Postgraduate Course: Applications of Synthetic Biology (PGBI11094)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences | 
College | College of Science and Engineering | 
 
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) | 
Availability | Not available to visiting students | 
 
| SCQF Credits | 10 | 
ECTS Credits | 5 | 
 
 
| Summary | Applications of Synthetic Biology will provide examples of research which has applied synthetic biology tools or techniques to a particular problem. The course will seek to teach students the theory behind the applications; encouraging understanding, which will allow new uses and application in alternative areas to become apparent. | 
 
| Course description | 
    
    Lecture Subjects 
1	Synthetic life 
2	Biofuels and bioenergy  
3      Biomaterials 
4	Engineering photosynthesis  
5      Bioremediation  
6	Global health applications 
7	Assessment guidance 
8	Synthetic communities 
9	Medical and veterinary applications 
10	Assessment 
11    Future, fun and disaster
    
    
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites | 
 | 
Co-requisites |  | 
 
| Prohibited Combinations |  | 
Other requirements |  None | 
 
 
Course Delivery Information
 |  
| Academic year 2023/24, Not available to visiting students (SS1) 
  
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Quota:  40 | 
 
| Course Start | 
Semester 2 | 
 
Timetable  | 
	
Timetable | 
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) | 
 
 Total Hours:
100
(
 Lecture Hours 10,
 Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
 Formative Assessment Hours 4,
 Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
74 )
 | 
 
| Assessment (Further Info) | 
 
  Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
 | 
 
 
| Additional Information (Assessment) | 
Delivery: 
Students will be taught by a cohort of expert practitioners through lectures and tutorials to gain a broad overview over the possible real-world applications of synthetic biology tools and practice critically assessing them in tutorials looking at recent publications from the field. 
 
Assessment: 
Students will be assessed on two assignments. The first is a presentation of a paper of their choice in week 10 that shows an application of synthetic biology (30 % of final mark). The second is a 2000-word essay that includes a brief summary of the paper presented and in-depth answers to questions arising at the presentation (70% of final mark). | 
 
| Feedback | 
- Presentation: 
Written Feedback 
 
- Essay: 
Written Feedback | 
 
| No Exam Information | 
 
Learning Outcomes 
    On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
    
        - Analytical skills, the ability to assess the relative merits of new methods and application of these
 - The capacity to recognise and critically appraise the opportunities presented by new biological discoveries
 - The ability to look at a wide range of problems from the perspective of solving these with innovative bio-based solutions
 
     
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills | 
This course is aimed at developing synthetic biology graduates with skills in critical and reflective thinking and communication that prepares them for a career in research, further education and employment in biotechnology and other synthetic biology related industries. | 
 
| Keywords | ASB,engineering biology,synthetic biology tools,application of synthetic biology | 
 
 
Contacts 
| Course organiser | Dr Louise Horsfall 
Tel: (0131 6)50 5363 
Email:  | 
Course secretary | Ms Karen Sutherland 
Tel: (0131 6)51 3404 
Email:  | 
   
 
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