Biotechnology Applied to Livestock Industries (BIOT7038)

Course overview

This course will provide a broad understanding of the applications of biotechnologies in livestock industries, including innovations in animal breeding, animal health, and the ethical and regulatory implications of new technologies (e.g. gene editing). The course also covers, in detail, specific enabling technologies that have allowed translational changes in livestock industries including reproductive technologies (e.g. in vitro fertilization, cloning), genomic selection, gene editing, and molecular biology methods (enabling new diagnostics and new vaccines). Using these enabling technologies, the course will describe in-depth the recent advances in livestock breeding and their importance for sustainable food production. Ethical, regulatory and social implications of livestock biotechnologies, including the implications for animal welfare and food production will also be covered. Students will learn about the current global trends in livestock production and how cutting edge biotechnological tools are changing industries to meet increasing demands for meat and dairy products.

BIOT7038 Livestock Biotechnologies (external mode) will have a mixture of online lectures, tutorials, and workshops, all delivered via Zoom.ﾠTutorials and workshops are interactive, and participation via Padlet and Zoom is required. Each week, an expert in the topic teaches a one-hour lecture. Students will then expand their learning by reading an assigned scientific paper, which will be discussed in our tutorialsﾠ(also a Q&A opportunity). Join the Zoom and meet your colleagues, lecturers, and guest industry speakers! These workshops and tutorials are also a networking opportunity. In short, there will be plenty of opportunities for students to interact with and learn from experts in Livestock Biotechnology. The course will cover reproductive technologies, genomics, vaccinology, and the ethical and societal implications of applying biotechnology to animal production. Importantly, the students will have the opportunity to practice scientific communication, critical analyses of the literature, and oral presentation skills, all of which are desirable employability skills for science graduates.ﾠ

Course requirements

Assumed background

It is possible to take this course without a prior background in Livestock Biotechnologies, but it is recommended that students complete BIOT7037 first (Current Innovations in Agriculture Biotechnology) as it provides an introduction to this course. This is a Master level course and a scientific background (i.e. Bachelor of Science or equivalent) is expected.

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

Science Degree or equivalent

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

BIOT7037

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

• Another instance of the same course

The internal and external versions of BIOT7038 are jointly taught. All activities are shared between BIOT7038 internal and BIOT7038 external.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Check your online timetable regularly.

Aims and outcomes

This course seeks to enable you to:

Build a deep understanding of the most common biotechnologies applied to livestock production, genomics and breeding technologies in particular, in order to understand how to combine these technologies to optimize productivity, as well as animal welfare and health.

Develop an awareness of, and expertise in, a range of biotechnologies and the problems they target.

Learn to recognize the mechanisms to enhance livestock systems.

Identify and describe the scope and limitations of livestock biotechnologies.

Understand the impacts of high-throughput genomics on understanding animal biology, predicting genetic merit, and enabling other innovations (e.g. gene-editing and reverse vaccinology).

Understand the social-economic and environmental impact of livestock biotechnologies.

Develop and practice scientific communication skills (written and oral skills) to review and critique livestock biotechnologies.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Padlet contribution

• Hurdle
• Online

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Participation/ Student contribution

Weight

10%

Due date

24/07/2024 - 2/10/2024

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L04, L05, L06, L07

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Place your contributions in each weekly section of the Padlet using the link found on Blackboard.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

This is a contribution to the class, it must be done before the class occurs.

Students who can not contribute to the class via a Padlet question may apply for a deferral.

Applications for Extensions

Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.

Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.

If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.

Prolonged Absence

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.

Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)

For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.

Late submission

You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.

Late submissions do not contribute to the class discussion, which is the objective of this exercise. Submitting a simple question is much better than a "no submission".

Online Quizzes about Lectures

• Hurdle
• Online

Mode

Written

Category

Quiz

Weight

26% split into 2 online quizzes

Due date

Part 1 21/08/2024 8:00 am

Part 2 2/10/2024 8:00 am

Finish the quiz at 10:00am (this is an online quiz, to be done during class).

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Online via Blackboard

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Applications for Extensions

Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.

Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.

If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.

Prolonged Absence

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.

Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)

For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.

Late submission

Exams submitted after the end of the submission time will incur a late penalty.

Present the literature critique

• Hurdle

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Presentation

Weight

30%

Due date

9/10/2024 8:00 am

Learning outcomes

L04, L06

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 7 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Applications for Extensions

Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.

Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.

If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.

Prolonged Absence

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.

Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)

For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Literature Critique

• Hurdle

Mode

Written

Category

Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Essay/ Critique

Weight

34%

Due date

25/10/2024 2:00 pm

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06, L07, L08

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Submission guidelines

Submit your assessment item through the course Turnitin submission point in Blackboard. Before submitting your assessment item to Turnitin please name your file in the following way. FAMILY NAME_GivenName_StudentID_CourseCode_AssignmentName For example: Bob Smith (ID: 54329876) would name his ABCD1234 essay 1 in the following way. SMITH_Bob_54329876_ABCD1234_Essay1

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

Applications for Extensions

Information on applying for an extension can be found here: my.UQ Applying for an extension.

Extension applications must be received by the assessment due date and time.

If you are unable to provide approved documentation to support your application by the due date and time, you must still submit your application by the deadline but with an attached Word document that outlines why you cannot provide the approved documentation by the deadline. You will then need to acquire and upload the approved documentation to your request within 24 hours. Please note: When an extension request has been submitted and is pending, students are expected to continue to work on the assessment item, with the aim of submitting by the requested due date and time.

Prolonged Absence

If you have been ill or unable to attend class for more than 14 days, we advise you to carefully consider whether you are capable of successfully completing your courses this semester.

Extensions with Student Access Plans (SAP)

For extensions up to 7 days, your SAP is all that is required as documentation to support your application. However, extension requests longer than 7 days (for any one assessment item) will require the submission of additional supporting documentation e.g. a medical certificate.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved.

In most instances one or more hurdles will apply to your assessment item so you will need to submit it to fulfil the requirements of the course regardless of how late it is and the mark you are likely to be awarded.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Assessment Hurdles

In order to pass this course, you must meet ALL of the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):

1. You must obtain an overall mark of 50% or more; and

2. You must obtain an overall mark of 40% or more on the presentation assignment; and

3. You must obtain a minimum weighted average mark of 40% on all other assessment items and learning tasks (literature critique, PadLet and online quizzes);

The maximum grade you will receive will be a 2 if you:

1. Obtain an overall mark of 30% or less on the presentationﾠassignment; and/or

2. Obtain a weighted average mark of 30% or less on all other assessment items and learning tasks (literature critique, PadLet, and online quizzes).

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply. 

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.  

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.  

Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes. 

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment. 

Additional assessment information

Assessment Submission

It is the responsibility of the student to ensure the on time, correct and complete submission of all assessment items.

Please ensure you receive and save the submission confirmation for all submitted items, you may be asked to produce this as evidence of your submission.

Turnitin

By submitting work through Turnitin you are deemed to have accepted the following declaration “I certify that this assignment is my own work and has not been submitted, either previously or concurrently, in whole or in part, to this University or any other educational institution, for marking or assessment”.

All students must ensure they receive their Turnitin receipt on submission of any assessments. A valid Turnitin receipt will be the only evidence accepted if one or more of your submissions are missing. Without evidence, the assessment will receive the standard late penalty, or after seven days, will receive zero. In the case of a Blackboard outage, please contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to confirm the outage with ITS.

Assessment/Attendance

Please notify your Course Coordinator as soon as you become aware of any issue that may affect your ability to meet the assessment/attendance requirements of the course. The my.UQ website and the Electronic Course Profile (ECP) for your course also provide information about your course requirements, the rules associated with your courses and services offered by the University.

A note for repeating students in this course

Any student who enrols in a course must not be given exemption or partial credit from their previous attempt(s) for any individual piece of assessment. Instead, the student must successfully complete all of the learning activities and assessment items within the study period of enrolment (PPL Assessment - Procedures Section: Assessment integrity).

If the same assessment item is set from one year to the next, repeating students are allowed to submit the same work they submitted in previous attempts at the course. Where possible SCMB recommends that you use the feedback you received in your last attempt to improve parts of the item where you lost marks. Resubmission of an altered or unaltered assessment item by a repeating student (where the same assessment has been set) will not be considered as self-plagiarism.

Important Note

Turnitin is to be used for assignments/laboratory reports to check for plagiarism. Penalties can be severe for plagiarism.

The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another either intentionally or unintentionally. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Other course materials

Additional learning resources information

Additional material (including the Turnitin portal and information about workshops and tutorials) may be found on the Blackboard site for BIOT7038 at learn.uq.edu.au

Check the Announcements section of the Blackboard site regularly for information updates and detailed timetable information.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.