Course overview
The aim of this course is to present the principles of a comprehensive range of basic biotechnology techniques and their application to deciphering the genetic composition of whole genomes, the molecular biology of major human diseases and the detection and monitoring of disease and biotherapy. Eukaryote genes: structure, function and control; translation control. Genomics Genome projects (HUGO): large scale DNA sequencing, sequence analysis, gene mapping; ethical issues. Bioinformatic techniques: Nucleic acid databases, protein databases, internet resources for bioinformatics, sequence analysis software, chemical databases, molecular modelling. Diagnostic techniques: nucleic acid amplification and other technologies for mutation detection. Therapy for genetic diseases, cloning in animal cells and whole animals. Protein technology: two dimensional protein separation and microanalysis including amino acid analysis, micro-sequencing, mass spectrometer-based analyses. Diagnosis of diseases. Independent research project conducted within the controlled and supervised environment of the UniSA teaching laboratories. This will act as essential preparation for the subsequent independent research project to be conducted in research laboratory as part of the research elective project.
Course learning outcomes
- Articulate the mechanisms of gene function at the molecular level in health & disease
- Describe the fundamentals of a range of diagnostic and analytical biotechniques including those relating to elucidation of whole genome sequences and deduction of genetic content, in vitro amplification of nucleic acids for detection of normal and mutated sequences, protein cloning, purification and analysis and production of biopharmaceuticals
- Perform a number of basic biotechnology techniques, particularly those relating to detection of mutated and normal DNA for the detection of genetic and infectious diseases and cancer.
- Develop advanced knowledge of bioinformatic techniques, which include searching for gene/protein alignment, developing cloning strategies, recombinant DNA mapping. Phylogenetic analysis and interpretations. BLAST searching.