Students

BIOL6110 – Genetics

2023 – Session 1, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Rachael Dudaniec
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Admission to MBiotech or GradDipBiotech or MConsBiol or GradDipConsBiol or GradCertConsBiol or MSc
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
BIOL2110, BIOX2110
Unit description Unit description
Genetics occupies a central role in modern sciences, with profound implications for basic and applied research in biology, medicine and agriculture, as well as for a number of philosophical issues in human affairs. This unit offers a balanced approach to teach introductory principles of genetics. It combines sections on classical, molecular and population genetics presented in an integrative way. The practical sessions offer students the possibility of learning essential techniques and skills in modern molecular genetics.

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: Describe how genetic processes apply to agriculture, human health, society, and the environment
  • ULO2: Apply numeracy and basic principles of genetics to solve problems and draw conclusions from genetic data
  • ULO3: Describe routine techniques used to assay genetic variation in populations
  • ULO4: Demonstrate proficiency in the use of genetic research tools (pipettes, gel electrophoresis, sequence analysis)
  • ULO5: Analyse genetic data using some common population genetic software and bioinformatic tools
  • ULO6: Source, synthesise and critically evaluate information from the literature in written and oral formats

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty 

Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, a 5% penalty (of the total possible mark of the task) will be applied for each day a written report or presentation assessment is not submitted, up until the 7th day (including weekends). After the 7th day, a grade of ‘0’ will be awarded even if the assessment is submitted. The submission time for all uploaded assessments is 11:55 pm. A 1-hour grace period will be provided to students who experience a technical concern.

For any late submission of time-sensitive tasks, such as scheduled tests/exams, performance assessments/presentations, and/or scheduled practical assessments/labs, please apply for Special Consideration.

 

Assessments where Late Submissions will be accepted or not accepted for Genetics:

  • Practical Report – YES, Standard Late Penalty applies 
  • Poster Presentation - YES, Standard Late Penalty applies
  • Problem Sets - NO, unless special consideration is granted. Each problem set is worth 1% (5 in total) and there is 14 days to complete each one.
  • Online Test - NO, unless special consideration is granted - this is a timed test assessment
  • Exam - NO, unless special consideration is granted for a supplementary exam - this is a timed test assessment

 

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through ask.mq.edu.au.

Special Consideration Policy:   https://policies.mq.edu.au/document/view.php?id=136

 

Hurdle Assessment

Final Exam (45%)

Students will be tested on their knowledge of course content. The exam will include information from lectures, practical classes and assessment tasks up to and including week 13. The date for your final exam will be available later in the semester - the exam will be online multiple choice format.  This is a hurdle assessment meaning that failure to achieve 45% in the final exam may result in a fail grade for the unit. Students who obtain between 35-44% in the final exam will be invited resit a supplementary exam at a designated time after the exam period.

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

  • Achieve at least 45% in the final examination (hurdle assessment)

  • Achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%, including 45% in the final exam.

Further, it is considered essential that you attempt every assessment in this unit to pass. It is very difficult to pass this unit without attempting all of the assessments.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Problem Sets 5% No Weeks 3,5,7,9,11
Practical Report 25% No April 13th
Seminar Poster 15% No May 3rd
Test 10% No May 18th
Final Exam 45% Yes Exam period

Problem Sets

Assessment Type 1: Problem set
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Weeks 3,5,7,9,11
Weighting: 5%

 

The problem sets are designed to assist you to understand topics covered in the course and to provide you with feedback on your understanding of those topics. It is essential that you complete the problem sets as the test and the final examination will cover similar topics to the problems. Answers to the problem sets will be provided. A good and reasonable attempt at each of the problem sets is required to obtain the full marks for each problem set (problems will not be individually graded).

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply numeracy and basic principles of genetics to solve problems and draw conclusions from genetic data
  • Analyse genetic data using some common population genetic software and bioinformatic tools

Practical Report

Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: April 13th
Weighting: 25%

 

A major component of this unit is the preparation of a practical report. This practical report should be presented in the style of a scientific publication and describe the procedures and results from the first two practical sessions. It is recommended that you start drafting your report at the commencement of the first practical session. In these practical sessions you will learn essential skills, including: how to isolate DNA, visualize DNA using gel electrophoresis, perform PCR amplification, and sequence a mitochondrial gene. You will learn to identify unknown DNA samples by comparing their sequences with those available in DNA sequence databases. After this, you will align all the DNA sequences collected and build a phylogenetic tree as a complementary method for species identification. Your report will include the activities undertaken within Practicals 1 and 2 within a scientific paper format, with Introduction, Methods, Results and Discussion.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe how genetic processes apply to agriculture, human health, society, and the environment
  • Demonstrate proficiency in the use of genetic research tools (pipettes, gel electrophoresis, sequence analysis)
  • Analyse genetic data using some common population genetic software and bioinformatic tools
  • Source, synthesise and critically evaluate information from the literature in written and oral formats

Seminar Poster

Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: May 3rd
Weighting: 15%

 

You are required to design and present a 3-minute scientific conference poster (design as a powerpoint slide with recorded presentation) on a topic in genetics that you find exciting, based on a peer-reviewed scientific paper. The grade of your poster assessment will be based on content and presentation and involves peer evaluation.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe how genetic processes apply to agriculture, human health, society, and the environment
  • Describe routine techniques used to assay genetic variation in populations
  • Source, synthesise and critically evaluate information from the literature in written and oral formats

Test

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: May 18th
Weighting: 10%

 

Your progress during the unit will be assessed with a test that will focus on topics covered during the lectures and practical sessions. This test will require application of genetic principles to solve problems and an ability to describe genetic processes and techniques.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe how genetic processes apply to agriculture, human health, society, and the environment
  • Apply numeracy and basic principles of genetics to solve problems and draw conclusions from genetic data
  • Describe routine techniques used to assay genetic variation in populations

Final Exam

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Exam period
Weighting: 45%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

 

Students will be tested on their knowledge of course content. The exam will include information from lectures, practical classes and assessment tasks up to and including week 13. The date for your final exam will be available later in the semester.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Describe how genetic processes apply to agriculture, human health, society, and the environment
  • Apply numeracy and basic principles of genetics to solve problems and draw conclusions from genetic data
  • Describe routine techniques used to assay genetic variation in populations

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Methods of Communication

We will communicate with you via your university email address or through announcements on iLearn. Queries to convenors can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to genetics.biol2110@mq.edu.au from your university email address.

 

LECTURE SCHEDULE

 

This unit has two online lectures per week. Lectures will be available each week online under the Echo360 link. 

Lecture notes will be made available each week under the corresponding week tabs.

Lecture            Week               Topic

1                      1                      Unit Introduction and Basic Revision

2                      1                      Basic Revision 2: Sex and Reproduction

3                      2                      Mendelian Genetics

4                      2                      Sex Determination Patterns of Inheritance

5                      3                      Allelic variation and gene function

6                      3                      Linkage and Crossing Over

7                      4                      Chromosome Number and Structure

8                      4                      DNA Replication and Synthesis

9                      5                      Transcription and Translation

10                    5                      Gene Expression, Mutation and DNA Repair

11                    6                      Molecular Techniques I

12                    6                      Molecular Techniques II

13                    7                      Population Genetics

14                    7                      Inbreeding and Inbreeding Depression

Mid-Semester Recess (April 7-23) (Good Friday April 7th)

15                    8                      Epigenetics

16                    8                      Evolutionary Genetics

17                    9                      Quantitative Genetics

18                    9                      Conservation Genetics

19                    10                    Genetic Response to Change

20                    10                    Human Genetics

21                    11                    Technological Advances and Applications

22                    11                    Revision 1

23                    12                    Revision 2

 

 

PRACTICAL SCHEDULE

On- campus practical sessions will run on Thursdays and Fridays during your allocated practical slot in either E8A 120 or E8A 160. Practical session materials will be made available on iLearn at the commencement of the week it is held.

NOTE: all practicals are on-campus except for the WEEK 11 - the Online Test. An online timeslot will be allocated for weekday students on May 18th, with alternative times to be arranged with the unit convenor via special consideration.

 

Week               Date                                    Practical/Tutorial

1                      22 & 23 Feb                        NO PRACTICAL/TUTORIAL IN WEEK 1

2                      2 & 3 March                       1: DNA Extraction and Gel Electrophoresis

3                      9 & 10 March                      2: Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Report Guide

                     16 & 17 March                    3: DNA Sequence Alignment and Data Analysis

5                      23 & 24 March                   4: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium – single locus

6                      30 March 31st April           5: Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium – population level

7                      6 & 7 April                           NO PRACTICAL - EASTER LONG WEEKEND/ RECESS

Mid Semester Break

8                      27 & 28 April                      6: Genetic Linkage and Independent Assortment

9                      4 & 5 May                          7: Data Quality in Genomics

10                    11-12  May                         8: Problem solving and test preparation

11                    18  May                              9: Online Test (10% assessment)  (this practical session is online only)

12                    25 & 26 May                      10: Test answers and revision for exam

 

COVID Information

For the latest information on the University’s response to COVID-19, please refer to the Coronavirus infection page on the Macquarie website: https://www.mq.edu.au/about/coronavirus-faqs. Remember to check this page regularly in case the information and requirements change during semester. If there are any changes to this unit in relation to COVID, these will be communicated via iLearn.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

The Writing Centre

The Writing Centre provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via AskMQ, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes since First Published

Date Description
07/02/2023 The lecture schedule was corrected to indicate the time of mid-semester recess

Unit information based on version 2023.02 of the Handbook