Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor Paul Jaschke paul.jaschke@mq.edu.au Demonstrator Ellina Trofimova ellina.trofimova@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites ((BMOL6201 or CBMS621) or (admission to MBioBus or BMedScMBiotech)) and BMOL6432
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit provides an introduction to synthetic biology and hands-on practise in the analysis of large datasets gathered when working in the broad field of biomolecular sciences. Biomolecular sciences spans the study of individual molecular structures and biochemical reactions to also encompass the 'omics' sciences of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and glycomics. These sciences all generate large and complex datasets that require specialised software and methods to assemble and analyse. The analyses are challenging, as they not only require a good knowledge of biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell and developmental biology, but also an understanding of limitations of both the software and the data quality. The lectures on synthetic biology start with a brief overview of the field before delving into more challenging yet exciting concepts. You will learn about current techniques and approaches used in synthetic biology and design a molecular switch using these principles. The lectures also discuss applications, limitations and future potential of synthetic biology to produce new solutions to global challenges.

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: Ultilise and describe techniques applicable to acquiring large biomolecular datasets and the limitations of the use of these methods
ULO2: Design and conduct experiments to collect large biomolecular datasets using appropriate methods to assess and analyse the quality of these datasets.
ULO3: Report, communicate and draw new conclusions about a biomolecular system from large analytical datasets
ULO4: Summarise and discuss synthetic biology engineering principles using appropriate contemporary synthetic biological vocabulary
ULO5: Summarise current and future application spaces for synthetic biology by reviewing the latest published literature in the field
ULO6: Define the culture, safety practices, and organisational community of the synthetic biology field to evaluate how emerging and future synthetic biology technologies may benefit and/or potentially endanger humanity and the natural environment

General Assessment Information

Requirements to Pass this Unit

To pass this unit you must:

• Achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%, and

• Participate in, and undertake all hurdle activities for, a minimum of 8 of the 10 weekly workshops

Hurdle Assessments

Assessment 1: Practice-based task (0%)

Demonstration of practical laboratory skills and knowledge of protocols, and the submission of practical tasks.

This unit has weekly workshop classes and you must demonstrate your progress in developing and communicating knowledge and skills in a minimum of 8 of the 10 classes. This is a hurdle assessment meaning that failure to meet this requirement may result in a fail grade for the unit. Students are permitted up to two absences: additional absences will require a Special Consideration to be applied for (see below).

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: all assessments.

All assignments must be submitted as soft copy before the date & time specified on iLearn. Specific instructions for how to successfully complete assessments will be provided on iLearn. Criteria and standards required for the assessment tasks will be available on iLearn.

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

Weekly practice-based tasks: To pass the unit you need to demonstrate ongoing development of skills and application of knowledge in 8 out of 10 of the weekly workshop classes. If you miss a weekly workshop class due to a serious, unavoidable and significant disruption, contact your convenor for access to class material to review in your own time.

Note that a Special Consideration should only be applied for if you miss more than two of the weekly workshop classes.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Practice Based task	0%	Yes	Weeks 2-13
Natural and Synthetic Genomics Essay	25%	No	Week 7
Genome assembly and annotation	25%	No	Week 9
Synthetic Biology Design Project	25%	No	Week 13
Final Exam	25%	No	University Examination Period

Practice Based task

Assessment Type ¹: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task ²: 0 hours
Due: Weeks 2-13
Weighting: 0%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

Demonstration of practical laboratory skills and knowledge of protocols, and the submission of practical tasks.