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BB20015: Biochemical problems & bioinformatics

[Page last updated: 04 August 2021]

Academic Year: 2021/2
Owning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you must take BB20018 AND take BB20020
Aims: To develop students' abilities to assimilate compilations of experimental data and to draw valid conclusions from them. To introduce protein and nucleotide databases and their use.

Learning Outcomes: After taking the course, the student should be able to:
* study a collection of biochemical observations, such as the Results Section of a publication or simply a series of related observations compiled specifically for the exercise, and assess their significance. Indications of this ability could be, eg answering particular questions or writing the Discussion section of a paper. It is especially important that the student learns to draw only such conclusions as are fully justified by the data.
* use database search tools to explore nucleotide and protein data for relevant information.
* demonstrate in an exam a knowledge of core areas of biochemistry covered by the Biochemistry programme.

Skills: Learning & studying T/F/A, Written communication T/F/A, Numeracy & computation T/F/A, Problem solving T/F/A.

Content: Several members of academic staff will participate in the Course, each providing a particular data interpretation problem. This will be handed out and explained to the class, who will then have a short period of time to provide written answers. These will be marked and returned. Also sessions on bioinformatics and database searching. There will be a briefing on expected core knowledge and an in-class test of this knowledge.

Programme availability:

BB20015 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry
  • USBB-AFB02 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry (Year 2)
  • USBB-AKB06 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry with Professional Placement (Year 2)
  • USBB-AFM06 : MBiochem(Hons) Biochemistry (Year 2)
  • USBB-AKM06 : MBiochem(Hons) Biochemistry with Professional Placement (Year 2)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2021/22 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2022/23 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2021/22.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change 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.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.