Insect genetic engineering and applications
Theory: 2 hours/week | Tutorials: 1 hour/week | ECTS Units: 3
Lectures in the English language are offered to Erasmus students
Content – Aim of the course
The course focuses on the application of biotechnology to insects for the development of useful innovations in the fields of medicine, plant protection, and industry. Biotechnology can exploit insects either as whole organisms or by targeting specific organs, cells, molecules, or symbiotic microorganisms. Emphasis is placed on emerging technologies and strategies for controlling parasitic insects and disease vectors, as well as on genetic engineering approaches for producing beneficial products and applications.
Syllabus
The course consists of lectures covering the following topics:
- Transposable elements for insect transformation
- Sex-specific and tissue-specific transgene expression
- Docking/landing-site systems for site-specific transformation
- Inducible systems for insects
- Sterile Insect Technique and variants (SIT and RIDL)
- Gene drive systems
Student performance evaluation
Student performance is evaluated through:
- Attendance in lectures (A)
- Participation in discussions during lectures (P)
- Presentation of a literature-based assignment on a selected topic (L)
- Written examination
Final grade (F) = 0,3×A + 0,2×P + 0,5×L
If F < 5, a written examination is required.
If F ≥ 5, the written examination may improve the final grade.
Suggested bibliography
- Recombinant DNA: Genes and Genomes – A short Course. Third Edition. Watson J.D., Caudy A.A., Myers R.M. and Witkowski J. Palgrave Macmillan Ltd 2007
- Transgenic Insects, Techniques and Applications. CABI Biotechnology Series. Edited by Mark Q. Benedict. ISBN-13: 978-1-78064-451-6.
- Related Scientific Journals:
- Annual Review of Entomology
- Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Insect Molecular Biology
- Current Opinion in Insect Science
Teaching Material / E-class
Lecturers
Kostas Mathiopoulos (Course Coordinator)
