Undergraduate - Course3543 - Bachelor of Biotechnology

The course provides graduates with a strong foundation in the enabling science disciplines of biology, chemistry and mathematics as well as skills and techniques in molecular biology, microbiology and biochemistry. Students must complete core units at each stage specifically addressing issues relevant to the biotechnology industry, including ethics, business and law. Students also complete an approved combination of units to specialise in an area of biotechnology. The area of specialisation is selected after stage one.

These course outcomes are aligned with the [http://opvclt.monash.edu.au/curriculum-by-design/aligning-course-outcomes-with-aqf-bologna.htmlhttp://opvclt.monash.edu.au/curriculum-by-design/aligning-course-outcomes-with-aqf-bologna.html (http://opvclt.monash.edu.au/curriculum-by-design/aligning-course-outcomes-with-aqf-bologna.html)[Australian Qualifications Framework level 7, the Bologna Cycle 1 and Monash Graduate Attributes].

Upon successful completion of this course it is expected that graduates will be able to:

• demonstrate broad knowledge and technical skills in at least one area of science that contributes to the biotechnology industry and a basic understanding of technological innovation and commercialization
• generate, develop, apply and integrate scientific knowledge from within disciplines related to biotechnology to analyse challenges and to develop effective solutions in a professional context
• collect, organise, analyse, interpret and present data meaningfully, using mathematical and statistical tools as appropriate to the discipline of specialisation
• convey ideas and results effectively to diverse audiences and in a variety of formats
• work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives
• exercise personal, professional and social responsibility as a global citizen.

At the completion of the biomedical technology specialisation, students will be able to:

• demonstrate broad knowledge across a range of biomedical science disciplines with a focus on cellular and molecular aspects.
• demonstrate in depth knowledge of biochemistry and gene technology and their application in a biomedical context, together with at least one further discipline area of biomedical science.
• demonstrate technical skills relevant to research in at least two discipline areas of biomedical science.
• generate, develop, apply, and integrate knowledge from disciplines within biomedical science to analyse challenges and to develop effective solutions in a professional context.
• collect, organise, analyse, interpret and present data meaningfully, using experimental and computational approaches appropriate to biomedical science.
• convey ideas and results effectively to diverse audiences and in a variety of formats.
• work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives.
• exercise personal, professional and social responsibility as a global citizen.

At the completion of biological engineering and nanotechnology specialisation, students will be able to:

• demonstrate broad knowledge of biocompatibility, material structure and properties and contemporary manufacturing techniques and their application to biomedical outcomes.
• apply in depth knowledge of materials characteristics to identify factors that are essential for the successful application of materials for biomedical applications.
• employ the properties of nanostructures to manipulate and develop novel materials.
• develop broad knowledge of the methods available to characterize and modify material microstructure for biomedical applications.
• generate, develop, apply, and integrate knowledge from disciplines within engineering and biomedical science to analyse challenges and to develop effective solutions in a professional context.
• collect, organise, analyse, interpret and present data meaningfully, using experimental and computational approaches appropriate to materials selection, characterisation and manipulation.
• convey ideas and results effectively to diverse audiences and in a variety of formats.
• work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives.
• exercise personal, professional and social responsibility as a global citizen.

At the completion of the medicinal chemistry specialisation, students will be able to:

• demonstrate broad knowledge of the chemistry of biomolecules and their application to achieve biotechnological outcomes.
• demonstrate broad knowledge of the mechanisms underlying drug action and the factors that can influence their effects on individual organisms.
• apply knowledge of chemistry and pharmacological concepts in the context of the design of therapeutics.
• demonstrate technical skills in molecular synthesis, physiochemical and bio-analytical techniques and understanding of the OHSE regulations as applied to laboratory environments.
• generate, develop, apply, and integrate knowledge from chemistry and pharmacology to analyse challenges and to develop effective solutions in a professional context.
• collect, organise, analyse, interpret and present data meaningfully, using experimental and computational approaches appropriate to chemistry and pharmacology science.
• convey ideas and results effectively to diverse audiences and in a variety of formats.
• work and learn in both independent and collaborative ways with others to encompass diverse abilities and perspectives.
• exercise personal, professional and social responsibility as a global citizen.

Core studies

This course consists of core science units, core biotechnology units at each year level (stages one to three), foundation scientific studies (at stages one to two), units towards an approved specialisation in selected areas of study (at stages two to three), as well as two approved elective units at stage one.

Areas of study

Students must complete an approved specialisation in one of the following areas of biotechnology:

• biomedical technology
• biological engineering and nanotechnology
• medicinal chemistry.

Details of the requirements for each specialisation are described below.

Students must complete the following:

(a.) seven foundation science units at stages one to two (42 points):

• BIO1011 Biology I
• BIO1022 Biology II
• CHM1011 Chemistry I or CHM1051 Chemistry I advanced
• CHM1022 Chemistry II or CHM1052 Chemistry II advanced
• BCH2011 Structure and function of cellular biomolecules
• MOL2011 Molecular biology: Genes and their expression
• MOL2022 Molecular biology: Gene technology and its application

(b.) a mathematics or statistics unit at stage one (6 points):

• STA1010 Statistical methods for science, or MTH1030 Techniques for modelling

(c.) a biotechnology core unit at each of stages one to three (18 points):

• BTH1011 Biotechnology, science, business, law and ethics 1
• BTH2012 Biotechnology regulation, law and ethics
• BTH3012 Biotechnology science, industry and commercialisation

(d.) eleven units in an approved biotechnology specialisation (detailed below) at stages two to three (66 points)

(e.) two elective units from any faculty (12 points).

Elective units can be identified using the browse units toolbrowse units tool (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/search) and [http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/ (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/units/)[indexes of units] in the current edition of the Handbook. The level of the unit is indicated by the first number in the unit code; undergraduate units are those that commence with the numbers 1-3. Note: Some non-science units may require permission from the owning faculty.

Specialisations

Biomedical technology

Students must complete:

(a.) the following six units (36 points):

• BCH2022 Metabolic basis of human diseases
• BCH3031 Advanced molecular biology: Modern concepts and applications
• BCH3052 Protein biology: From sequence to structure and disease
• BMS3021 Molecular medicine and biotechnology
• IMM2011 Basic immunology: The body's defence system
• MIC2011 Introduction to microbiology and microbiology biotechnology

(b.) one of the following (6 points):

• BMS1052 Human neurobiology
• BMS2042 Human genetics
• DEV2022 Principles of organ and body design
• MIC2022 Microbes in health and disease

Note: The choice of unit here will determine which level-three units students can enrol in as these units may be pre-requisites.

(c.) four level-three units (two pairs) from the following combinations (24 points):

• BCH3021 Cellular organisation: Organelle structure and function in health and disease and BCH3042 Cell signal transduction: Role in cancer and human disease, or BCH3990 Action in biochemistry research project
• DEV3011 Fundamentals of developmental processes and DEV3032 Stem cells and regeneration, or DEV3990 Action in developmental biology research project
• GEN3040 Genomics and advanced molecular genetics, or GEN3051 Medical and forensic genetics and GEN3030 Developmental and cellular genetics
• IMM3031 Molecular and cellular immunology and IMM3042 Clinical immunopathology
• MIC3011 Molecular microbiology and MIC3022 Molecular virology and viral pathogenesis, or MIC3990 Action in microbiology research project
• PHA3011 Principles of drug action and PHA3042 Modern Drug Development, or PHA3990 Action in pharmacology research project.

Biological engineering and nanotechnology

Students must complete:

(a.) the following eight units (48 points):

• CHE3172 Nanotechnology and materials I
• ENG4700 Engineering technology for biomedical imaging and sensing
• MIC2011 Introduction to microbiology and microbial biotechnology
• MTE2541 Nanostructure of materials
• MTE2548 Biomaterials I
• MTE3541 Materials durability
• MTE4596 Biomaterials II
• MTE4597 Engineering with nanomaterials

(b.) three units from one of the following strands (18 points):

(i.) Strand one:

• CHM3180 Materials chemistry
• MTE3547 Materials characterisation and modelling
• MTE4598 Electron microscopy

(ii.) Strand two:

• BCH3031 Advanced molecular biology or BCH3990 Action in biochemistry research project
• CHE3171 Bioprocess technology
• CHE4171 Biochemical engineering

Medicinal chemistry

Students must complete:

(a.) the following 10 units (60 points):

• CHM2911 Synthetic chemistry I
• CHM2922 Spectroscopy and analytical chemistry
• CHM2942 Biological chemistry
• CHM3922 Advanced organic chemistry
• CHM3930 Medicinal chemistry
• CHM3941 Advanced inorganic chemistry
• CHM3952 Advanced analytical chemistry
• PHA3011 Principles of drug action
• PHA3042 Modern drug development
• PHY2011 Neuroscience of sensory and control systems in the body

(b.) one of the following (6 points):

• BTH3960 Interdisciplinary advanced practical in pharmacology and chemistry
• CHM3911 Advanced physical chemistry
• PHA3021 Drugs in health and disease

Bachelor of Biotechnology