Teaching

Disciples we currently contribute to

Intelligent agriculture (MSc) and Plant biotechnology (BSc Honours)

Agriculture is a fundamentally important part of modern biotechnology, and will increase in importance during the next 50-100 years. The planet's population is predicted to peak at over 9 billion in the second half of this century. To provide food and dignified living conditions, agricultural productivity will have to increase 50% by 2030 and 70% by 2050. This task is extremely challenging, as it will have to coincide with a transition to more sustainable and less energy-intensive agricultural practices and be achieved with less agricultural land due to climate change and urbanisation. This course focuses on plants and explore the fundamental constraints and opportunities for sustainable food and bioenergy production, as well as the use of plants to supply high-value products for human welfare.

Molecular and synthetic plant biology 3 (BSc)

This course looks at how plants work and how this knowledge is being used in crop improvement and biotechnology. This course is also about developing your skills, from designing and analysing experiments to finding, evaluating, and presenting information. The course particularly explores aspects of plants that make them unique. It is centred on the processes underlying growth, development, and how plants interact with their environment and with the pathogens and symbionts that they share it with. By the end of the course, students know how plants use their genetic information and how this knowledge can be harnessed via the latest synthetic biology, gene editing and high-throughput sequencing technologies available to improve crops and tackle climate change.

Systems and regulation (BSc)

This course is currently being designed. More information will be made available soon.