8 May Thu 9 May Fri 10 May

09:00

Bank holiday

sp.02 Silwood park trip: details will be announced later in the year (AG, CEM)

Careers guidance

(SNC)

sp.03 Silwood Park

trip: details will be

announced later in the

year (AG, CEM)

sp.04 Silwood Park trip: details will be announced later in the year (AG, CEM)

10:00 [cbg.q01 Time set-aside for TBL pre-reading – do this at whatever time this week you’re not at Silwood]

11:00 Y2 option adverts

[Read]

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines



09:00 cbg.20 Viral diversity

(MT)

cbg.22 Virus/cell interactions (MT)

cbg.24 Cell

architecture (DB)

cbg.26

Endomembranes and

the secretory pathway

(DB)

cbg.28 Cytoskeleton (DB)

10:00

11:00 cbg.21 Viral replication

(MT)

cbg.23 Animal viruses (MT)

cbg.25 Protein sorting and the nucleus (DB)

cbg.27 Vesicular traffic (DB)

cbg.29 Extra-cellular matrix (DB)

12:00

13:00 cbg.q01 Bacterial

growth experiment:

summative online TBL

tests (SRC, MS)

1330-15:00 (All


extra time) iRAT [SEC

310]

14:00-15:00 (A) iRAT

[SAF G27]

14:00-15:00 (B) iRAT

[SAF G29]

15:00-17:00 (A+B+E)

tRAT/tAPP [G29]

14:00 [sp.02 Time set aside

for Silwood posters]

[cbg.p05 Time set

aside for discussing

plans] 15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines cbg.q01 (A+B) Note

summative online tests

above

13:00 sp.05 (A+B)

Silwood posters,

formative [BB]


09:00 cbg.30 Immune system (HB)

cbg.32 T and B cells

(HB)

cbg.34 Membrane

electrogenesis 1 (MBAD)

cbg.36 Communicating junctions (MBAD)

10:00

11:00 cbg.31 Innate and adaptive immunity (HB)

cbg.33 Effector mechanisms (HB)

cbg.35 Membrane electrogenesis 2 (MBAD)

cbg.37 Non-communicating junctions (MBAD)

12:00

13:00 sp.05 (A) Silwood

posters [SAF

Concourse] (AG) 14:00 cbg.p04 (A)

Cell cycle,

Drosophila

follow-up

(CMC)

cbg.t03 (B)

Immunology

/ virology

cbg.t03 (A)

Immunology

/ virology

cbg.p04 (B)

Cell cycle,

Drosophila

follow-up

(CMC)

15:00 sp.05 (B) Silwood

posters [SAF

Concourse] (AG) 16:00

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 cbg.p05

(A+B) Requirements

for bacterial growth

[BB, one per group]



09:00

Bank holiday

pt.05 (A) Meet personal tutors, discuss Y2 options

[cbg.p05 (B) One

or two students

from each group

to set up flasks

and check

equipment for

practical on

Thursday/Friday]

pt.05 (B)

Meet

personal

tutors,

discuss

Y2

options

[cbg.p05 (A) One

or two students

from each group

to set up flasks

and check

equipment for

practical on

Thursday/Friday]

cbg.p05 (B)

Bacterial growth

practical [SAF 460]

(SRC)

cbg.p05 (A)

Bacterial growth

practical [SAF 460]

(SRC)

10:00

11:00

12:00 cbg.p05 (B) Data

analysis [SAF G27]

(SRC)

Complete SOLE

over lunchtime

cbg.p05 (A) Data

analysis [SAF G27]

(SRC)

Complete SOLE

over lunchtime

13:00

14:00

15:00 cbg.p05 (B)

Presentations

[Read] (SRC, CMC,

JH)

cbg.p05 (A)

Presentations

[Read] (SRC, CMC,

JH) 16:00

17:00

Deadlines

Week 28 Mon 3 Jun Tue 4 Jun Wed 5 Jun Thu 6 Jun Fri 7 Jun

09:00

Revision Revision Revision Revision Revision

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines 13:00 cbg.p05 (A+B)

Peer-reviews [BB]



09:00

10:00 10:00-13:00

EE exam

[SAF 460+560]

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines ee Note exam above


09:00

10:00 10:00-13:00

CBG exam

[SAF 460+560]

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines cbg Note exam above 17:00 Y2 options, SOLE

for cbg + ee, PAL

survey [BB]



09:00

End of term Summer holiday Summer holiday

10:00

11:00

12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

Deadlines

Resit exams take place in the week of Monday 26th August but excluding the Monday itself as it is a Bank Holiday. There is a small but non-zero chance that some resit exams will be scheduled early in the week after that.

Key to teaching staff • AD: Prof Anne Dell (Head of Department – Life Sciences)

• AF: Prof Alain Filloux

• AG: Dr Audrey Geffen

• AH: Dr Anita Hall (Women’s Tutor)

• AML: Prof Armand Leroi

• BH: Brett Harmony (Centre for Academic English)

• CBL: Dr Cristina Banks-Leite

• CN: Coco Nijhoff (Life Sciences Link Librarian)

• CEM: Dr Cataline Estrada Montes (Ecological Analyst and Facility Manager, Silwood Park)

• CMC: Dr Colin McClure

• CT: Dr Colin Turnbull

• DB: Dr Doryen Bubeck

• DF: Dave Featherbe (Chief Laboratory Technician – Life Sciences)

• EH: Prof Erhard Hohenester (Deputy Head of Department – Life Sciences at South Kensington)

• EK: Elizabeth Killeen (Life Sciences Link Librarian)

• HB: Prof Hugh Brady

• HDW: Dr Huw Williams (Director of Undergraduate Studies – Life Sciences)

• JAH: Dr Josh Hodge

• JMA: James Andrewes (Education Office Manager – Life Sciences)

• JS: Jerzy Snelling van Buren (Education Office – Life Sciences)

• KI: Kate Ippolito (Educational Development Unit)

• LB: Dr Laurence Bugeon (Year in Industry/Research Coordinator)

• LG: Dr Linda Giorgi (Examinations Officer and Disabilities Officer – Life Sciences)

• MB: Dr Martin Bidartondo (Chair of the Board of Examiners – Biological Sciences degrees)

• MBAD: Prof Mustafa Djamgoz

• MDB: Dr Martin Brazeau

• MC: Dr Magda Charalambous (Second Year Convenor and Women’s Tutor – Biological Sciences)

• MS: Moira Sarsfield (Principal Learning Technologist – Faculty of Natural Sciences)

• MT: Dr Mike Tristem

• PS: Prof Pietro Spanu ((Senior Tutor – Biological Sciences degrees; Chair of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee)

• RE: Prof Rob Ewers

• RG: Dr Richard Gill

• SB: Prof. Stephen Brickley (Senior Tutor – Biological Sciences degrees)

• SH: Stefan Hoyle (Safety Manager – Faculty of Natural Sciences)

• SNC: Dr Steve Connolly (Undergraduate Liaison Officer – Faculty of Natural Sciences)

• SP: Dr Samraat Pawar

• SR: Sophie Rehman (First Year Laboratory Technician – Biological Sciences)

• SRC: Dr Steve Cook (First Year Convenor – Biological Sciences)

• TB: Prof Tim Barraclough (Deputy Head of Department – Life Sciences at Silwood Park)

• TDDC: Dr Tiago Dias da Costa

• TDCB: Dr Tom Bell

• TN: Dr Tony Nolan

• VEF: Dr Virginia Fairclough

• ???: Dr Toby Confirmed


Biological Chemistry and Microbiology (BCM)

Convenor • Dr Steve Cook ([email protected])

Module aims • To ground an understanding of living systems in terms of their underlying physics and chemistry. • To appreciate the diversity of metabolic processes, their regulation, and their importance. • To explore how mathematics can be used to model biochemical systems. • To confidently use lab equipment, prepare and dilute solutions, and quantitatively analyse data.

Module syllabus • Chemistry of biomolecules: atomic and molecular structure, bonding, acids and bases, reactions, nucleophiles

and electrophiles, oxidation/reduction reactions, functional groups. • Monomers & polymers and the biochemical techniques used to analyse them: amino acids and proteins,

carbohydrates, nucleotides and nucleic acids; spectroscopy, electrophoresis, chromatography. • Thermodynamics and enzymology: energy, entropy, free energy, Gibbs and Nernst equations; Arrhenius

reaction kinetics, catalysis, Michaelis-Menten model, enzyme inhibition and regulation. • Central metabolism and its regulation: respiration, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, PPP, β-oxidation, excretion. • Membranes and their role in metabolism: lipids, structure, transport across membranes, chemiosmosis,

oxidative phosphorylation. • Bacteriology: cell structure, sporulation, growth, metabolic diversity, phototrophy, chemolithotrophy,

heterotrophy.

Learning outcomes • Perform lab calculations involving moles, masses, concentrations, relative masses, densities, volumes,

molarities, dilutions, pH, etc., both by hand, and using Excel. • Recall and apply the Michaelis-Menten, Gibbs, Nernst, and Arrhenius equations, and recall their limitations and

assumptions. • Accurately select and use pipettes, spectrophotometers, microscopes, pH probes, and simple chromatography

equipment. • Analyse the structure of macromolecules in terms of the interactions of their constituent monomers, and

analyse the properties of those monomers in terms of their functional groups, bonding and atoms. • Interpret simple chromatograms, electropherograms and spectra. • Propose suitable combinations of techniques for purification and analysis of macromolecules. • Know the overall structure of the 'core' metabolic pathways, and how they interact. • Distinguish between metabolic flux and homeostatic regulation, and explain how and why enzymes are

regulated in metabolic pathways. • Explain what is meant by the term 'entropy', and appreciate its fundamental importance in science. • Explain how model refinement in science occurs, e.g. in terms of models of membrane structure. • Propose how a given molecule would cross a membrane, and relate this to the underlying thermodynamics and

chemistry. • Explain quantitatively how respiration generates ATP through substrate level phosphorylation and through

chemiosmosis; perform simple proton-motive force calculations. • Recall the structure of Gram positive and Gram negative bacterial cells. • Quantitatively analyse bacterial growth; calculate doubling-times from exponential phase data. • Relate bacterial nutritional modes such as phototrophy, chemoorganotrophy and chemolithotrophy to their

underlying redox thermodynamics.



Teaching methods • 43 lectures • 6 practicals. • 4 tutorials. • The BCM module aims to teach you the maths and chemistry needed for the module (and for Year One more

generally), but we appreciate that students who have no post-16 qualification in maths or chemistry may appreciate extra support. There are workshops scheduled between lectures where you can obtain face-to-face help with the Maths for Biologists workbook; and the first eight lectures of BCM are specifically aimed at students who don’t have A-level chemistry; and these are also supported with worksheets.

Staff • Dr Steve Cook (24 lectures, 5 practicals, 1 online test). • Prof Erhard Hohenester (9 lectures). • Dr Huw Williams (10 lectures). • Dr Tiago Dias da Costa (1 practical).

Assessment • 25% coursework. One formative item (Excel based protein estimation practical write-up). Three summative

items: Excel-based enzymology practical write-up (33%); online test on quantitative aspects of biochemistry lectures and associated practicals (33%); conventional ion-exchange practical write-up (34%).

• 75% exam, taken in week 15 (February): 40 MCQs (40%), 1 data interpretation question (20%), 1 essay from choice of 5 (40%).

Reading list • Voet, D. & Voet, J. G. (2011) Biochemistry. 4th edition. New York, John Wiley and Sons, Inc. • Fisher, J. & Arnold, J. R. P. (2013) Chemistry for biologists. BIOS Instant Notes, 3rd edition. Abingdon, Taylor and

Francis. [Useful for students without A-level chemistry]. • Aitken, M., Broadhurst, B. & Hladky, S. (2009) Mathematics for Biological Sciences. New York, Garland Science.

[Useful for students without A-level maths].


Cell Biology and Genetics (CBG)

Convenor • Dr Colin McClure ([email protected])

Module aims • To understand how genetic information is expressed as phenotype, and how this is regulated. • To know the components from which eukaryotic cells are constructed and how proteins are targeted to them. • To understand how cells communicate with their environment and with each other. • To understand how viruses and the vertebrate immune system behave and interact. • To confidently use microscopes, sterile technique, and quantitatively analyse data. • To work as a team to design experiments to investigate simple hypotheses.

Module syllabus • Cells and their molecular biology: prokaryotes, eukaryotes, endosymbiosis, Three Domains hypothesis,

structure of eukaryotic genomes; replication, transcription, RNA processing, and translation and regulation of these processes (lac, trp, etc.)

• Cell structure and communication: import into the nucleus, secretory pathway, protein targeting and its study; ion channels, cell junctions, enzyme- and G-protein linked receptors, adhesion to the ECM; cell cycle, cyclins and CDKs, cancer, and stem-cells.

• Genetics: Mendelian principles, linkage, epistasis, units of heredity vs. DNA sequences, sex determination, bacterial genetics (transformation, transduction, conjugation), mapping.

• Infection and immunity: animal, plant and bacterial viruses, innate and adaptive immunity.

Learning outcomes • Apply understanding of chemistry and of biochemical techniques from the BCM module to the behaviour and

analysis of DNA, RNA and protein in the cell. • Recall how DNA is replicated, how DNA is transcribed to RNA, and how mRNA is translated to protein; and

explain the mathematical and evolutionary underpinnings of these three processes. • Relate the contents of the human and bacterial (Escherichia coli) genomes to their evolutionary origins. • Know the main compartments of the eukaryotic cell, and explain how proteins are targeted to them; be able to

apply this to novel situations where targeting sequences have been manipulated. • Explain how cells communicate chemically and electrically; be able to apply this to novel situations in which

communication pathways have been manipulated. • Analyse cancer in terms of mutations in cell cycle regulation and cell communication/adhesion loci. • Apply Mendelian principles to genetic data; propose explanations (linkage, epistasis, etc.) to account for them,

and test them quantitatively. • Recall the general principles of viral infection, and relate this to viral structure and genome replication. • Recall the general principles of immunology, and explain how pathogens and immune systems interact. • Design a safe, logistically sensible and statistically valid experiment on the growth of bacterial cells in culture,

and execute, analyse and present that experiment in a seminar.



Teaching methods • 37 lectures. • 5 practicals. • 1 team-based learning session associated with the final practical. • 3 tutorials.

Staff • Dr Colin McClure (17 lectures, 4 practicals) • Dr Steve Cook (1 team-based learning session including practical and online test components). • Prof Alain Filloux (3 lectures). • Dr Mike Tristem (4 lectures). • Dr Hugh Brady (4 lectures). • Prof Mustafa Djamgoz (4 lectures). • Dr Doryen Bubeck (6 lectures).

Assessment • 25% coursework. Several formative items (self/peer-assessed practical work). Two summative items: 1 essay

(33%); 1 multi-part assessment consisting of online Team Based Learning tests on bacterial growth practical, a presentation, and staff and peer assessment of teamwork (67%).

• 75% exam, taken in week 30 (June): 40 MCQs (40%), 1 data interpretation question (20%), 1 essay from choice of 5 (40%).

Reading list • Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., Raff, M., Roberts, K. & Walter, P. (2015) Molecular biology of the cell. 6th

edition. New York, Garland Science. [An older edition is available through NCBI but it really is showing its age now http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21054].

• Griffiths, A. J. F., Wessler, S. R., Lewontin, R. C., Gelbart, W. M., Suzuki, D. T. & Miller, J. H. (2015) Introduction to genetic analysis. 11th edition. New York, W. H. Freeman. [An older edition is available through NCBI http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21766; this book is very useful for its worked problem sets, which are an excellent way to test your understanding].

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21054

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21766/


Biology of Organisms (OB)

Convenor • Dr Martin Brazeau ([email protected])

Module aims • To gain an overall understanding of the tree of life, especially animals, plants and fungi. • To understand how the complexity of eukaryotic life has changed both in terms of timescales and evolutionary

novelty. • To gain a more detailed knowledge of the relationships and evolution of certain groups of organisms and how

these groups have changed over time. • To understand how the evolution of photosynthesis has profoundly shaped the diversity of life. • To understand how phylogenetics is central to our analysis of the relationships between organisms.

Module syllabus • The tree of life. • Phylogenetic theory and practice. • Overview of primate variation and evolution. • Evolution of hominins and the origin of modern humans. • Vertebrate evolution and diversity. • Invertebrate evolution, especially insects and arthropods. • Developmental evolution of animals. • The reactions of photosynthesis. • Algae, ferns, conifers and flowering plants. • Fungal diversity and symbiosis.

Learning outcomes • Be able to interpret a phylogenetic tree and distinguish monophyletic, paraphyletic and polyphyletic groups. • Be able to construct a phylogenetic tree from a morphological or DNA character state matrix, using the

principle of parsimony. • Know the problems, such as homoplasy, that can lead to the construction of inaccurate phylogenies. • Know how modern humans originated and explain the subsequent variation and adaptation of different

individuals or populations since that time. • Know how fossils inform our understanding of modern groups. • Explain the key features behind the development of the animal body plan and how this has helped in our

understanding of modern groups. • Know the major features of vertebrates, insects, plants and fungi. • Be able to explain and compare the life cycles of plants, and of fungi. • Explain the principles behind plant physiology. • Recall the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis; compare and contrast the former with oxidative

phosphorylation; explain the problem caused by RuBisCO's lack of specificity quantitatively, and explain how this is solved under different ecological conditions (C4, CAM, etc.)

• Perform basic dissection and produce high quality microscope drawings.



Teaching methods • 40 lectures. • 5 practicals. • 4 tutorials.

Staff • Dr Martin Brazeau (9 lectures, 1 practical). • Prof Armand Leroi (6 lectures). • Dr Richard Gill (5 lectures). • Dr Tony Nolan (1 lecture). • Dr Steve Cook (6 lectures). • Dr Audrey Geffen (1 lecture, 2 practicals). • Dr Martin Bidartondo (8 lectures, 1 practical). • Dr Colin Turnbull (4 lectures, 1 practical).

Assessment • 25% coursework. Several formative items (essay, self/peer assessment of practicals). Three summative items:

microscopy practical images (33%); plant bioinformatics and phylogenies practical write-up (33%); plant light-stress practical write-up (34%).

• 75% exam, taken in week 15 (February): 40 MCQs (40%), 1 data interpretation question (20%), 1 essay from choice of 5 (40%).

Reading list • Wolpert, L. (1992) The unnatural nature of science. Harvard, University Press. [Later editions are also available] • Dawkins, R. (2004) The ancestor's tale. Boston, Houghton Mifflin. • Evert, R. F. & Eichhorn, S. E. (2013) Raven biology of plants, 8th edition. New York, Freeman & Co. • Lecointre, G. & Le Guyader, H. (2006). The Tree of Life: A phylogenetic classification. London, Belknap Press. • Moore, D., Robson, G. D. & Trinci, A. P. J. (2011) 21st Century guidebook to fungi. Cambridge, Cambridge

University Press.


Ecology and Evolution (EE)

Convenor • Dr Magda Charalambous ([email protected])

Module aims • To understand the processes by which the diversity of life on earth has arisen and is maintained. • To recognize the different processes underpinning evolutionary change, including genetic mutation, drift, and

natural selection. • To explore how the planet’s biological diversity is organized by ecological processes into ecosystems,

communities, and populations, and to appreciate the interactions that bind and define these. • To understand the roles of observation, experimentation, and theory in building our knowledge base about the

natural world.

Module syllabus • Natural selection and its different forms, including purifying, balancing, and directional selection. • How natural selection fits among a suite of evolutionary processes driving phenotypic change. • Genome evolution and evolutionary analysis. • Speciation and diversification. • Coevolution. • The evolution of sex, and sexual selection. • Describing and categorizing the natural world. • Climate and the biosphere. • Ecological interactions and the niche. • Ecological theory and the mathematics of ecological interactions and population dynamics. • Ecological science and environmental challenges. • Biodiversity and conservation biology. • Species-area relationships, adaptive radiations, and diversity gradients through space and time.

Learning outcomes • Recall the general principle of evolution, and explain how mutation, natural selection, and drift lead to

phenotypic change through time. • Explain how and why phenotypic change leads to speciation. • Calculate allele frequencies under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. • Formulate and test a hypothesis about some aspect of the organization of the natural world, based on

observed patterns. • Recall and apply equations for population growth under no constraints and under constraints of limiting

resources, competition, and predation. • Calculate slopes for species-area relationships, and apply those relationships toward predicting the

consequences of habitat loss. • Explain the Equilibrium Theory of Island Biogeography, and how island diversity is further affected by isolation

and habitat complexity. • Explain how global climate change could impact on each of the above. • Classify a species according to the IUCN Red List criteria as endangered, vulnerable, etc., based on data on that

species' range, population size, etc.



Teaching methods • 40 lectures (including 2 student-led seminars). • 2 practicals (one is a formative week-long sampling exercise). • 3 tutorials (one used for student presentations on IUCN Red List exercise). • 2 one-day field trips at Silwood (October and May), including a formative poster session in May.

Staff • Dr Magda Charalambous (8 lectures). • Prof Tim Barraclough (8 lectures, including 2 student-led seminars, 1 week-long practical). • Dr Cristina Banks-Leite (8 lectures, including 2 student-led seminars). • Dr Thomas Bell (8 lectures). • Prof Rob Ewers (8 lectures). • Field-trips will be organised by various staff, including Dr Catalina Estrada Montes and Dr Audrey Geffen.

Assessment • 25% coursework. Three summative items: essay (33%); IUCN species plan presentation (33%); online test on

statistics taught throughout all four first-year modules (34%). • 75% exam, taken in week 30 (June): 40 MCQs (40%), 1 data interpretation question (20%), 1 essay from choice

of 5 (40%).

Reading list • Begon, M., Townsend, C. R. & Harper, J. L. (2005) Ecology: from individuals to ecosystems. 4th edition. New

Jersey, John Wiley & Sons. • Cain, M. L., Bowman, W. D. & Hacker, S. D. (2014) Ecology. 3rd edition. Sunderland, Massachusetts, Sinauer. • Dawkins, R. (2006) The selfish gene. 30th Anniversary edition. Oxford, Oxford University Press. • Coyne, J. A. (2010) Why evolution is true. Oxford, Oxford University Press. • Zimmer C., & Emlen D. J. (2012) Evolution: making sense of life. Greenwood Village, Colorado USA, Roberts and

Company Publishers.


Statistics (STATS) Statistics are examined as part of the coursework component of Ecology and Evolution, but is listed here separately

as it is a substantial component of the year.

Convenor • Dr Samraat Pawar ([email protected]) • Dr Josh Hodge ([email protected])

Aims • Understand the underlying principles of statistics. • Use the statistical programming language R. • Select appropriate tests for particular kinds of data, and interpret their results critically.

Syllabus • Describing data as continuous, discrete, numerical, count, categorical, etc. • Manipulating data, producing graphics, and performing statistical tests in R. • The t, F, and χ2 tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression. • Experimental design: designing experiments around statistics (rather than the other way round!)

Learning outcomes • Format data for import into R; import that data, and manipulate numbers, vectors and data frames using R. • Classify data as continuous, discrete, numerical, count, categorical, etc, and then select suitable tests for

different combinations of those kinds of data. • Be able to perform t, F, and χ2 tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and linear regression on suitable data sets in

R. • Know the limitations of these tests, and be able to test whether data meet their assumptions. • Interpret the results of these tests (P values) critically, in the light of the tests' limitations. • Design an experiment that will produce data that should be analysable using the tests above.

Teaching methods • 7 computer workshops, plus 3 catch-up sessions.

Staff • Dr Samraat Pawar (7 computer workshops). • Dr Josh Hodge (7 computer workshops)

Assessment • Online test on statistics contributes 34% to EE coursework. • Skills in R cannot be directly tested in an exam; however, data interpretation, and simple statistics (mean,

standard deviation, linear regression) on exam calculators may be assessed in any exam.

Reading list • Beckerman, A. P. & Petchey, O. L. (2012) Getting started with R: an introduction for biologists. Oxford, Oxford

University Press. [Good, short, general introduction] • Crawley, M. (2013) The R book. 2nd edition. Chichester, Wiley. [excellent but enormous reference book, scripts

and data available from http://www.bio.ic.ac.uk/research/mjcraw/therbook/index.htm]



http://www.bio.ic.ac.uk/research/mjcraw/therbook/index.htm

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