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Module

BIO2030 : Biotechnology: Principles and Practice

  • Offered for Year: 2020/21
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Martin Edwards
  • Lecturer: Professor Angharad MR Gatehouse, Dr Jon Marles-Wright, Dr Timothy Boswell
  • Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0

Aims

To inform students about the technology that is currently used in the analysis and engineering of genes and to give students practical experience in this technology. Also to introduce the principles of allied technologies (proteomics, transcriptomics, and cell culture) and expose students to industry through a site visit and an introduction to intellectual property.

Lab practicals will provide students with intensive training in modern molecular biological methods centred around tools and techniques for DNA and protein isolation and characterisation. Students will be taken through a logically connected sequence of experiments on a biological system that will allow them to collect experimental data for presentation and analysis. This helps to equip students to carry out final year laboratory based research projects, as well as increasing their practical and data processing skills.

The module, along with others, provides students with underpinning theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed for the final year biotechnological modules and projects offered by the School.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module introduces the technology currently used in the analysis and engineering of genes. It also introduces the principles of allied technologies (proteomics, transcriptomics, and cell culture) and exposes students to industry through a site visit to a biotech company and provides an introduction to the use of a model-guided design for experimentation in biotechnology.

Lecture topics:

Gene and cDNA cloning
DNA sequencing.
Protein engineering.
High-level regulated expression of heterologous genes in microbial systems.
Genome editing.
Creation of transgenic plants, animals and microorganisms; introduction to applications of the technology in medicine, agriculture and industry.
Outlines of proteomics, transcriptomics.
Outline of plant and animal cell culture.
Introduction to model-guided design for biotechnology.

Practicals and site visit

The lectures will be underpinned by a site visit to Centre for Product Innovation (CPI), Redcar and by a series of practicals, which will focus on:

PCR from plasmid DNA
Preparing antibiotic screening plates
Transformation of E. coli
Colony PCR to measure transformation success
Plasmid extraction and restriction digestion
Protein extraction, chromatography, quantification, and protein gels

Teaching Methods

Module leaders are revising this content in light of the Covid 19 restrictions.
Revised and approved detail information will be available by 17 August.

Assessment Methods

Module leaders are revising this content in light of the Covid 19 restrictions.
Revised and approved detail information will be available by 17 August.

Reading Lists

Timetable