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BB40088: Bioinformatics

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 1
Further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 100%
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites: Before taking this unit you must take BB20020 or you must have taken suitable degree units from another university.
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To understand the concept of Bioinformatics; to become familiar with some of the most important tools of Bioinformatics; to recognise the ways in which Bioinformatics can be used to gain understandings about the biological function of genes and proteins.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this course the student should be able to:
* explain the basis of sequence alignment, database searching, protein structure prediction, the recognition of pattern and compositional bias and phylogenetic inference;
* explain how the tools of Bioinformatics can be used in whole genome annotation, the prediction of protein functions and evolutionary relationships;
* explain the limitations of Bioinformatics methods.

Skills:
Learning and studying T/F/A, Written communication T/F/A, Oral communication T/F/A, Information handling & retrieval T/F/A, Working independently T/F/A.

Content:
Despite the title, the unit in Bioinformatics is not about computing or programming. The series of topics will cover the current methods being used to compile and understand the mass of sequence data from the human and other genome projects. It will cover pattern recognition in DNA and protein sequences, the identification of compositional biases in DNA sequences, methods of sequence alignment and database searching, prediction of protein structures, phylogenetic inference, and a discussion of how all this information can be put together in order to gain insights into biological function.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

BB40088 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry
  • USBB-AFB02 : BSc (hons) Biochemistry (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USBB-AKB06 : BSc (hons) Biochemistry with Professional Placement (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • USBB-AFB05 : BSc (hons) Molecular and Cellular Biology (Full-time) - Year 3
  • USBB-AKB08 : BSc (hons) Molecular and Cellular Biology with Professional Placement (Full-time with Thick Sandwich Placement) - Year 4
  • RSBB-AFM07 : Integrated PhD Postgenomic Biosciences (Biosciences Route) (Full-time) - Year 1
  • RSBB-AFM15 : Integrated PhD Postgenomic Biosciences (Evolutionary Biology Route) (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM03 : MRes Biosciences (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM15 : MRes Evolutionary Biology (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM07 : MSc Developmental Biology (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM06 : MSc Biosciences (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM08 : MSc Evolutionary and Population Biology (Full-time) - Year 1
  • TSBB-AFM05 : MSc Industrial Biotechnology and Enterprise (Full-time) - Year 2

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/4 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.