Fill the skills gap. Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing discipline based on the need to obtain biologically-meaningful information from the huge volumes of DNA-sequence, gene expression and protein structure data. Traditionally the niche area of computational biologists, there is an increasing need to for every type of biologist to be able to handle large datasets. You learn by solving problems, working through example datasets in order to understand and learn how to utilise and interpret commonly used methods.

The study of human genetics is one of the fastest moving areas of scientific research today. Get to know some important emerging themes from the human genome sequence into the emerging fields of epigenetics and non-coding RNAs. You examine variations in genome sequence and structure in human populations, and consider the evidence for selection in human populations. Consider the evolution of the X chromosome and its regulation by the process of X-inactivation. You also investigate the significance of imprinting and epigenetics in human disease.

This module describes the fundamental principles of stem cell biology and molecular mechanisms and factors that define their 'stemness'. It also covers the processes that govern their differentiation into specific cell types.

Imaging in biological and biomedical research and clinical settings is hugely important. In particular, there has been a dramatic development of microscopic methods for visualization of biological structures and physiological events. Microscopy is now a cornerstone of cell, clinical, molecular, neuro- and developmental biology. This course provides an overlook of imaging in biomedical sciences, then focusses on modern applications of fluorescence microscopy. Case studies from experts in the imaging field are presented. A special emphasis is on computational image quantification. A practical in digital image processing is held. Using datasets provided in the course, as well as their own (photographic) data, students learn to process images using freely available open-source software. At the end of the course, each student presents a short 'elevator pitch' talk showing an imaging-based problem, then presenting a solution for its quantification. Effective verbal communication and writing are transferable skills developed in this course.