Course unit details:
Technologies Workshops
| Unit code | BIOL68911 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 1 |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
Advanced technologies workshops will take place throughout the academic year, providing practical training in advanced research methods. Students will be taught the theoretical basis of advanced technologies delivered in situ in the University’s research facilities and by highly skilled researchers or facility managers. Opportunities to gain hands-on experience via practical demonstrations and real-time experimentation will be included wherever possible. Exemplar raw datasets and real data analysis exercises will be made available during workshops and on Blackboard to support your learning, when possible.
Aims
Equip students with a working understanding of the application of a wide repertoire of advanced scientific methods at the cutting edge of infection-related research, including flow cytometry, single cell technologies, imaging and mathematical modelling.
Equip students with a working knowledge of mechanistic approaches to problem-solving in molecular and cellular biomedical science.
Enable students to understand the principles of modelling of host and microbial aspects of infection to help characterize the host-pathogen interaction.
Enable students to harness critical thinking and synthesis techniques by integration of data of varying types, and from a range of sources.
Teaching and learning methods
Workshop-based teaching
On-line resources
Independent study
Knowledge and understanding
Understand and apply the theory and practice of research methods and scientific techniques basic to the discipline
Understand the practical issues and problems associated with conducting high quality research, including ethical issues
Work individually and collaboratively to identify appropriate methodology during experimental planning, interpret and present scientific data, interrogate relevant scientific literature and develop research plans
Recognise potential methodological failings and strategize accordingly
Understand state-of-the-art scientific methodology together with the philosophical contexts within which research is conducted in science and medicine
Intellectual skills
Understand and be able to critically appreciate methodology, including the appropriate selection of quantitative or qualitative methods
Recognise the importance of rigour in collecting, analysing and interpreting data
Exhibit creativity in learning, scientific endeavour and research skills
Practical skills
Demonstrate practical dexterity in the commonly employed and more advanced practical techniques of molecular and cellular microbiology and immunology
Demonstrate competence in practical laboratory skills to enable sound and reproducible collection of data
Design research projects using appropriate methodologies to address specific research questions
Recognise the importance of justifying expenditure (cost and time) during experimental planning
Transferable skills and personal qualities
Effectively manage time resources and set priorities
Demonstrate a capacity for self-directed, independent learning and adopt the principles of critical reflection and evaluation
Understand and comply with the requirements of research governance
Recognise the views of others and work constructively with them in a multidisciplinary context
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Other | 50% |
| Set exercise | 50% |
Multiple choice questions (50%)
Data Processing, Analysis and Summary exercise (50%)
Feedback methods
Marks will be provided online within 15 working days of assessment deadline
Recommended reading
Jeffrey D Martell, Thomas J Deerinck, Stephanie S Lam, Mark H Ellisman, Alice Y Ting (2017) Electron microscopy using the genetically encoded APEX2 tag in cultured mammalian cells Nature Protocols 12, 1792–1816. doi:10.1038/nprot.2017.065
Cheung RK, Utz PJ. SCREENING: CyTOF—the next generation of cell detection. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2011;7(9):502-503. doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2011.110.
Mora J, Chunyk AG, Dysinger M, et al. Next Generation Ligand Binding Assays—Review of Emerging Technologies’ Capabilities to Enhance Throughput and Multiplexing. The AAPS Journal. 2014;16(6):1175-1184. doi:10.1208/s12248-014-9660-1.
Atkuri KR, Stevens JC, Neubert H. (2014) Mass cytometry: a highly multiplexed single-cell technology for advancing drug development. Drug Metab Dispos. 43(2):227-33. doi: 10.1124/dmd.114.060798.
Kay AW, Strauss-Albee DM, Blish CA. Application of Mass Cytometry (CyTOF) for Functional and Phenotypic Analysis of Natural Killer Cells. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, NJ). 2016;1441:13-26. doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-3684-7_2.
Sandra Nell, Sebastian Suerbaum, Christine Josenhans (2010) The impact of the microbiota on the pathogenesis of IBD: lessons from mouse infection models Nature Reviews Microbiology 8, 564–577. doi:10.1038/nrmicro2403
Rory M Power & Jan Huisken (2017) A guide to light-sheet fluorescence microscopy for multiscale imaging Nature Methods 14, 360–373. doi:10.1038/nmeth.4224
Charles Gawad, Winston Koh & Stephen R. Quake (2016) Single-cell genome sequencing: current state of the science Nature Reviews Genetics 17, 175–188. doi:10.1038/nrg.2015.16
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Practical classes & workshops | 100 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 50 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Michael Bromley | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
40 hours face-to-face teaching in ‘Technologies’ workshops, 40 hours online learning via exemplar datasets and questionnaires, 20 hours assignment preparation, 50 hours independent study.