Introductory description

This final year module allows the students to bring their extensive background in molecular biology to bear on a complex and wide ranging topic which crosses phylum boundaries, is largely new to them, and which is one of the department’s areas of research expertise

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

1 Isabelle Carre Introduction. General properties of circadian clocks; adaptive significance; human chronotypes
2 Isabelle Carre Identification of clock genes.
3 Isabelle Carre Molecular mechanisms
4 Isabelle Carre Research paper analysis
5 Isabelle Carre Anatomical location of clocks. Hierarchical organisation or circadian oscillators in animals
6 Isabelle Carre input and output from the circadian clock
7 Isabelle Carre Research paper analysis
8 R Dallmann The interplay between the circadian clock and metabolism
9 R Dallmann Impact of circadian disruption on human health
10 R Dallmann Chronopharmacology
11 R Dallmann Research paper analysis
12 Isabelle Carre How circadian rhythms contribute to plant fitness.
13 Isabelle Carre Seasonal responses in plants and animals
14 Isabelle Carre Seasonal responses in plants and animals
15 Isabelle Carre Research paper analysis

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• LO1 Students should develop a better appreciation of the importance of temporal organization in Biology
• LO2 From the recent research on the molecular mechanisms of circadian rhythms, they should become familiar with the current picture of biological pacemakers in several organisms.
• LO3 Students will learn to interpret different types of research data and to formulate their own independent conclusions

Indicative reading list

"Rhythms of life. The biological clocks that control the daily life of every living thing" by Russel Foster and Leon Kreitzman. Profile Books. 2004. ISBN 186-197-235-0
Chronbiology: biological timekeeping. Edited by J. C. Dunlap, J. J. Loros and P. J. DeCoursey. W. H. Freeman. Sinauer associates. 2004. ISBN 0-87893-149-X
Young, M. W. and Kay, S. A. (2001) Time zones: a comparative genetics of circadian clocks. Nature Reviews Genetics 2: 702-715

Subject specific skills

a. Demonstrate clear understanding of the scientific topic
b. Contain evidence of extended reading and lateral integration of material not covered in the lectures
c. Demonstrate independent thought and deep understanding
d. Specifically answer the set question using information from multiple lectures and sources
e. Be structured and formatted in a way that demonstrates understanding and logical flow
f. Use multiple sources to construct complex scientific arguments and integrating these to build and develop the student's own scientific conclusions.
g. Use of quantitative skills to analyse and interpret published scientific data

Transferable skills

1. Critical appraisal of source material
2. Self directed learning
3. Adult learning