| CODE | BIO1500 | ||||||||
| TITLE | Introductory Applied Biology | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 2 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Biology | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This study-unit will cover the following at an introductory level: - Basic knowledge of drug development from identification to launching a drug on the market; - Toxicology, how drugs, especially drugs of abuse, work in the body, how they are excreted and methods that can be used to study them when in the body; - Applications involving viruses, bacteria and fungi; - Uses and development of new materials; - Aquaculture and selective breeding; - Forensic biology; - Use of plant derivatives for medicinal use, and development of genetically modified plants; - Environmental biotechnology; - Environmental biology; - Biological resources. Students are informed that regular attendance to lectures, practical classes and visits is obligatory. Students will be allowed to sit for the examination and a grade may be awarded to a particular study-unit only if attendance to lectures, practical sessions and/or field/site visits has been regular and if they have submitted all assignments and report as required. Study-unit Aims: This unit aims at introducing the student to applied biology, that is the practical application and use of knowledge of biology in real life situations for the benefit of the environment and the human population. Students registering for this study-unit will be provided with basic knowledge of applications of biology, including: - Drug development from identification to launching a drug on the market - Toxicology - Applications microorganisms and fungi - Biomaterial - Aquaculture - Forensic Biology - Plant derivatives and extracts, and genetically modified plants - Environmental biotechnology - Environmental biology, including environmental assessment and monitoring. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Understand the importance of studying the basic principles of biology, as the knowledge gained can be applied to tackle problems of industrial and environmental significance; - Understand the various stages involved in drug development; - Understand the mode of action of some drugs, and how levels of such drugs can be measured in the body; - Appreciate different uses of microorganisms and fungi in environmental biotechnology and genetic engineering; - Appreciate techniques used to identify body fluids using various techniques, and understand the concepts of DNA profiling; - Appreciate the use of organisms as evidence in forensic investigations; - Understand the importance of plants as a source of bioactive substances and the benefits of using the latter for biotechnological procedures, products and treatment of disease and medical conditions; - Appreciate the importance and used of animal breeding for the mass production of food; - Appreciate the importance of natural biological resources, and their uses and management; - Appreciate the importance and uses of environmental data to tackle environmental problems, and monitor and manage the environment. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Apply knowledge of biology to procedures and techniques used in industry (including the pharmacological industry), in industrial and academic research, and in environmental assessment, monitoring and management; - Use basic techniques in applied biology; - Communicate information and knowledge of applied biology and basic biotechnology. Main Text/s: - Bowsher C., Steer, M. and Tobin A. 2008 Plant Biochemistry, Garland Science, Taylor and Francis, UK - Nivedita K. & Pandit I. (2006). Introduction to the Pharmaceutical Sciences. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins - Gunn A. (2009). Essential Forensic Biology. Wiley Blackwell - Spellerberg I. F. (2005). Monitoring Ecological Change. Cambridge. Supplementary readings: - Journal of Applied Biology and Pharmaceutical technology ISSN: 0976-4550. |
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| ADDITIONAL NOTES | Pre-requisite Study-unit: BSc Hons Biology 1st and 2nd year study-units | ||||||||
| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Independent Study | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Joseph A. Borg Julian Evans Sandro Lanfranco |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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