Part II Zoology

2019-20
Cover image: Brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus), Panama
Photo courtesy of Matthew Lewis, Part II student on the
2018 Tropical field course
 Why choose Part II Zoology or Part II BBS Zoology?
If you have enjoyed subjects that include animal behaviour, conservation
science, ecology and evolution during your time at Cambridge, then you
might well have already decided that Zoology is the Part II subject for you.
But we also provide outstanding teaching in cell and developmental biology
and each year we attract students that specialise in these subjects alone, and
go on to study for a higher degree in these research areas. Our uniquely
flexible course is also ideal for NST students that enjoy both cellular and
organismal biology, because you can take a combination of our diverse
modules.

If you are taking the MVST, then we can enhance your training in several
ways: by showing you how healthy bodies develop and function; by teaching
you more about the processes that trigger cancer; by explaining how
evolutionary principles underpin the design of a new flu vaccine, and account
for constraints on immune function; by revealing the evolutionary history of
humans and their domesticated animals; and by highlighting how rapid man-
made changes in our world have substantial implications for human and
animal the health of living things and their environments.

We will provide a nurturing and stimulating environment for your Part II

studies. Part II students are valued members of the Department, have their
own dedicated computer facility, are invited to research seminars, and can
join members of staff in the tea room and at our Happy Hour. We want you
to excel in your third year at Cambridge, so we provide additional training in
understanding the scientific process, essay-writing, reading a research paper,
preparing a research project or dissertation, and giving a research talk. We
also prepare you for the future with a careers session and advice on applying
for postgraduate study.

For further information visit: www.zoo.cam.ac.uk. If you are unable to find

the answer to your query please contact Part II Zoology and BBS Organiser,
Professor Andrew Balmford ([3]31770, [email protected]) or the Zoology
Teaching Office ([email protected]).

Dr Howard Baylis Professor Andrew Balmford

Head of Department Part II Organiser
INDEX

3 *Overview of the Part II Zoology course

4 *Aims, objectives and learning outcomes of Part II Zoology
5 *Part II Zoology assessment
5 *Project work
6 Departmental resources for Part II Zoology students
6 Exploring your interests within Part II Zoology
8 *Long Vacation Field Course

MICHAELMAS TERM Modules

9 ZM1 Vertebrate Evolution
10 ZM2 Conservation Science
11 ZM3 Human Evolutionary Ecology
12 ZM4 Neuroethology: The Neural Basis of Adaptive
Behaviour
13 ZM5 Evolution and Behaviour: Genes and Individuals
14 ZM6 Cell Assembly and Interactions
15 ZM7 From Genome to Proteome
16 ZM8 Development: Patterning the Embryo

LENT TERM Modules

17 ZL1 Mammalian Evolution and Faunal History
18 ZL2 Responses to Global Change
19 ZL3 Evolution and Behaviour: Populations and Societies
20 ZL4 Applied Ecology
21 ZL5 Genetics, Development and Animal Diversity
22 ZL6 Development: Cell Differentiation and Organogenesis
23 ZL7 Cell Cycle, Signalling and Cancer

24 Available modules run by other departments

26 Cell Biology in NST Part II
26 Ecology in NST Part II

28 Part II Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Zoology)

(Please note that * starred sections above are not relevant to BBS Zoology
students, but all others are)
OVERVIEW OF THE PART II ZOOLOGY COURSE

An overview of the BBS Zoology course can be found on page 28.

The course is made up of:

Lecture modules in the Michaelmas and Lent terms. Students take two
modules each term, but are free to attend lectures in any modules.

Project/demonstration practical work. Students must do either one two-

term project, two one-term projects, or one one-term project and one
demonstration practical associated with module ZL1. Project work can be
started in the long vacation and extends over Michaelmas and Lent terms.
At the beginning of Easter term, students give a compulsory oral
presentation on one of their projects.

Research Project Proposal. Students will write a short research proposal

on a topic from a module they are taking in Michaelmas or Lent term.

Statistics course in Michaelmas term. This optional course is designed to

familiarise students with quantitative methods and computing and is not
examined.

Long vacation field course

This year our Tropical Field Course is based at the Maliau Basin Field
Centre, Sabah, Malaysia, which provides an excellent opportunity for
students to learn about tropical rainforest ecology, evolution and
conservation. Students attending the course will be able to use this
research to form the basis of a Part II project.

Special seminars
In addition to these formal parts of the course, there are approximately
10 special seminars on a range of topics such as careers advice and how to
give a research presentation.

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AIMS, OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES OF PART II ZOOLOGY

Aims
 To provide a broad multidisciplinary course in Zoology.
 To train students in a wide range of science-based skills that provide
the learning base for future careers in disciplines such as health
sciences, agriculture, environmental management, the emerging
biotechnologies, publishing, teaching, research and management.

Objectives
 To offer a modular course of lectures, associated seminars and
research projects, supported by supervisions where appropriate.
 To promote training in practical and conceptual skills in sub-disciplines
ranging from molecular cell biology, through physiology and
neurobiology, to the study of populations in both an ecological and
evolutionary framework.
 To provide constructive feedback on students’ work. During the
course individual students will receive feedback on their project/s and
written work for supervisions.
 To provide an optional Zoology-based course in statistics in the
Michaelmas Term enabling students to apply quantitative methods to
complex biological problems.
 To provide professional training in effective verbal and written
communication skills.

Outcomes
At the end of the course students should be able to:
 Think critically in terms of their learning and research.
 Critically evaluate the published literature.
 Assess and implement the practical techniques necessary to solve a
particular biological problem.
 Analyse and interpret data collected during a research project.
 Communicate with expert and non-expert audiences through seminar
presentations, project reports and essays.

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ASSESSMENT

Coursework comprises the research project proposal and either two

project write-ups, one for each one-term project, or one longer write-up
of a two-term project. At the end of the academic year are four 3 hour
written examination papers, one for each module taken. On each of these
four papers, candidates answer three questions.

PROJECT WORK

You may do two one-term projects, each amounting to about 80 hours of

practical work and analysis, or one two-term project of about 160 hours in
total. Student projects often lead to publications.

You may choose to start a one-term project during the summer vacation
on the basis of either work done in a research laboratory or fieldwork
done on the field course or elsewhere. If you wish to use vacation work in
a project, you must discuss your summer plans before departure with a
supervisor within the department, except for those of you who begin field
projects on the field course, because you will be supervised by staff
present on that course.

Modules ZM1 and ZL1 carry with them demonstration practicals following
the lectures; the demonstration practicals for ZL1 may be used in place of
one short project.

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DEPARTMENTAL RESOURCES FOR PART II STUDENTS
During your Part II year, you will be treated as a full member of the
Department, which is diverse in its research interests. There is a tradition
of easy and informal access to members of the teaching staff and others,
with whom students share the Tea room and other facilities and activities.
The friendliness of the Department is often one of the first things a
student will mention about the course.

Part II students have full use of the excellent and comprehensive facilities
provided by the Balfour Library, including workstations. There is also a
dedicated Common Room with full facilities.

You will also be welcome to attend Happy Hour in the Tea room on Friday
afternoons. Parties for Part II students are held at the start of Michaelmas
Term and after the exams.

EXPLORING YOUR INTERESTS WITHIN ZOOLOGY

We know from experience that your interests may not always fall tidily
into the standard areas of biology such as "ecology", "evolution",
"behaviour", and/or "cell biology". Many students wish to get experience
of different aspects of animal biology, and Part II Zoology is organised with
this in mind. The only requirement is that you select two modules in
each of the two teaching terms. Often the interface between two
conventional areas is a growing point in the subject, which is why we
encourage this freedom of choice.

We encourage you to follow your interests as far as possible, even if you

have not previously studied a particular area. All modules are taught in a
way which is designed to maximise their accessibility to students taking
the course. If you have any concerns about your ability to take a particular
module you should contact the module organiser who will be very willing
to advise you.

You need not decide on your modules until you have sampled what is
available at the beginning of each term. This booklet outlines the contents
of the modules in order to indicate what is available. Although the
modules can be combined according to individual choice, the following
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are examples of some of the more obvious combinations (modules
lettered and numbered for convenience; M = Michaelmas Term module, L
= Lent Term module).

 An evolutionary biologist might select two of ZM1, ZM2, ZM3, ZM4

and ZM5, and two out of ZL1, ZL3 and ZL5.
 An ecologist or conservation biologist might select two of ZM2, ZM3
and ZM5, followed by two out of ZL2, ZL3, ZL4 and Dynamics, History
and PLM3 (see p. 24 for more details).
 A cell or developmental biologist might choose two from ZM6, ZM7
and ZM8 and two from ZL5, ZL6, ZL7 and Bioinformatics (see p. 25 for
more details).
 Someone interested in neurobiology and behaviour might select ZM4
and ZM5, followed by ZL3 and ZL5.

These are simply examples to show ways in which the modules can be
combined to meet individual interests. Members of the staff will be very
happy to discuss other combinations, and to give you advice.

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LONG VACATION FIELD COURSE

3 – 17 September 2019
Organiser: Dr Edgar Turner, [email protected]
Based at Maliau Basin Field Centre, Sabah, Malaysia, the course will focus
on tropical ecology, evolution and conservation. We will explore some of
the diversity of habitat types found in Sabah and
ongoing research programmes taking place there,
including those investigating coral reef
conservation and tropical forest fragmentation. In
particular, the course will highlight what is distinct
about tropical habitats, including aspects of the
biology of species found there, the complex
networks of interactions that tropical ecosystems
can support, and the current and severe threats to
biodiverse tropical systems from habitat change.

Students will gain a greater understanding of why tropical rainforests

house such as extraordinary wealth of species and what management and
conservation can do to protect tropical biodiversity.

Key features of the course will be the chance for students to interact with
a wide range of tropical biologists and to carry out their own substantial
project investigating a research topic of their choice.

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MICHAELMAS TERM

Module ZM1: Vertebrate Evolution

Also available as a BBS Minor subject
Module organiser: Dr Jason Head, [email protected]

This course introduces the history and evolution of non-mammalian

vertebrates, emphasising questions that are the subject of current debate
and controversy. We integrate studies of fossil and living vertebrates to
examine major events in evolution. These variously include the relationships
of gnathostomes to jawless fishes; the interrelationships of gnathostomes
and the evolution of their distinguishing features, such as jaws and teeth;
the early evolution of tetrapods and the transition to land–dwelling; the
origin and radiation of stem tetrapods and amphibians; the diversification of
amniotes and the subsequent evolution of the diapsids into lepidosaurs and
archosaurs, including dinosaurs and birds. Building on the evolutionary
relationships of these groups, we draw implications for their biology in
several areas. These include topics such as the origin and development of
fins and limbs, the evolutionary radiation and biogeography of lizards and
rhyncocephalians, the mechanics of locomotion and feeding among
dinosaurs, and the origins of avian biology. Case examples are used to
highlight analytical approaches to interpreting fossil data such as
morphometrics, and to explore controversial aspects of vertebrate
phylogeny.

An important component of the course is the demonstration practicals,

which give "hands-on" experience of actual fossil material, including some
type and figured specimens. Practical and theoretical approaches to
systematics including computer-based methods are dealt with.

9
 Module ZM2: Conservation Science
(Inter-departmental course with Plant Sciences)
Also available as a BBS Minor subject
Module organiser: Dr David Aldridge, [email protected]

This interdepartmental course, taught by the Departments of Zoology and

Plant Sciences, aims to provide an understanding of why wild nature is
currently in decline, why this matters, and how biology coupled with other
disciplines can be harnessed to identify potential solutions.

The course begins by explaining the distribution and importance of

biodiversity, and the evidence that it is currently being lost. It then examines
in detail the immediate threats to wild populations and their habitats, and
the underlying drivers of those threats. The final section of lectures explores
potential solutions, combining socio-economic as well as biological insights
to take a constructively critical look at approaches ranging from sustainable
harvesting and ecosystem restoration to agri-environment schemes and the
marketing of ecosystem services.

Core lectures are supplemented by case studies given by outside experts on

policy and conservation practice. There is also a field trip, a careers session,
a class debate and a guided tour round various conservation organisations
based in the David Attenborough Building.

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 Module ZM3: Human Evolutionary Ecology
Module organiser: Professor Andrea Manica, [email protected]

This course will take an evolutionary and ecological approach to

understand how our own species interacts with its environment.
Anatomically Modern Humans are arguably the most studied species on
the planet, and provide a fascinating study system for which multiple lines
of evidence (archaeology, physiology, genetics, and behaviour) can be
blended to ask questions about its past and present. We will look at how
our species evolved in its ancestral African homeland, how it responded to
the challenges it faced when colonising new environments during the
expansion out of Africa, and how it interacted with other species (other
hominins as well as other animals). In these contexts, we will also pay
attention to the possible role of culture and its effect on the structure of
human societies.

11
 Module ZM4: Neuroethology: The Neural Basis of
Adaptive Behaviour
Also available as a BBS Minor subject
Module organiser: Dr Berthold Hedwig, [email protected]

These lectures place a strong emphasis on understanding the neural

mechanisms underlying behaviour. Within this module we explore how
nervous systems are organised, how animals gather and process information
about the environment, and how they generate the motor activity
underlying their behaviour.

The first lectures will give an introduction into the organisation and
adaptations of brains and will show how an animal's neuronal capabilities
are linked to energy, ecology and lifestyle. We then consider neural circuits
and the control of motor patterns. We demonstrate how auditory and
visual processing is adapted to the lifestyle in insects and other species.
Larval and adult Drosophila will be discussed with an emphasis on genetic
techniques to study their nervous system and behaviour. Finally, we will
demonstrate the basis of plasticity and learning in neural networks und
behaviour at a circuit and cellular level.

A central pattern generator interneuron in the cricket abdominal ganglion

controls the insect’s singing behaviour

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 Module ZM5: Evolution and Behaviour: Genes and
Individuals
Module organiser: Dr Nick Mundy, [email protected]

The classical way to study animal behaviour separates questions

concerned with function (what is the adaptive value of the behaviour?
what is its evolutionary history?) from those focused on causation (how is
the behaviour controlled? how does it develop during a lifetime?). The
aim of this course to show how recent research is sweeping aside these
traditional distinctions in two different ways, yielding new insights into
the way that evolution works. Specifically:

1) Animal behaviour, and the mechanisms by which it develops, can

contribute to evolutionary change: by changing ecological conditions; by
imposing selection on other parts of the phenotype and other individuals;
by influencing patterns of inherited variation; and by facilitating
reproductive isolation.

2) At the same time, the mechanisms controlling behaviour and its

development are themselves subject to natural selection and are
adaptations for the ecological conditions in which an animal lives. This
means that we can predict the particular mechanisms involved in
behavioural development, as well as an animal’s immune function and its
specific cognitive and sensory capacity, from aspects of its ecology.

The first half of the course focuses on

the genetic foundations of behaviour
and the consequences for
evolutionary processes such as
adaptation and speciation. In the
second half of the course, the
emphasis is on the adaptive value of
cognitive, sensory and immune
function and how they contribute to
individual variation.

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 Module ZM6: Cell Assembly and Interactions
(Inter-departmental course with PDN)
Module organiser: Dr Tim Weil, [email protected]

Cells are highly organised and dynamic structures. In this module we will
explore how the architecture of the cell is constructed and how cells interact
with each other and their environment in order to fulfil their myriad roles in
animals. Our current knowledge of these vital topics will be presented in
depth, with a focus on the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell
behaviour. We will examine how cells use basic cell biological mechanisms in
their complex activities within animals, including cellular behaviour during
development and how cellular activities provide key physiological functions
in the adult.
We will begin with a section of theories to explain how cells were first
created and then evolved into the great diversity of cell morphologies and
function observed today. We will then explore how membrane
compartment are constructed, and the dynamics of transfer between them.
Next we will discuss the key role of the cytoskeleton in cell shape,
organization and movement. This is followed by an examination of how cells
become polarized and adhere together to form higher order multicellular
assemblies. We will then study how cells sense and respond to the
mechanical properties of their surroundings. Finally, we look at long range
signalling between cells by examining how cells integrate and respond to the
diverse signals that arrive at their surface, exploring how the spatial
organisation of intracellular signals has a profound influence on the nature
of signalling.
This is an interdepartmental course
(PDN and Zoology). In addition to
lectures there are several interactive
sessions (such as journal clubs) in
which there will be discussions of key
papers, experimental techniques and
major concepts in the field.

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 Module ZM7: From Genome to Proteome
(Inter-departmental course with Biochemistry)
Module organiser: Dr Torsten Krude, [email protected]
This course aims to introduce and discuss the regulation of gene expression
using a wide range of examples and different model organisms, and to
introduce the range of methodology that is used in such studies. This course
aims to take you from the level of familiarity with textbooks and reviews up
to the level of reading, understanding and critically evaluating original
research papers.
Control of gene expression is a topic that addresses the flow of information
from the genome to the proteome. It includes the steps of gene transcription
(i.e. mRNA synthesis), splicing, mRNA localization within the cell, and protein
synthesis (i.e. mRNA translation). Understanding gene expression is important
for understanding the fundamental functions of cells, how cells proliferate, how
they respond to environmental stimuli, how they change their function during
differentiation and how new complex patterns and structures emerge during
development. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate
gene expression is therefore an essential topic of contemporary cell and
developmental biology. This module introduces and discusses the factors which
catalyse and regulate transcription, RNA localization and translation. It also
addresses newly emerging concepts, which provide additional levels of
regulation and complexity. For instance, genome projects have focussed more
and more attention on patterns of gene expression in different cells, different
tissues and different organisms. The tool of RNA interference has been
developed to knock-out the expression of any
specific gene in living cells to study the function of
that particular gene in vivo. Small non-coding RNAs
have been identified as regulators for fine-tuning
gene expression in many systems. Finally, the
coordination of gene expression between the cell
nucleus and organelles containing their own DNA
will be discussed. This module is fully
interdepartmental and the lectures are also taken
by students reading Part II Biochemistry. The
lectures are given in the Department of
Biochemistry by members of the Departments of
Zoology, Biochemistry and the Gurdon Institute.

15
 Module ZM8: Development: Patterning the Embryo
(Inter-departmental course with PDN)
Module organiser: Dr Howard Baylis, [email protected]

This course is the first of two complementary modules (with L6), which can
also be taken on their own. Our aim is to explore a fascinating biological
question: how does a single cell, the fertilized egg, have all the information
to make an animal? Our current
knowledge of the underlying molecular
mechanisms that create cell diversity and
pattern in the early embryo will be
examined in depth. We will discuss how
the experimental advantages of different
model organisms have aided the discovery of the principles of development,
and the insights provided by comparing the developmental strategies of
vertebrates and invertebrates. In this first module we will address key
aspects of early development, including how development is regulated, how
the patterning of spatial information is established and how morphogenetic
mechanisms shape the embryo. At each stage we will discuss the cellular
mechanisms required and the molecular networks that drive them. By
comparing the development of different animals we aim to come to an
understanding of conserved strategies of animal development.
These themes will be covered from the establishment of polarity in the egg,
and its elaboration after fertilisation, to a consideration of how these events
set the body axes. We will then see how axial patterning directs the
morphogenetic movements of gastrulation and the grouping of cells into
segments with differing identities.

This interdepartmental course (with PDN) will consist

of three lectures per week including interactive
sessions. Our aim is to provide a course that is
accessible to anyone doing Part II Zoology and we
hope that you will consider doing this course
whatever your previous background.

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LENT TERM

Module ZL1: Mammalian Evolution and Faunal History

Also available as a BBS Minor subject
Module organiser: Dr Robert Asher, [email protected]

This course is similar in approach to the

Michaelmas Term ‘Vertebrate Evolution', but we
make sure that it is possible to take 'Mammalian
Evolution' without having done its Michaelmas
Term relative. The course aims to familiarise you
with the comparative morphology and functional
biology, modes of life, distribution, evolutionary
relationships and systematics of living and fossil
mammals and their antecedents. Throughout, we
attempt a synthesis of group-based and topic-
based treatments.

The first block of lectures deals with the origin and radiation of the earliest
synapsids, including such forms as sail-backed pelycosaurs, carnivorous
gorgonopsids, and a variety of small and large cynodonts. We then explore
the gradual evolution of the jaw, ear, braincase, limbs, and vertebral column
in synapsids that, eventually, qualify as true mammals. The impressive
diversity of Mesozoic mammals comprises the raw material for several
lectures. Most of the course deals with the anatomy and evolutionary
history of contemporary monotremes, marsupials, and placentals, along
with their many extinct ancestors. The last three weeks of the course take
up the themes of extinction and the Quaternary, or the biology of 'Ice Age'
mammals. The mammals in question have particularly complete fossil
records, which makes possible an examination of processes of evolutionary
change.

Lectures are backed-up by demonstration practical classes, which reinforce

and illustrate topics of central importance in the lectures. Students may
additionally opt to be assessed on the material seen during these classes in
an examined practical assessment in the Easter Term. The assessment
counts as the equivalent of one short project.

17
 Module ZL2: Responses to Global Change
(Inter-departmental course with Plant Sciences)
Module organisers: Dr David Aldridge, [email protected] (Zoology)
Professor Howard Griffiths, [email protected] (Plant Sciences)

Temperatures are rising, rainfall patterns are changing, and species are on
the move – we have never seen such changes in the history of humans.

Understanding what is happening, and why, will allow us to respond to

these changes, potentially making a huge difference to what survives and
how we humans live. This course explores changes in birds, plants, their
physical environment, and then shows modelling approaches to predict
the future . A range of experts with different perspectives deliver the
course: James Pearce- Higgins, who works at the British Trust for
Ornithology; Peter Carey, an environment consultant with much
experience in evaluating biodiversity and assessing the impact of climate
change; Ed Tanner (tropical forest dynamics); Howard Griffiths (impact of
climatic extremes and drought tolerance); Andrew Tanentzap (global
limits to growth and change), Mike Harfoot (biodiversity models) and
Andrew Friend (earth-atmosphere dynamics models).

18
 Module ZL3: Evolution and Behaviour:
Populations and Societies
Module organiser: Prof Rufus Johnstone, [email protected]

This module aims to provide a functional interpretation of variation in

animal social behaviour and inter-species interactions. The underlying
theme is that individuals will behave in ways that promote their genetic
contribution to future generations. The way in which they do so is
constrained by their ecology and by social interactions with members of
their own and other species.

The course aims to provide you with an understanding of:

1) the framework of evolutionary theory that is used to explain variation

in animal social behaviour;
2) the way in which ecology and social competition constrain and control
evolutionary options;
3) the empirical evidence that supports functional interpretations of
social behaviour and life history (including observation, comparative and
experimental studies).

Lecture blocks deal with social evolution, communication, family life,

individuals and groups, coevolution (from mutualism to parasitism) and
major transitions in social evolution.

19
 Module ZL4 - Applied Ecology
Module Organiser: Dr Edgar Turner, [email protected]

All too often, managers of natural resources make ill-informed decisions

that can have devastating consequences upon ecosystems and the human
populations who depend upon them. This module is about how a sound
understanding of ecological processes can greatly improve our ability to
manage ecosystems in a desirable way.

The course considers a diverse range of applied applications of ecological

knowledge, from understanding disease epidemics, to predicting the
future impacts of climate change. It also considers the role of applied
ecology in a diverse range of environments, from the world’s most remote
island groups and Polar regions, to familiar agricultural landscapes.

Different sections of the course include ecological approaches for the

control of influenza, the control of invasive species on islands, the ecology
of Antarctic ecosystems in the face on environmental change, applying
lessons from palaeobiology to modern
changes in species, and ecology in
agricultural environments. As well as
lectures, the course also includes sessions
with applied ecologists from the David
Attenborough Building and seminars that
enable students to explore aspects of
applied ecology in more detail.

Students taking this course will learn how a

well-trained and enthusiastic ecologist can
apply their scientific knowledge to make a
real change to the world around them.

20
 Module ZL5: Genetics, Development and
Animal Diversity
Also available as a BBS Minor subject
Module organiser: Professor Chris Jiggins, [email protected]

This course lies at the interface of whole

organism biology and molecular genetics.
We look at how genomes themselves
evolve, and also at how genome can
inform whole organism biology. Recent
advances in sequencing technology mean
that genomic approaches are no longer
limited to a few model species, but instead
can be applied in many organisms of evolutionary or ecological interest.

How do genomes evolve? A large proportion of many genomes consists

of repetitive DNA, which replicates itself at the expense of the organism –
a form of genomic parasitism. Other sources of conflict occur between
the sexes, and between parents and offspring. We will look at the genetic
basis of sex determination and how this can lead to conflict between
chromosomes. What is the genetic ‘tool kit’ that controls the great
diversity of animal body plans?

How are species and populations related? We look at how we can

reconstruct species relationships from DNA sequences, and how this can
inform our understanding of traits such as human language.

What is the genetic basis of adaptation? Do we expect evolutionary

change to involve few or many genes? What kinds of genes control recent
evolutionary changes? Butterfly wing patterns and many other examples
are used to illustrate these questions.

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 Module ZL6: Development: Cell Differentiation
and Organogenesis
(Inter-departmental course with PDN)
Module organiser: Dr Tim Weil, [email protected]

This course is the second of two complementary Developmental Biology

modules (with M8) that can also be taken on their own. This module
examines a second phase of embryonic development, following the initial
steps of defining axes, major cell layers, and broad pattern domains that
are covered in M8.

This interdepartmental course (with PDN) will consist of three lectures per
week, and seven interactive sessions (such as journal clubs) in which we
will aim to discuss key references and the concepts presented in the
lectures.
A series of topics will be presented, each using particular tissues or organs
to highlight individual developmental
mechanisms. Thus, the generation of
airways and vasculature addresses
principles of tubulogenesis; vertebral
column and lung illuminate mechanisms of
cell allocation and morphogenesis; limb
development illustrates how patterning
mechanisms are coordinated with cell
proliferation; the progressive
determination of cell lineages and
establishment of stem cells shows how organs are derived; and the
development of pharyngeal arches, neural crest cells and craniofacial
organizing centres demonstrates how epithelial-mesenchymal
interactions instruct cell differentiation and patterning in the head.
A mixture of examples from simpler invertebrate models and vertebrates
will show how developmental mechanisms have diversified with
increasing cell number.

22
 Module ZL7: Cell Cycle, Signalling and Cancer
(Inter-departmental course with Biochemistry)
Module organiser: Dr Torsten Krude, [email protected]
Precise control of cell proliferation is crucial to the normal development and
homeostasis of multi-cellular organisms. Failure to accurately regulate these
processes can lead to cancer. This course aims to provide a broad molecular
understanding of the processes underlying cell proliferation in normal
development and disease. It aims to explore experimental systems to study
tumour biology, and to critically discuss therapeutic strategies against cancer.

This course will first concentrate on the molecular mechanisms underlying

controlled cell proliferation, including cell cycle control, replication of DNA,
repair of DNA damage and programmed cell death. It will then apply this
fundamental understanding of cell proliferation and homeostasis to explore
tumours as aberrantly proliferating tissues, including the interplay between
oncogenes and tumour suppressors, and the specific topography of tumour
microenvironments. Finally, this course will consider therapeutic anti-cancer
strategies, including tumour virus vaccination, small molecule drugs and
antibody-based therapies. It further aims to illustrate the experimental
approaches used, to highlight important questions that remain to be
answered, and to encourage critical evaluation of the scientific literature.

This module is fully interdepartmental and the lectures are also taken by
students reading Part II Biochemistry. The lectures are given in the
Department of Biochemistry by members of the Departments of Zoology,
Biochemistry and the Gurdon Institute, as well as by several external experts.

Deconvolved images of Hela cells progressing through mitosis stained for

Polo-like kinase 1 (green), tubulin (red) and DNA (blue)
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Other available modules, which are organised by other departments
(Plant Sciences and Genetics)

Part II students can take one of these three modules in place of a Zoology
module.

Module PLM3: Evolution and Ecosystem Dynamics

(Plant Sciences)
(Michaelmas term, 24 lectures)
Module Organiser: Professor Howard Griffiths (Plant Sciences),
[email protected]

For the first half of the module, we consider the origins and diversification
of the land plant flora. As plants colonised the land, the phylogenetic
progression is reflected in key physiological advances which provide a
palaeohistorical framework. A workshop on practical aspects of measuring
phylogeny then leads in to a more detailed comparison of factors leading
to the evolution of three key groups, namely ferns, conifers and
angiosperms. Aspects of generating ecological diversity are then
developed through priority effects, with consideration then given to
specific examples of factors regulating biodiversity in forest ecosystems,
through co-existence, regeneration and dispersal. We also consider
differences in diversity between primary and secondary tropical forests.

Module G1: Evolutionary Genetics (Genetics)

(Lent term, 24 lectures)
Module Organiser: Professor Frank Jiggins (Genetics),
[email protected]

Modern evolutionary biology has its roots in the union of Mendelian

genetics with Darwin’s theory of evolution, two of the great unifying
themes of biology. This course will consider process of evolution,
exploring the central topics of natural selection, adaptation and genetic
drift, and combining a variety of empirical and theoretical approaches.

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The course will begin with four lectures that introduce evolutionary
genetics, explaining how signatures in genome sequences allow us to infer
the past action of natural selection, and to reconstruct the evolutionary
histories of living things, from infectious viruses to extinct mammals.
These will be followed by lectures on the evolutionary genetics of
humans, exploring our species’ origins, our spread around the globe, and
examples of adaptive and non-adaptive changes in our genes. There
follows a series of lectures covering key areas of evolutionary genetics,
including the formation of new species, the evolution of sex, and the
origins of major features of our genome.

Module Bioinformatics (Genetics - also available as a BBS

minor subject)
(Lent term, 15 lectures, 9 practical sessions)
Module Organiser: Dr Gabriella Rustici (Genetics),
[email protected]

This module will provide an introduction to the field of bioinformatics,

focusing on applications related to the study of complex disease genetics
and the recent advances made in this field since the introduction of next-
generation sequencing (NGS) technologies.

It will consist of 15 lectures and 9 computer-based practical sessions.

During the practical sessions, students will use the Unix command- line
environment and the R project for statistical computing.

Aims:
 Learn bioinformatics approaches used in cutting-edge genomics
and other biomedical sciences;
 Process, analyze and interpret HTS data;
 Learn basic computational skills crucial for modern research

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CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY IN PART II ZOOLOGY

The Department of Zoology offers the choice of eight exciting Part II Cell
and Developmental biology modules. Students can focus purely on these
topics if they wish. However one of the advantages of studying these
research areas in the Department of Zoology is that we offer a very wide
range of other options with which cell, molecular and developmental
biology can be combined. Indeed research and teaching in Zoology covers
the range of animal biology from cells, molecules and embryos to nervous
systems, ecology and evolution.

You should study two modules a term. The cell biology modules offered
are:

Michaelmas Term
 ZM4 Neuroethology: The Neural Basis of
Adaptive Behaviour
 ZM6 Cell Assembly and Interactions
 ZM7 From Genome to Proteome
 ZM8 Development: Patterning the
Embryo

Lent Term
 ZL5 Genetics, Development and Animal
Diversity
 ZL6 Development: Cell Differentiation
and Organogenesis
 ZL7 Cell Cycle, Signalling and Cancer Photo by Kyra Campbell
 Bioinformatics

ECOLOGY IN PART II ZOOLOGY

Many NST II Zoology students take what is in effect an ecology course at

Part II level. There are six modules which may appeal to students
interested in this route, and many students select four of these. However,
it is also possible to combine a selection of these with some of the other
modules on offer.
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You should study two modules a term. The ecology modules offered are:

Michaelmas Term
 ZM2 Conservation Science
 ZM3 Human Evolutionary Ecology
 ZM5 Evolution and Behaviour: Genes and
Individuals Behaviour

Lent Term
 ZL2 Responses to Global Change
 ZL3 Evolution and Behaviour: Populations
and Societies
 ZL4 Applied Ecology
Photo by Nanna Evers

One module available to Zoology students is organised by the Plant

Sciences Department:
 PLM3: Evolution and Ecosystem Dynamics (24 lectures)

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 PART II Biological & Biomedical Sciences (Zoology)

Course Structure

The BBS Zoology course is composed of a combination of four of the single

modules listed on our website. They will be examined at the same time as
Part II Zoology. Students also take another module for examination from
the available minor subjects and submit a Dissertation supervised by
Zoology or another Department.

BBS Zoology students are encouraged to attend the course on Statistics

for Biologists provided by the Department of Zoology at the start of the
Michaelmas Term.

BBS Zoology (major) students can take any two of the Michaelmas term
modules and any two of the Lent term modules, provided the timetables
do not clash with their minor subject. Timetables for the Zoology modules
are available at:
https://www.zoo.cam.ac.uk/study/NST-II-Zoology/modules

and the minor subject timetables can be found at:

www.biology.cam.ac.uk/undergrads/nst/bbs/Timetable

Note that the vertebrate modules ZM1 & ZL1 involve some practical work
which is taken by Part II students after the lectures, which can potentially
clash with lectures in your minor subject. Please consult with module
organisers if these demonstrations are required at other times.

The following Zoology modules are available as a BBS minor subject:

 ZM1 Vertebrate Evolution
 ZM2 Conservation Science
 ZM4 Neuroethology: the neural basis of adaptive behaviour
 ZL1 Mammalian evolution and faunal history
 ZL5 Genetics, development and animal diversity

Therefore it is possible to take Biological and Biomedical Sciences entirely

within the Department of Zoology (timetable permitting).
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Aims of Part II BBS Zoology
Through guided reading, lectures, essays, seminars, and bibliographic
reviews (dissertations) students will be educated and trained in a wide
range of scientific skills which provide the learning base for future careers
in disciplines such as behaviour, developmental biology, ecology,
agriculture, environmental management, publishing, teaching and
management.

Learning Outcomes for students

At the end of the lecture courses students should be able to:
 Think critically in terms of their learning and research.
 Critically evaluate the published literature.
 Be aware of the techniques needed to analyse and quantify data
collected during a research project.
 Communicate with expert and non-expert audiences through seminar
presentations, bibliographic project reports and essays.

ASSESSMENT

The Part II BBS Zoology course is assessed as follows:

Four 3 hour examination papers as set for Zoology Part II. Candidates are
asked to answer three questions on each paper. Marks will be combined
with those from the Dissertation and the fifth (minor subject) exam paper,
to provide the six examination elements necessary to meet the
requirements of the BBS Part II degree.

Back image: Drosophila melanogaster cuticle and muscle labelled for

cytoskeletal proteins. Image acquired in the Zoology Imaging Facility on an
Olympus FV3000 Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope. Weil Lab.

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