Overview

The unit aims to develop an appreciation of the context of biotechnology in addressing specific priorities in the areas of medicine, health, food and nutrition, and the environment. It aims to improve techniques of literature searching, critical analysis of published data and identification of gaps in knowledge. It aims to build skills in project development, research planning and problem solving.

Requisites

Prerequisites
BIO80001 Advanced Topics in Biotechnology

Rules
87.5 credit points

Teaching Periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
26-February-2024
26-May-2024
Last self-enrolment date
10-March-2024
Census date
31-March-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
12-April-2024
Results released date
02-July-2024

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Appreciate advancements in select current topics in Biotechnology research and development
  • Engage in considerations of the ethical, legal, social and moral issues associated with some of the above developments
  • Identify and critically analyse published literature and/or utilise computer-based tools to analyse topics
  • Present written reports or assignments, critically appraising the literature and the issues, challenges, new trends and opportunities in areas

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Lecture
2.00 12 weeks 24
Live Online
Lecture
1.00 12 weeks 12
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning
9.50 12 weeks 114
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2,3,4 
ExaminationIndividual 30 - 35% 1,2 
Online QuizzesIndividual 5 - 10% 1,2,3 
TestIndividual 25 - 30% 1,2,3 
AssignmentIndividual 20 - 30% 1,2,3,4 
ExaminationIndividual 24 - 36% 1,2 
Online QuizzesIndividual 10 - 20% 1,2,3 
TestIndividual 24 - 36% 1,2,3 

Hurdle

As the minimum requirements of assessment to pass a unit and meet all ULOs to a minimum standard, an undergraduate student must have achieved:

(i) an aggregate mark of 50% or more, and(ii) at least 40% in the final exam.Students who do not successfully achieve hurdle requirement (ii) will receive a maximum of 45% as the total mark for the unit.

Content

Specialised aspects in different areas of biotechnology that may include but are not limited to:

  • Mutations in DNA and their effects
  • Environmental hazards
  • Systems that maintain the integrity of the genome
  • Stem cells
  • Expression of recombinant proteins
  • Biosensors, development of vaccines
  • RNA tools
  • Genomics and proteomics

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.