DEPARTMENT OF BOTANY

INTRODUCTION

The Department of Botany currently has 17 staff members with specialists in the areas of biochemistry, biostatistics, biotechnology, cytogenetics, ecology, morphology, molecular biology, mycology, phycology, plant breeding, plant pathology, plant physiology, taxanomy, tissue culture and virology.

With such a diverse range of available expertise, the department has been able to advance its teaching and research programmes beyond the confines of traditional botany to meet new challenges in this age of molecular biology and biotechnology.

COURSE STRUCTURE

The range of core and elective courses offered within the flexible modular system permits students with diverse backgrounds to read Plant Biology. Students majoring in Plant Biology however, will have to satisfy the department's requirements in terms of module combination and standard of performance.

The department offers modules in Plant Biology at various levels of study :

	Level 100	
	BP101	Introductory cell biology
	BP102	Biochemistry & life functions
	BP103	Structure & function of plants
	BP104	Ecology & conservation
	BP105	Plant biotechnology
	BP106	Economic botany
	BP107	Tropical horticulture
	BP108	The living plant

	Level 200	
	BP201	Plant diversity
	BP202	Environmental botany
	BP203	Plant metabolism
	BP204	Developmental & reproductive botany
	BP205	Genetics, biostatistics & experimental design

	Level 300	
	BP301	Plant physiology
	BP302	Plant biochemistry
	BP303	Cryptogamic botany
	BP304	Horticulture
	BP305	Mycology
	BP306	Plant breeding
	BP307	Plant systematics & biogeography
	BP308	Plant morphogenesis & tissue culture
	BP309	Seed biology
	BP310	Tropical ecology
	BP311	Plant pathology
	BP312	Research exercise

HONOURS PROGRAMME

Students are selected on the basis of their performance in Level 200 and Level 300 Plant Biology modules. They must read modules BP401, 402, 403 and a choice of 8 other modules from BP404 to BP415.

	Level 400	
	BP401	Research project
	BP402	Current topics in plant science
	BP403	Field studies
	BP404	Plant systematics
	BP405	Plant morphogenesis
	BP406	Mycology
	BP407	Plant genetics
	BP408	Plant physiology
	BP409	Phytopathology
	BP410	Plant ecology
	BP411	Plant adaptations
	BP412	Plant molecular biology
	BP413	Plant biotechnology
	BP414	Protein technology
	BP415	Orchid biology

POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

The department offers post-graduate studies by research leading to the degree of Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). The 6 broad areas of staff and postgraduate research are :

In many areas of research, the use of molecular techniques is emphasised to provide a better insight to the functioning, control and regulation of plant growth and development. The excellent facilities and reference collections available in the department, as well as the ease of access to nature reserves locally and in the region, make the department an ideal place for postgraduate research in tropical plant biology.

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Currently, research in the department is focused on the following areas :

Many of these are inter-related and as many as 6 staff members may be involved in one of these research areas.

LINKS WITH INSTITUTIONS AND INDUSTRY

The department has various formal exchange programmes and memoranda of understanding with local and foreign institutions such as the Primary Production Department, Jurong Bird Park, National Parks Board and the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR). The Memorandum of Understanding with the IBPGR has seen the setting up of the Seed Handling Unit of IBPGR for the Asia-Pacific region in the department. Several staff members also serve as members of advisory boards of government departments and provide consultancy services to government departments, statutory boards and commercial organisations.