Course/Module
Lecturer, Bacterial genetics (Cell Biology 1st year). (Undergraduate)
Organiser, Medical Microbiology. (Undergraduate)
Lecturer, Microbiology (Cell Biology 1st year). (Undergraduate)
Cell Biology and Genetics - LIFE40006
Aims
The behaviour of living cells is influenced by both their genetics and by their environment. In this module, you will explore how the genetic information in cells is expressed as a phenotype, and how this expression is regulated in response to stimuli from the cell's environment. The module will address the central information transfer pathways in the cell (replication, transcription and translation), and aims to develop your skills in analysing genetic systems in model organisms. It will familiarise you with the compartments from which eukaryotic cells are constructed and how proteins are targeted to them. We will also explore specific examples of cellular interactions: neuronal signalling, vertebrate immunity, and viral infection. In the practical work in the summer term, you will work as a team to design experiments to investigate your own hypotheses in the context of the interaction between the growth of bacterial cells and their environment. We will continue to develop both your quantitative and writing skills.
Role
Lecturer
Cell Biology - LIFE40002
Aims
This course is aimed at introducing students to the biological and cellular context in which biochemical reactions and processes take place. Students should gain an appreciation of the compartmentalisation and organisation of eukaryotic cells with respect to function. We aim to make students appreciate and understand how cells develop, operate, communicate and control their activities.
Role
Lecturer
Challenges in Cell Biology - LIFE95006
Aims
CCB will give students an understanding of current cell biology research challenges and the approaches being developed to tackle them. It will discuss areas of cell biology that are new to second year Biochemists and so complement their previous cell biology teaching as well as introduce themes that will be developed in several final year courses.
Role
Lecturer
Genetics with Statistics - LIFE95010
Aims
By the end of the Genetics section of the module students should be able to (1) Describe factors affecting the expression of genes in eukaryotes, including the phenomenon of epigenetics; (2) Discuss the origin of new genes, evolution of genes and factors affecting population gene frequencies in time and space; (3) Describe the inheritance of complex or quantitative traits, and the use of quantitative trait loci (QTL) in mapping; (4) Discuss how genetic techniques can be applied to natural history, reconstructing relationships (phylogenies) and conservation; (5) Students will demonstrate their competence in genetics techniques by inducing and scoring mutations in Salmonella and conducting a population genetics analysis of microsatellite dataset using standard software such as GENEPOP. By the end of the Statistics section students should be able to (6) Obtain descriptive statistics of the data; (7) Produce meaningful visualizations the data by plotting them for exploration as well as model fitting; (8) Test for certain properties of data, such as normality, log-normality, etc. (9) For two samples, be able choose the appropriate test (e.g., t-test, paired t-test, Mann-Whitney u-test; randomization test etc); (10) Understand and use linear models including linear regression and ANOVA, check model assumptions using QQ plots, residual plots etc; (11) For data with non-normal errors or count data, be able to choose and perform appropriate tests especially generalised linear models (GLMs), and interpret the output
Role
Lecturer
Medical Microbiology - LIFE96022
Aims
a) To describe the nature of some of the most significant causes of infections in human, how they are transmitted and how they cause disease.
b) To outline the nature of the immune response to selected infectious agents.
b) To explain the principles of diagnostic microbiology as they apply to selected bacteria and viruses.
c) To discuss the spread of infections in communities and the strategies required to control infections (vaccines; chemotherapy).
Role
Course Leader
Molecular Basis of Bacterial Infection - LIFE96025
Aims
This course aims to develop an understanding, by undergraduate students, of some of the fundamental principles of infectious diseases. They will learn the basic mechanisms that determine the outcome of bacterial pathogen – host cell interactions. Bacterial infections and diseases result from a “dialogue” between the bacterial and eukaryotic cells rather than being a bacterial “monologue”. This phenomenon will be at the heat of the course. The students will be exposed to biochemical, molecular and cellular technologies.
Role
Lecturer