BIOTECH 3000 - Biotechnology Practice III

North Terrace Campus - Semester 2 - 2019

The aim of this course is to add to the strong scientific focus of the degree by providing an introduction to aspects of technology, business and ethical issues relevant to the diverse nature of biotechnology industry. Students completing this course should be well equipped to undertake further studies (e.g. Honours in Biotechnology or a Master of Business Administration), obtain employment in research laboratories, obtain employment in local, interstate and overseas biotechnology companies or create their own business. Topics include intellectual property and its commercialisation, basic business accounting, preparing a business plan, principles in bioprocess engineering and design, use of animal and plant cell culture systems, validation and monitoring, food biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, food additives and by-products. The group-based project involves preparation of a business plan to operate a model biotechnology business.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code BIOTECH 3000
    Course Biotechnology Practice III
    Coordinating Unit School of Biological Sciences
    Term Semester 2
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 6
    Contact Up to 9 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange N
    Prerequisites MICRO 2504, BIOCHEM 2502
    Restrictions Available to BSc (Biotechnology) students only
    Course Description The aim of this course is to add to the strong scientific focus of the degree by providing an introduction to aspects of technology, business and ethical issues relevant to the diverse nature of biotechnology industry. Students completing this course should be well equipped to undertake further studies (e.g. Honours in Biotechnology or a Master of Business Administration), obtain employment in research laboratories, obtain employment in local, interstate and overseas biotechnology companies or create their own business. Topics include intellectual property and its commercialisation, basic business accounting, preparing a business plan, principles in bioprocess engineering and design, use of animal and plant cell culture systems, validation and monitoring, food biotechnology, genetically modified organisms, food additives and by-products. The group-based project involves preparation of a business plan to operate a model biotechnology business.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Grant Booker

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 To understand aspects of technology, business and ethical issues relevant to the diverse nature of the biotechnology industry.
    2 Essential skills in preparation of a business plan to operate a model biotechnology business.
    3 An understanding of the need for good experimental design and scientific research practices.
    4 Critically analyse and interpret raw and published experimental data within the limitations of experimental design.
    5 Essential skills in recording and communicating scientific information.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    2, 3, 4, 5
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    2, 4, 5
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    na
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    3, 4
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes

    3 Lectures of 1 hour each per week.

    1 Tutorial of 1 hour per week.

    1 eSim research project/workshop of 5 hours per week.

    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 6 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 24 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).
    Learning Activities Summary
    Schedule
    Week 1 Intellectual Property
    Week 2 Commercialisation
    Week 3 Sources of Capital
    Week 4 Starting a Company
    Week 5 Marketing and Product Sales
    Week 6 Principles in Business Accounting
    Week 7 Engineering Principles for Bioprocesses and BioProcess Design
    Week 8 Recovery and Purification of Products
    Week 9 Bioprocess Considerations using Plant Cells
    Week 10 Bioprocess Considerations using Animal Cells
    Week 11 BioProcess Economics
    Week 12 BioProcess Validation
    Week 13 Food Biotechnology and Processing
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome
    Written exam on lecture material Summative

    End of semester

    70% 1
    Practical write up on eSIM project Summative To be scheduled during seminar 30% 2, 3, 4, 5
    Assessment Detail
    End of term Exam (70% of total course grade) – A 2 hour examination covering the lecture material. It is made up of a mixture of short and long answer type questions.

    Write up and presentation of eSim research project (30% of total course grade).

    Submission

    Late Submission
    If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.

    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

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