Genetics is the science of heredity and thus concerns itself with the nature
and function of the genetic material within every organism, its replication,
transmission, alteration and expression during development and evolution.
The subject spans the wide range of biological systems from viruses, bacteria,
fungi and algae to multicellular plants and animals. All are governed by
seemingly similar laws of heredity. Modern genetics encompasses many parts
of other disciplines such as microbiology, medicine, botany, zoology, psychology,
forestry, biochemistry, conservation biology, anthropology and ecology.
Genetics finds practical application in our society in animal and plant breeding, genetic counselling, tumour biology, environmental mutagenesis and more recently, in genetic engineering. Furthermore it provides a powerful tool for the study of the molecular mechanisms underlying life, viral and bacterial diseases, evolution, systematics and population biology as well as development and behaviour.
BIOL1003 and BIOL1004 offer an introduction to genetics. They lead to BIOL2052 Principles of Genetics which provides an overview and a further introduction to most genetic concepts. More advanced genetics is found in BIOL3052 Advanced Genetics, BIOL2061 Introductory Molecular Biology, BIOL3077 Plant Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and BIOL3079 Genes and Proteins. Forest Conservation and Production Genetics (FSTY3052) is a more applied course showing how genetic principles are used in the conservation of forest biodiversity and breeding of forest trees.
Other units containing substantial elements of genetics are BIOL2042 General Microbiology, BIOL3041 Infection and Immunity, BIOL3074 Perspectives in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, PRAN2015 ‘Race’ and Human Genetic Variation, BIOL3012 Evolution and BIOL2034 Conservation Biology. BIOL3012 is open to geneticists if they have taken 112 credit points (= 16 points) towards a degree with appropriate background in anthropology, biochemistry, botany, genetics, ecology, palaeontology or microbiology.
Divisions of the School of Life Sciences and the Department of Forestry offer various research projects in genetics for Honours, Graduate Diploma in Science, MSc and PhD degrees.
Further information concerning course structures can be obtained through the Faculty Office, or by contacting staff of the Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Dr David Rowell (Division of Botany and Zoology).
Information on honours or postgraduate study in Forest Genetics can be obtained from Professor P. Kanowski (Department of Forestry).
Information can also be found in the Faculty of Science Information Guide.