Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Convener Jaco Le Roux biol110@mq.edu.au Lecturer Oliver Griffith biol1110@mq.edu.au Administration Jessica O'Hare biol1110@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit deals with the nuts and bolts of life on earth. Throughout the unit there is a single unifying theme – that all of the processes that give rise to life are derived from DNA. We show students that DNA controls life by acting as a blueprint for the construction of proteins, and that those proteins build cells which act as the basic structural and functional units of all life. To demonstrate these processes to students, we start by talking about the structure and function of DNA to show how it can act as a simple code for the construction of proteins. Students are then shown how proteins are constructed from the DNA code, and how those proteins can be used to build and maintain cells. Having established these basic principles, the unit then goes on to explain how cells construct multicellular organisms during development, and how the proper functioning of those organisms is maintained by regulating cellular activity. We also demonstrate that the DNA code is essentially immortal because it can be copied from generation to generation, from cell to cell. This unit requires attendance at an on-campus session.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

ULO1: Define how biological information is encoded in the structure of the genetic molecule, DNA
ULO2: Describe how large macromolecules, such as nucleic acids and proteins are constructed from simpler building blocks
ULO3: Explain how eukaryotic cells are constructed, in terms of the structure and functions of organelles
ULO4: Describe how genetic information is transmitted through the generations, and the evolutionary process
ULO5: Discuss modern applications of genetics and genomics
ULO6: Analyse scientific data and use the basic elements of scientific writing to write reports

General Assessment Information

UNIT COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS

Submit all assessments and attempt all exams
Participate in all practicals (this is a hurdle requirement)

To pass BIOL1110, the above requirements need to be fulfilled and an overall mark of 50/100 (50%) needs to be achieved. Failure to fulfil these requirements will lead to a Fail grade for this unit.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Paper dissection	25%	No	03/10/2021
Mid-semester test	15%	No	10/09/2021
Database project	10%	No	Sep 5, Oct 17, Nov 7 2021
Practical quizzes	10%	No	Weekly (on Monday @ 12pm)
Final Exam	40%	No	Formal exam period (exact date TBA)

Paper dissection

Assessment Type ¹: Report
Indicative Time on Task ²: 25 hours
Due: 03/10/2021
Weighting: 25%

A library of at least 10 public research papers will be made available to students. Students must select one paper (or choose a paper in which they are interested, with the approval of the convenors) and analyse the structure, underlying research, and implications of the paper, following the set of questions provided.