Admission requirements
This course is designed for MSc students specializing in genetics, molecular biology, and microbiology at the Institute of Biology Leiden (IBL). It is recommended that students have prior experience in these fields.
Description
Molecular genetics underpins modern life science research and has driven many transformative changes in society. This advanced course revisits key historical breakthroughs and explores the latest developments in the field. Students will gain a thorough understanding of how molecular genetics has evolved and how it continues to shape the biotechnology sector.
The course will cover a wide range of topics, including genome editing, gene expression analysis, functional genomics, and synthetic biology approaches. Also, ethical considerations in genetic engineering and biotechnology will be discussed. Please note that practical training in laboratory techniques and data analysis will not be provided.
By the end of this course, students are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of molecular genetics, its applications, and the ethical implications associated with genetic engineering and biotechnology.
Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of modern methodologies utilized in biotechnology, with a particular emphasis on genetics.
Choose state-of-the-art methodologies to address and solve problems within the realm of biotechnology.
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of specific technologies and effectively justify their implementation in various contexts.
By achieving these course objectives, students will develop a strong foundation in advanced biotechnological methodologies, enabling them to employ cutting-edge techniques and make informed decisions when faced with real-world challenges in biotechnology.
Schedule
The timetables are available through MyTimetable (see the button in the upper right corner). See Brightspace for a detailed schedule.
Teaching method
The course (3EC = 84 hours) will be delivered through a combination of the following methods:
Lectures (± 14 hours, spanning across 8 weeks): Faculty-led instructional sessions providing theoretical knowledge and insights.
Self-study 1 (40 hours, spanning for 8 weeks): Independent study to deepen understanding and explore course materials.
Group-study tasks (27 hours): Collaborative analysis and discussion of relevant research papers, news, and other related contents and finish a task together. The deliverables are an essay in which the ethical dilemmas of biotechnological applications are discussed in detail..
Invited seminars: Guest speakers will deliver seminars to broaden students' perspectives.
Final exam (3 hours)
Notes:
- During the self-paced studies, we will provide additional learning materials to the lecture slides, and students are expected to delegate appropriate time for self-studying to digest the lectures and related self-learning materials. The knowledge embedded in the lectures is coherent and will be assessed in line with the learning objectives.
- Optional learning activities are not included as part of the course evaluation.
Assesment method
The course assessment will consist of the following components:
- Attendance – 10% of the final grade (minimum requirement: 60% show-up rate, and it will be accounted for in the final assessment score)
- Small-group activity – 30% of the final grade (minimum score required: 6.0, and it will be counted into the total final assessment score)
- Final written exam – 60% of the final grade (minimum score required: 5.5, and it will be counted into the total final assessment score)
The final mark for the course is established by (i) determination of the weighted average of the partial grades combined with (ii) a minimum assessment of 5.5 for each partial grade.
Resit, review & feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest.
Reading list
It is highly recommended that all students have good knowledge about genetics before they enroll this advanced course. Students are encouraged to read the book ‘Molecular Biology Of The Gene’ by James Watson et al.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap (button in upper right corner) is mandatory. General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
Coordinators: Dr. M. Lubbers and Prof. dr. D. Claessen
Email: m.lubbers@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Email: d.claessen@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Remarks
Software
The Faculty of Science uses the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.