Studying online (if an online offering is shown below)
There are now 2 possible online modes for units:
Units with modes Online timetabled and Online flexible are available for any student to self-enrol and study online.
Click on an offering mode for more details.
Unit Overview
- Description
Understanding the genetic basis of biological processes is a fundamental component of biological and conservation studies. With the recent advent of next generation sequencing technologies, it is now possible to perform large genome assembly projects for ecologically important non-model species. Investigation of the genetic basis of various traits is a key component in a great variety of biological studies. The recent UN report stating one million of the world's species are now at risk of extinction is scary, it is clear the sixth mass extinction of animal and plant life on earth is accelerating, making it necessary to build these high-quality genomic resources and training the future generation to save the biodiversity and our planet.
This unit is designed to facilitate training the next generation of biotechnology students through the rapid generation of high-quality genomics resources and advances in the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) toolkit for bioengineering. The potential of biotechnology and bioengineering is immense because it touches the entire spectrum of life including agriculture, food processing, medicine, and many other areas. Apart from blessings and benefits of these fields, ethical concerns are required to be articulated.
Overall this unit will enhance the understanding of life, its varieties, and its origins, and will greatly facilitate our understanding of science and biology.
- Credit
- 6 points
- Offering
Availability Location Mode Not available in 2025 UWA (Perth) Face to face - Outcomes
Students are able to (1) assemble the genomes of non-model and model organisms; (2) critically analyse the application of the CRISPR-CAS techniques principle, to a range of plants and animals; (3) design approaches to build new properties into plants and animals; and (4) debate the ethics of next generation DNA modification technologies.
- Assessment
Indicative assessments in this unit are as follows: (1) quizzes; (2) assignment build and annotate a Genome Assembly for a species of interest; and (3) group Presentation 2 min videos of CRISPR-CAS applications in plants or animals & the ethical debate. Further information is available in the unit outline.
Student may be offered supplementary assessment in this unit if they meet the eligibility criteria.
- Unit Coordinator(s)
- Dr Parwinder Kaur
- Unit rules
- Prerequisites
- Enrolment in
- The availability of units in Semester 1, 2, etc. was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change.
- All students are responsible for identifying when they need assistance to improve their academic learning, research, English language and numeracy skills; seeking out the services and resources available to help them; and applying what they learn. Students are encouraged to register for free online support through GETSmart; to help themselves to the extensive range of resources on UWA's STUDYSmarter website; and to participate in WRITESmart and (ma+hs)Smart drop-ins and workshops.
- Visit the Essential Textbooks website to see if any textbooks are required for this Unit. The website is updated regularly so content may change. Students are recommended to purchase Essential Textbooks, but a limited number of copies of all Essential Textbooks are held in the Library in print, and as an ebook where possible. Recommended readings for the unit can be accessed in Unit Readings directly through the Learning Management System (LMS).
- Contact hours provide an indication of the type and extent of in-class activities this unit may contain. The total amount of student work (including contact hours, assessment time, and self-study) will approximate 150 hours per 6 credit points.
Face to face
Predominantly face-to-face. On campus attendance required to complete this unit. May have accompanying resources online.
Online flexible
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit is asynchronous delivery, with NO requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online timetabled
100% Online Unit. NO campus face-to-face attendance is required to complete this unit. All study requirements are online only. Unit includes some synchronous components, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times.
Online Restricted
Not available for self-enrolment. Students access this mode by contacting their student office through AskUWA. 100% Online Unit.
NO campus face-to-face attendance. All study and assessment requirements are online only. Unit includes some timetabled activities, with a requirement for students to participate online at specific times. In exceptional cases (noted in the Handbook) students may be required to participate in face-to-face laboratory classes when a return to UWA’s Crawley campus becomes possible in order to be awarded a final grade.
External
No attendance or regular contact is required, and all study requirements are completed either via correspondence and/or online submission.
Off-campus
Regular attendance is not required, but student attends the institution face to face on an agreed schedule for purposes of supervision and/or instruction.
Multi-mode
Multiple modes of delivery. Unit includes a mix of online and on-campus study requirements. On campus attendance for some activities is required to complete this unit.