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GN4310: HONOURS GENETICS - OPTION 2 (2024-2025)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 10:59


Course Overview

  • the sequencing of the human genome, genome wide association studies (GWAS) and next generation sequencing have permitted an understanding of genetic variation and epigenetics in health and disease that would have been inconceivable 10 years ago; 
  • this course will encourage student access to the latest advances in human molecular genetics and will highlight the availability of genomic information currently available and how this information was derived; 
  • the course will permit a balanced understanding of the role of human genetic and epigenetic variation in the maintenance of health and disease and will examine the future of personalised medicine.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Alasdair MacKenzie

Qualification Prerequisites

  • Either Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

None.

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Course Aims: Following the sequencing of the human genome huge strides have been made in identifying the loci associated with disease through techniques such as genome wide association analysis (GWAS). However, over 95% of these disease-associated loci do not appear with the coding regions of the genome but, instead, occur in the 98% of the genome previously dismissed as "Junk" DNA. This has led to a huge glut of thousands of potentially useful loci which the vast majority of researcher are poorly equipped to study. The aim of the current course is to equip students with the knowledge required to understand the regions of the genome required to control the proper expression of the proteins. Students will also be taught the rudiments of whole genome sequencing and will be introduced to the findings of ENCODE consortium who attempted to functionally annotate the human genome. Students will also be introduced to the concepts of missing heritability and the role of multiple loci in generating disease susceptability. An essential part of understanding human health and the causes of disease will rest on our ability to understand how genes are regulated in specific stimuli. Thus, students will receive the most up-to-date understanding of gene regulation and how animal models can be generated and analyzed to understand this process. Finally, the course will seek to strengthen knowledge of the role of epigenetics in health and disease with reference to specific clinical applications.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Exam

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 70
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

In-course assessments will provide written comments and feedback. Opportunity for whole-class feedback will be provided during exam information and problem-solving sessions. 

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
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Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.

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