NBIK13005U Experimental Higher Model Organisms

Volume 2022/2023
Education

MSc Programme in Biochemistry
MSc Programme in Biology
MSc Programme in Biology with a minor subject

Content

Class lectures, student literature presentations, and practical laboratory and theoretical exercises will provide an overview of the use of biological model systems and strategies used in basic and applied research. The course includes models such as the angiosperm (flowering plant) Arabidopsis thaliana, the invertebrate model system Drosophila melanogaster (bananflue, the “fruit fly”), and the vertebrate model system Mus musculus (the mouse).

Laboratory exercises will employ a range of techniques that may include quantitative assays of gene expression, measurement of metabolite levels, dissection, immunostaining and confocal microscopy, plant tissue culture, Drosophila handling and genetics.

Learning Outcome

By the end of the course, students will be expected to have the following knowledge, skills and competences:

Knowledge of:  the advantages of different model organisms for different scientific investigative approaches; the areas of biological investigation encountered during the program in the assigned reading, lectures, seminar presentations, and written reports; and the general techniques used.

Skills to:

  • Understand and explain developments in the fields presented by the teachers;
  • Describe in detail the methodologies used in these fields;
  • Explain and exemplify the technologies used in these fields;
  • Present assigned primary literature (i.e., peer-reviewed journal articles);
  • Consult literature and databases to complete the assigned written work;
  • Be able to give a detailed description of and evaluate the exercises presented during the course.


Competences to:

  • Discuss and criticize research articles orally and in writing
  • Interpret various types of experimental data introduced in the course
  • Discuss interdisciplinary aspects of the research covered in the course
  • Propose experiments to test models and questions raised in research on model organisms.
Literature

See Absalon.

General Molecular Biology/Almen molekylærbiologi or an equivalent course.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Instructors will give introductory lectures and assign background reading and literature presentations for their class segment. Through these lectures, informal discussion, reading and presentation of literature, and laboratory exercises, students will learn about the featured model systems, the specific biological problems that will be investigated in lab, and other appropriate, interesting material.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Class Instruction
  • 21
  • Preparation
  • 82
  • Theory exercises
  • 21
  • Project work
  • 51
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Written
Oral
Individual
Collective
Continuous feedback during the course
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
The course has been selected for ITX exam
See important information about ITX-exams at Study Information, menu point: Exams -> Exam types and rules -> Written on-site exams (ITX)
Exam registration requirements
  • Active participation in 80% of class sessions, satisfactory oral presentations of ~2-3 (depending on the number of students) assigned research papers, 2 written reports.
Aid
All aids allowed

As the exam is an ITX-exam, the University will make computers available to students at the exam. Students are therefore not permitted to bring their own computers, tablets, or mobile phones.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Re-exam

The same as the ordinary exam.

Students who do not fulfill the requirements for attending the ordinary exam will have to follow the course again.

 

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning outcome.