Plant biotechnology - land and sea
Summary
This course details the current advances in biotechnology as applied to land plants and marine photosynthetic organisms such as phytoplankton. We will examine the methodology used in this technology and the underlying rationales for its application. We will also discuss the future developments of this technology and how it could potentially benefit the society and our endangered land/marine ecosystems.
About
Biotechnology uses cell and molecular biological approaches to alter certain characteristics within a particular organism. It has been particularly successful when applied to terrestrial plants, especially in many different crop species important for global agriculture. This technology has now been used land plants for more than 30 years, with its continued development expected to accelerate in the future. In contrast, the use of biotechnology on marine photosynthetic organism is comparatively new, although many exciting new advances have generated considerable interest in its future prospects. The course aims to provide theoretical and practical insights into modern biotechnology as applied to both terrestrial plants and marine photosynthetic organisms. Teaching will focus on lectures and group discussions, as well as experimental work covering selected topics within the plant biotechnology field.
Prerequisites and selection
Entry requirements
Students must have successfully completed basic courses in biology comprising 60 credits in the subject areas of cell biology, molecular genetics, evolution, botanical and zoological physiology, ecology and biodiversity and systematics, or equivalent. English proficiency is required to the level of English 6/English Course B from Swedish Upper Secondary School, or be certified by an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.
Selection
Selection is based upon the number of credits from previous university studies, maximum 165 credits.
