COURSE OUTLINE
This course is spread over 10 lessons as follows:
Lesson 1: Inheritance Patterns and Non-Mendelian Genetics
- Mendelian genetics
- Mendel’s law of inheritance
- Non- Mendelian genetics and inheritance patterns
- Multiple allele traits
- Codominance
- Incomplete dominance
- Pleiotropy
- Inheritance tools
- Pedigree
Lesson 2: Genetic Foundations
- Nucleic acids
- Structure of DNA
- Genomic DNA
- Genomic libraries
- Complementary DNA
- Generating cDNA libraries
- Autosomal DNA
- Mitochondrial DNA
- Structure of mRNA
Lesson 3: Genetic Technologies
- ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay)
- Microarrays
- Application of microarray
- PCR (polymer chain reaction)
- Gel Electrophoresis
- Types of PCR
- DNA sequencing technologies
- Application of PCR and DNA sequencing technology
- Bioinformatics
Lesson 4: Complex Genetic Inheritance
- Polygenic inheritance
- Gene conversion
- Epistasis
- Cytoplasmic inheritance
- Infectious Heredity
- Mosaicism
- Sex- linked inheritance
Lesson 5: Epigenetics
- Introduction
- Histone modification
- DNA methylation
- MicroRNA
Lesson 6: Genetic Modification (Genetic Engineering)
- Introduction
- Gene editing
- Genetic Recombination
- CRISPR-Cas9
- Cloning
- Mutagenesis
- Horticultural application of mutagenesis
Lesson 7: Genome Editing and Ethical Considerations
- Introduction
- Somatic vs Germline gene editing
- Ethical considerations
Lesson 8: Genomics and Crop Development
- Introduction
- Uses of genetic technology in agriculture
- Genetically modified plants
- Types of genetic modification
- Benefits of GM crops
- Examples of different GM crops
Lesson 9: Genomics and Livestock Development
- Genomics in livestock
- Heritability
- Trait selection
- Cloning
- Transgenic Animals
- Other animal genomic programs
Lesson 10: Genomics and Human Health
AIMS
- Review the basics of Mendelian genetics. Explain several non-Mendelian inheritance patterns and how they affect inheritance in plants and animals.
- Explain the basic structure of DNA and mRNA and common methods laboratory methods.
- Explain modern genetic technologies used to investigate DNA.
- Explain more complex forms of genetic inheritance, including polygenic inheritance, gene conversion, infectious heredity, and epistasis and how they affect plants, and in some cases, human health.
- Explain the basic concepts of epigenetics and discuss applications for epigenetics.
- Explain genetic modification and highlight the methods by which this can be achieved.
- Discuss the ethical consideration of gene editing.
- To explain the use of genomics in crops.
- Explain the applications of genomics in animals.
- Explain the applications of genetic technologies in human health.
What will you be able to do when you finish this course?
When you finish this course you will understand how the recent developments in genetics that could impact and improve agriculture, medicine, human health and food and crop production.
If you plan on working in any of these areas, this course will help you stay on top of any new developments, improve decision making and will also increase your knowledge of this area immensely.
What makes this course a great choice?
This course is ideal for anyone who would like to understand more about genetic applications and work towards professional development, studying in your own time, at your own pace, whilst being supported by your tutor along the way.