Last modified: 05 Oct 2023 08:46
Ecological Genomics is a young and dynamic field where ecology intersects with high-throughput sequencing technologies. This technological revolution has opened exciting potential to address long-standing problems in ecology and evolution from a genome-wide perspective. This course will explore the origins and the meaning of this field of research, and will showcase the applications of different approaches to analyse sequence data, outlining how experimental work in this discipline is designed and executed. You will fully appreciate the great power of “omics” approaches in the context of a continuously evolving technological landscape.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session | First Sub Session | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The course is structured so that you will be initially introduced to the field of Ecological Genomics during the first week of the course. In this general introduction you will familiarize with the discipline. We will discuss how we define it and how it quickly changed (and still changes) over time. We will also explore the common steps of an experimental approach in Ecological Genomics, starting from asking the right questions and correctly designing an experiment, and then moving to performing sampling in the field, processing samples in the lab, analysing high-throughput datasets and making sense of the output in preparation of a publication: these will be further explored in a series of three practicals that will focus on each one of these aspects.
Thereafter, you will be exposed to a range of different “omics” approaches across different themes, each of them running in a separate week for four weeks. Each theme will follow the same structure as in the general introduction for the specific approach considered, and will be presented by a member of the School of Biological Sciences who actively perform research in the field.
By the end of the course students should have:
Taught topics covered include:
Genomics in Microbial Ecology– Population and speciation genomics– Neurogenomics and behavioural plasticity
Ecological epigenomics
Post-genomics and gene function
| Description | Value |
|---|---|
| Students should possess a Howie laboratory coat and safety glasses. Further details of requirements can be found on the course's MyAberdeen page. The cost listed here is approximate. | GBP 23.00 |
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 17 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Students will be asked to engage with an MCQ exam after all three practicals have been completed. They will be tested on their understanding of the pipelines and tools used for each practical. They will be given a chance to practice the types of question asked in the MCQ after each practical. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Analyse | Integrate multiple tools for bioinformatic analyses to process a typical dataset obtained with an “omic” approach |
| Procedural | Apply | Carry out the isolation of microbial DNA from soil samples |
| Procedural | Understand | Understand how an experiment in Ecological Genomics is performed, from experimental design, to sample collection, molecular work, and analysis of the output |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 18 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Students will be asked to read a paper in Ecological Genomics and to write a report that contains the following components: 1) a graphical abstract of the main results and the methods used in the study; 2) an assessment of the experimental pipeline adopted in the study with suggestions of possible alternatives; 3) a conclusion section indicating possible ways to move forward in the research described in the paper. They will be asked to use the knowledge acquired during the tutorial and the oral presentation. A range of 10 papers suggested by the course contributors at the beginning of the course will be available for the student to choose. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Analyse | Integrate multiple tools for bioinformatic analyses to process a typical dataset obtained with an “omic” approach |
| Procedural | Understand | Understand how an experiment in Ecological Genomics is performed, from experimental design, to sample collection, molecular work, and analysis of the output |
| Reflection | Create | Critically assess a piece of research in Ecological Genomics, identify weaknesses and propose ideas to expand the research |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | 16 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Students will critically analyse a paper in Ecological Genomics and associated datasets. They will be asked to present the main finding of the paper, the methods used and also ideas to trigger discussion about how the study could be improved/continued in the future. Students will engage in a tutorial showing how to present a paper and they will have a chance to practice their presentation in front of the class. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand what type of questions can be asked in the field of Ecological Genomics and how they can be formulated |
| Procedural | Understand | Understand how an experiment in Ecological Genomics is performed, from experimental design, to sample collection, molecular work, and analysis of the output |
| Reflection | Create | Critically assess a piece of research in Ecological Genomics, identify weaknesses and propose ideas to expand the research |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
Resit the component of the coursework that was failed; pass grades from other components carried forward |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Procedural | Apply | Carry out the isolation of microbial DNA from soil samples |
| Procedural | Understand | Understand how an experiment in Ecological Genomics is performed, from experimental design, to sample collection, molecular work, and analysis of the output |
| Reflection | Create | Critically assess a piece of research in Ecological Genomics, identify weaknesses and propose ideas to expand the research |
| Conceptual | Understand | Understand what type of questions can be asked in the field of Ecological Genomics and how they can be formulated |
| Procedural | Analyse | Integrate multiple tools for bioinformatic analyses to process a typical dataset obtained with an “omic” approach |
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