Cell Biology and Genetics

The aim of the course is to develop students¿ knowledge and skills in cell biology and genetics through a combination of theoretical learning, practical laboratory training, writing laboratory journals, and presentations. The course will provide an overview of how to study cells, how eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are structured and function, how cells harvest energy, divide, and communicate. Furthermore, it will give students an understanding of how genetic traits are passed from parents to offspring, what genes are, how DNA is structured and organized, how information is transferred from DNA to RNA and to proteins, and how gene expression is regulated.

In addition to theoretical teaching in the form of lectures, there will be a laboratory course and a lot of group activities. The goal is to give students experience in practical laboratory work and safety in the laboratory. Other important goals are to establish an academic and social environment among the students and to give them training in written and oral communication and presentation.

After completing the course, students should have the following learning outcomes defined in knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

• Understand the chemical basis of life, know the structure and function of the most important molecular building blocks, and be familiar with how, when, and where biomolecules interact with each other.   
• Be able to explain and compare the organization of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and the role various sub-cellular organelles play in biological processes.   
• Be able to describe metabolism, energy conversion, catabolism, biosynthesis, and how these processes are organized with respect to cellular structures.   
• Be able to explain the mechanistic basis of cell communication.   
• Demonstrate a fundamental understanding of mitosis and how cells go through the cell cycle and divide.   
• Be able to explain both asexual and sexual life cycles, including meiosis.   
• Be able to explain Mendel¿s laws and the concept of genes and genetic inheritance, and also understand how genomes evolve.   
• Be able to explain how information is transferred from genes to RNA and further to proteins, and how gene expression is regulated.   
• Show knowledge of extrachromosomal genetic elements (viruses, plasmids) and how they replicate and are transferred from cell to cell.   
• Have knowledge of genome editing and the ethical issues related to it.   
• Be able to explain basic cellular and molecular mechanisms that govern animal development.

Skills:

• Have skills in practical laboratory work and knowledge of laboratory safety.   
• Be able to use basic microscopy techniques to observe phenotypic traits in animals.   
• Be able to analyze and interpret experimental data.   
• Perform basic bioinformatics analyses.   
• Be able to design and write a scientific report following the IMRAD format (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion) based on own results.

General Competence:

• Understand the principles of report writing following the IMRAD format, and be able to use these in the preparation of reports from lab exercises.   
• Be able to read and understand scientific texts.   
• Understand the importance of source criticism, referencing, and peer review.   
• Be able to give a clear and concise scientific presentation to an expert audience.   
• Be able to collaborate with fellow students on active learning in teaching, study groups, and laboratory exercises.

Spring.

The course has a limited number of places and is part of the teaching admission at the MN faculty. Students who have the course as a compulsory subject in their degree have first priority for the course. The deadline to register for the course is Wednesday in week 2. You will receive a response on whether you have been allocated a place in the course on Studentweb no later than Monday in week 3.

Attendance at the first lecture/orientation meeting is mandatory, and you risk losing your place if you do not attend. If you are unable to attend the first lecture/orientation meeting, you must contact the study section by email: studie.bio@uib.no. The time for the first lecture/orientation meeting can be found in the schedule under "Resources" at the top right or on Mitt UiB.