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BB30161: Developmental neurobiology

[Page last updated: 02 August 2022]

Academic Year: 2022/23
Owning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 2
Assessment Summary: CW 20%, EX 80%
Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 20%)
  • Examination (EX 80%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites: Before taking this module you are advised to take BB20028
Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* outline and distinguish the major processes of nervous system formation;
* explain current models of the mechanisms of neural plate specification and patterning, neuronal cell type specification, neuronal cell survival and axon guidance;
* utilise studies of neural development in selected vertebrate model systems to model mechanisms in other vertebrates;
* recall and discuss the develoopmental and activity-dependent mechanisms that lead to synapse formation, function and refinement, by drawing examples from various model systems;
* describe the processes that take place during development and function of the vertebrate visual system;
* extend their knowledge in these areas by reference to primary research articles.

Aims: To familiarise students with the concepts and vocabulary of developmental neurobiology;
To give a conceptual grasp of how a nervous system (specifically in vertebrates) might be formed;
To illustrate the advantages and limitations of specific vertebrate model systems for developmental neurobiological studies;
To give a critical understanding of the experimental approaches used in the field.

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

Content: Formation of the neural plate and neural crest; Specification of cell fate within the CNS - timing and position; Specification of cell fate within the NC; Proliferation of neuronal precursors; Neurotrophins and neuronal survival; Axonal guidance; Synapse formation, function and refinement; Development and function of the visual system in selected vertebrate model systems.

Programme availability:

BB30161 is Compulsory on the following programmes:

Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)

BB30161 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry Department of Psychology Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Environmental Science stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Environmental Science with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biochemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Pharmacology with Chemistry stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFB01 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKB02 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Year long work placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Chemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology with Physics stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biochemistry stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Chemistry with Pharmacology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Study year abroad (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Physics with Biology stream) with Professional Placement (Year 4)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2022/23 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2023/24 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2022/23.
  • 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.