MSc Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement

Our one-year MSc Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement course is perfect training if you plan to take a further degree in plant molecular genetics, or alternatively, a career in plant breeding and crop improvement. It’s a unique opportunity to study plant molecular genetics and its potential applications in the 21st century in an environment of academic and research excellence.

The School of Biological Sciences (BIO) at UEA runs this course jointly with theJohn Innes Centre (JIC), which also includes The Sainsbury Laboratory. The John Innes Centre is one of the world’s leading research institutes in plant genetics and crop improvement. This means you’ll benefit from a team of teaching staff that includes members of the School of Biological Sciences together with scientists from the John Innes Centre and a number of leading plant breeding and plant biotechnology companies within the UK.

In your taught modules you’ll cover subjects including plant molecular genetics and biotechnology, target traits for crop improvement, and plant breeding – as well as learning key transferable skills such as research skills and communication. An important element of the course is the substantial six-month laboratory-based research project that you’ll conduct under the supervision of a member of BIO faculty or a senior scientist at the John Innes Centre. As part of this you’ll submit a dissertation and present a seminar on your research project. We offer research projects in the following areas:

Plant genetics
Plant biotechnology and crop improvement
Plant genome organisation
Plant-microbe interactions
Cell and developmental biology
Plant gene function

In recent years the career prospects for students with a postgraduate degree in plant genetics and crop improvement have been very good, often leading to a PhD or employment in the plant breeding industry.

About

You’re ready to specialise in plant genetics and crop improvement at a ground-breaking centre for this highly prized discipline. With this expert, cutting edge training, you’ll have the perfect grounding to move into PhD research or a career in the practical plant breeding.

This MSc enables you to explore genetics, plant genomics, plant molecular genetics and statistics for plant science, in addition to training valuable transferable skills. Alongside your taught modules, you’ll also work on a laboratory-based research project (worth 60 credits), giving you the opportunity to work closely with world-leading scientists at the John Innes Centre or a relevant industry partner. The John Innes Centre – based on Norwich Research Park alongside UEA – is one of the world’s leading research institutes in plant genetics and crop improvement, so there are few places in the world where you’ll find a better opportunity to work with such leading authorities and world-class facilities.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the courses listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the regular review of course programmes. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes, there will normally be prior consultation of students and others. Changes may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will inform students.

Assessment for Year 1

We’ll assess your learning in a combination of different ways depending on the module and learning objectives. These include formal exams, laboratory reports, coursework assignments, presentations and problem-based learning sessions. In addition, you’ll complete a six-month laboratory research project, including a dissertation and seminar presentation, which will form a significant part of the course assessment.

Structure

On this one-year course you’ll take a number of taught modules alongside completing your research project plan and six-month long laboratory research project.

Your modules include Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, which gives you a Master’s level introduction to the structure and function of DNA. You’ll cover the mechanisms ofinheritance in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and study model organisms and their genomes. And you’ll explore the contemporary 'omics' technologies used for the analysis of whole genomes, gene function and expression. In further lectures and seminars you’ll explore the role of bioinformatics in genome biology and evolution.

Your Plant Breeding and Statistics module teaches the basic principles of plant breeding and genetics and explores the principles and applications of newer technologies in the manipulation of traits in crop improvement. You will also learn the statistical methods appropriate for analysing data from many experiments in plant science and crop plant improvement.

The module on Plant Genetics and Biotechnology looks at how both have played a significant role in understanding fundamental aspects of plant biology and how they have massive potential for crop plant improvement in the future.

Practical Skills in Plant Molecular Genetics is a laboratory-based module that links the theory of bioinformatics, plant molecular genetics and marker-assisted selection together with their practical basis. Using bioinformatics, you will design molecular markers to determine the genotypes of F2 plants segregating for distinct morphological characters. You’ll then use this to predict the phenotypic characters exhibited by mature plants and select plants with specific combinations of traits – a key feature of contemporary breeding programmes.

The module on Target Traits and Crop Improvement will explore how future crop plant improvement will depend upon new varieties expressing a number of key traits, either by conventional plant breeding, or by genetic modification.

Your Research Project Plan module gives you the chance to conduct an extensive survey of current literature for your research project, as well as formulating hypotheses, and designing experiments to test them. In the research project, you will conduct these experiments, analyse their research project data, and critically assess their hypotheses. Your research project will be a six-month laboratory-based project on some aspect of plant genetics, crop improvement, plant-microbe interactions or plant biology.

Teaching and Learning

Teaching

Our teaching team is made up of staff from the School of Biological Sciences together with scientists from the John Innes Centre and a number of leading plant breeding companies within the UK.

You’ll be taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and laboratory work geared towards helping you understand and apply the concepts and theories covered in your course.

One recent student said: "I found this course very beneficial but it was also tough for me as I did not have a molecular biology background in my first degree. However, there was always support from the lecturers, supervisors and staff of the course who are sympathetic to students and encouraging. The number of students is kept small, so the atmosphere of the class is friendly. We are also privileged to have so much exposure to the latest Plant Science at John Innes Centre where renowned researchers gather from all over the world. Thanks to this course, I was offered the PhD studentship to research Crop Genetics at JIC and enjoy a life as a scientist there!"

Independent study

An important element of the course is the substantial six-month laboratory-based research project, which demands a high level of independent study. You will choose a research area that suits your own interests and aspirations and through this you will gain a thorough training in experimentation, data collection, critical analysis and presentation. You will work under the supervision and support of a member of BIO faculty or a senior scientist at the John Innes Centre. As part of this you’ll submit a dissertation and present a seminar on your research project.

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Assessment for Year 1

Compulsory Modules

PLANT GENOMICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Code BIO-7001B

Credits 20

Compulsory Module for MSc in Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement. Plant genetics and biotechnology have played a significant role in understanding fundamental aspects of plant biology, and they also have tremendous potential for crop plant improvement in the future. This module will provide an overview of the theory and practical applications of plant molecular genetics, genomics and transformation technologies in both model and crop plants.

TARGET TRAITS FOR CROP IMPROVEMENT

Code BIO-7002B

Credits 20

Compulsory module for MSc in Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement. Future crop plant improvement will depend upon new varieties expressing a number of key traits, either by conventional plant breeding, or by genetic modification. These traits include durable resistance to pathogenic microorganisms, and promoting interactions with other microorganisms that will result in mutually beneficial symbioses that could reduce inputs of nitrogen and phosphorous in agriculture. Other desirable traits include tolerance to abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and extremes of temperature, as well as crops with enhanced nutritional quality. This module will investigate the genetic basis underlying these important traits in both model and crop plants, and the strategies for introducing these traits into specific crops.

RESEARCH PROJECT PLAN

Code BIO-7014B

Credits 20

This restricted and compulsory module for the MSc in Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement involves individual work carried out by the student under the supervision of the research project supervisor in BIO, or a member of staff at JIC. This module involves an extensive survey of current literature related to the research project (BIO-M70X), the formulation of hypotheses, and the design of experiments to test them. The module is intimately linked with the research project module BIO-M70X where students conduct these experiments, analyse their research project data, and critically assess their hypotheses.

GENETICS, GENOMICS AND BIOINFORMATICS

Code BIO-7012A

Credits 20

This module is a more in-depth version of BIO-M109, providing a Master's level introduction to the structure and function of DNA. The module covers mechanisms of inheritance in pro- and eukaryotic organisms and an introduction to the study of model organisms and their genomes. This will be followed by lectures and workshops that investigate the molecular mechanisms controlling transcription and translation together with contemporary 'omics' technologies used for the analysis of whole genomes, gene function and expression. Lectures and seminars that introduce the role of bioinformatics in genome biology and evolution will also be included together with an opportunity to gain practical experience in bioinformatics. These lectures and seminars will provide students with the necessary knowledge and skills for more in-depth coverage of these topics later in the academic year, including within the laboratory-based research project.

PRACTICAL SKILLS IN PLANT MOLECULAR GENETICS

Code BIO-7015Y

Credits 10

The aim of this laboratory-based module is to provide a link between the theory of bioinformatics, plant molecular genetics and marker-assisted selection, (which is covered in modules BIO-M113, BIIO-M621 and BIO-M112), together with their practical basis. Using bioinformatics students will design molecular markers to determine the genotypes of F2 plants segregating for distinct morphological characters. Genotyping of the F2 seedlings will be used to predict the phenotypic characters exhibited by mature plants. The module will demonstrate how molecular genetics can be used to select plants with specific combinations of traits – which is a key feature of contemporary breeding programmes. The module will also provide students with key practical skills in bioinformatics, molecular genetics and scientific writing skills.

PLANT BREEDING AND STATISTICS

Code BIO-7038Y

Credits 30

The aim of this year-long module is to provide an understanding of the practice of plant breeding and genetics, and to explore the principles and applications of other technologies in the manipulation of traits in crop improvement. The module also covers statistical methods for analysing data from many experiments in plant science and crop improvement providing students with important skills required for the design and analysis of experimental data from their own research project, and for a wide range of research in the future. On completing the module students will understand the principles, analysis and application of Mendelian, population and quantitative genetics in plant breeding, the application of biotechnology, breeding strategies and selection procedures, the principles and application of heterosis and hybrid breeding and the role of genetic resources and gene conservation. The statistics training will cover the estimation of important parameters, confidence intervals and significance tests and the concepts of experimental design, together with the use of general linear modelling as a widely-applicable method for analysing experimental data.

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Important Information

Whilst the University will make every effort to offer the modules listed, changes may sometimes be made arising from the annual monitoring, review and update of modules. Where this activity leads to significant (but not minor) changes to programmes and their constituent modules, the University will endeavour to consult with students and others. It is also possible that the University may not be able to offer a module for reasons outside of its control, such as the illness of a member of staff. In some cases optional modules can have limited places available and so you may be asked to make additional module choices in the event you do not gain a place on your first choice. Where this is the case, the University will inform students.

MSc PLANT GENETICS AND CROP IMPROVEMENT