Module Specification
The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title INFORMATICS FOR LIFE SCIENCES (OFF-CAMPUS)
Code LIFE621
Coordinator Dr L Vieira De Mello Rigden
School of Life Sciences
Luciane.Mello@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2016-17 Level 7 FHEQ First Semester 15

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):
No other modules. Normally an Honours degree in a biological science. 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:
LIFE708 

Co-requisite modules:
 

Linked Modules:
 

Teaching Schedule
  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 10
Electures will be used including voice over PowerPoint, interactive presentations with audio/video and webinars
        5
Directed and facilitated discussion fora based on weekly topics.
15
Timetable (if known) Unscheduled hours will be directed reading of material prior to commencement of lectures.
  		        The University VLE (VITAL) will be used to provide the online activity.
The University VLE (VITAL) will be used to provide the online activity. Marked electronically.
Exercises will be provided in a format of handouts, throught VITAL.
  		 
Private Study 135
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment
EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
             
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)		 % of
final
mark		 Resit/resubmission
opportunity		 Penalty for late
submission		 Notes
Coursework  1500 words  semester 1  25  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Data analysis #1 
Coursework  1500 words  semester 1  20  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Data analysis #2 
Coursework  1500 words  semester 1  25  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Data analysis and article analysis and interpretation #3 
Coursework  1000 words  semester 1  15  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Data analysis #4 
Coursework  1000 words  semester 1  15  Yes  Standard UoL penalty applies  Data analysis #5 Notes (applying to all assessments) This is a practical course which requires practice of the material learned in the lectures, but mainly at the online exercises. Data analysis refers to the analysis of the bioinformatics results. The last two assessments will be released during the workshop and can be done during the online exercises activity (coursework 4 and 5). All others will be released after the workshop. All assessment will have a week deadline. They are assessment for learning due to the nature of the module subject (bioinformatics). It should also encourage students engagement with the practical activities; while helping staff to monitor students' understanding while working off-campus. If lack of understanding detected, action can be taken immediately rather than too late. If a student fails the module as a whole, (s)he will be given a single opportunity to resit any assessment (1 to 5) for which (s)he was awarded a fail mark. 

Aims

This module aims:
  • to provide a broad overview of the use of informatics in the biological sciences. 
  • to give students a theoretical and technical grounding in a range of application areas including bioinformatics-related topics

Learning Outcomes

Critically judge and utilise core techniques in bioinformatics to support their research projects;

Critically analyse and evaluate data analyses results and explain the correlation of them within the research context;

Design research methods in bioinformatics to solve biological problems.

Appraise different bioinformatics tools and choose the appropriate ones to solve biological problems.

Teaching and Learning Strategies

Electure - Electures will be used including voice over PowerPoint, interactive presentations with audio/video and webinars

Unscheduled hours will be directed reading of material prior to commencement of lectures.

Online Discussions - Directed and facilitated discussion fora based on weekly topics.

The University VLE (VITAL) will be used to provide the online activity.

Online Quiz - this approach will be used as formative feedback helping students to monitor their learning. - Directed and facilitated quiz based on weekly topics.

The University VLE (VITAL) will be used to provide the online activity. Marked electronically.

Online exercises - Working through a series of exercises following a handout.

Exercises will be provided in a format of handouts, throught VITAL.

Syllabus
1 

Introductory biology review

Aspects of biology required for the understanding of this module will be presented to the students; transcription and translation,  protein structures, protein evolution, single nucleotide polymorphism, metabolic pathways and allele frequencies.  

Sequence analysis
  • Databases covering a range of databases used by biologists will be presented followed by a case study exploring a subset of these to uncover aspects of cellulose metabolism in slime moulds and the human pathogen that causes tuberculosis. 
  • BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool): an algorithm for com paring primary biological sequence information, such as the amino acids sequences of different proteins or the nucleotides of DNA sequences.
  • Sequence alignment: the use different multiple sequence alignment methods and programs will be introduced with examples on different ways of using them. 
  • Genome sequences analysis.
  • Open reading frames

Phylogeny and Evolution
  • Principles of phylogenetic analysis will be presented aiming to provide experience working with phylogenetics. 
  • Natural selection affecting all evolving populations.
Protein modelling
  • Principles of protein modelling: how to modele a protein structure based on homology modelling, from teh determinatin of protein domains to its presentation using Modeller.
Population ecology
  • Introduction of key features of population dynamic models. Appreciation of the use of simple models to undertand complex phenomena and usage of various techeniques to analysis models.
Modelling metabolic pathways
  •  Bioinformatics approaches to metabolic pathways analysis; use of especific databases.

Recommended Texts
Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.
Explanation of Reading List:

Please note that bioinformatics is not a field where new editions of books are frequentely produced; therefore some books are not so recent. Recent publications in the areas will be provided to students throught the University virtual learning environment.