Our staff organise a number of the courses in years 1-4 and contribute to many others. Our undergraduate teaching staff are world-leaders in their field and are developing unique insights and innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges in plant science. From solving enduring mysteries about the earliest plant ancestors that grew millions of years ago To unique insights into plant growth and development that are paving the way to climate and disease resilient crops to feed the world’s rapidly growing population We bring our passion, enthusiasm and a wealth of experience from the lab into the lecture hall. Undergraduate Courses Years 1-3 - students can choose from a wide range of biology courses and begin to specialise in Plant Science from Year 2. Year 4 - includes a residential plant science field course, and a major research project, either within the institute or in one of its partner institutions in Edinburgh. Undergraduate programmes Year 1 courses Life Biology 1B This course introduces concepts concerning the molecular basis of life, structure and function, information flow, transformations of energy and matter, and complexity of biological systems, with particular emphasis on DNA and the importance of biological organisation of the cell. It is structured by 'big questions' in biology and explores the molecular mechanisms that underlie the organisation, division, and growth of cells. Environment Biol 1D This course takes an ecological approach, emphasising interactions between different organisms and all aspects of their environment. All environments are now changing under the influence of human activities and many species are under threat as a consequence. In this course we aim to equip students with the knowledge and tools to begin to scientifically address such issues themselves. Year 2 courses Data Exploration in Biology: Biology 2A This course aims to give students the skills to work with biological datasets to present, summarise and explore patterns in a wide range of datasets using python, pandas and seaborn. We will take the student through guided examples, supported exploration and on to independent work. For each course topic, student will apply the concepts they have learned to complex research datasets, including Protein structure, the yeast cell cycle and the flora of the UK. Genetics and Evolution: Biology 2B This course covers core concepts in genetics and evolutionary biology including DNA replication, repair and recombination, the origin of hereditary variation, inheritance and expression of genetic information, genetic analysis techniques, genetic and phenotypic diversity, natural selection, the origin of species, evo-devo, methods of phylogeny construction, major evolutionary events and coevolution. Systems and Regulation: Biology 2C The Systems and Regulation course covers the processes and mechanisms that govern the organisation of life from molecules to organisms. It follows three major biological themes: communication at levels from molecules to organism, regulation and control of biological systems from molecular pathways to physiology, and sensing and managing metabolism and change. Using circadian clock as the overarching case study, students will learn about structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids, cellular compartmentalisation, metabolic processes inside the cell, how cells sense the outside world, how they organise into tissues and how they communicate at the level of organism. The Green Planet 2 The course is an introduction to modern plant biology that emphasises how plant science can be applied to improve crops and other useful plants, and how plants interact with other organisms. It contains a mix of basic plant biology, molecular biology, and whole organism biology. The course also includes an introduction to fungal biology and plant fungi interactions. Topics covered include plant hybridisation and evolution, nitrogen fixation, plant biomass exploitation, plant genetic manipulation, crop evolution and breeding, plant hormones and cell signalling, plant disease resistance. Year 3 courses Evolution and Ecology of Plants 3 The course covers aspects of the acclimation and adaptation of plants to diverse environmental stresses, both biotic and physical; competition and niche capture by plants; the origin, evolution and biodiversity of plants; their reproductive and breeding mechanisms; and their anatomy. The course mainly focuses on land plants. A comparison of morphological, physiological and molecular approaches will be introduced to study the ecology and evolution and plants, from algae to angiosperms. Plant-environment interactions also feature in the context of the colonisation of the land by early plants. We hope that the evolution and ecology of plants (past and present, wild or cultivated) will be seen to be indissolubly linked. The earliest land plants and their modern descendants are described, with an examination of ancient environments and what plants can tell us about them. The sequence of evolutionary novelties that drove land plant evolution and culminated in the radiation and success of angiosperms is described and current angiosperm diversity is surveyed, based on up-to-date molecular relationships. Molecular and Synthetic Plant Biology 3 This course will cover the physiology, molecular biology and biochemistry of higher plants and their interactions with microorganisms. This course particularly explores the aspects of biology that makes plants unique. It also highlights research areas that may be particularly relevant to agricultural biotechnology. Year 4 courses Plant Science 4 Two-semester 120-point programme leading to BSc Honours in Plant Science. Programme director - Dr Annis Richardson The programme is concerned with how plants grow and develop, how they respond to and interact with the environment, how they evolve and diversify, and their importance to human survival and wellbeing. Students can tailor course content to their own interests. The core of general plant science topics combines many important aspects of contemporary plant science, from the biology and ethics of GM to the use of DNA to the study evolution with different aspects of the molecular biology, biochemistry, evolutionary biology and ecology of plants or other organisms. Optional courses allow specific areas of plant biology to be considered in greater depth and students are also encouraged to integrate courses from other honours programmes. About half the Honours year is spent on an individual project as a member of an established research team. Plant Science Field Course - compulsory for Plant Science 4 Honours students Course organiser - Dr. Richard Milne 10-point course in the Honours program that runs in the preceding June It is an opportunity to demonstrate and investigate the diversity of European plants, and to learn techniques for their identification. The course also welcomes second year plant-orientated students who might be considering future entry into Plant Science Honours. Recent Field courses have taken place in Estonia, Scotland and Norfolk This article was published on 2024-06-17
