MSc Cardiovascular Health and Disease (Research)

Research project 1 provides an opportunity to delve deeply into a biomedical topic, the underlying basic science, and to imagine how present day research can contribute to improved diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The starting point for the project will usually be a topic defined by your supervisor(s). This may be an interesting gene or protein, a basic physiological process or pathway, a known pathology, a promising prospective mode of treatment or a set of clinical or laboratory observations. Your supervisors will provide you with a brief outline of the topic and some starter references. At this stage you will not be given specific project aims as you are intended to develop a hypothesis and aims during the research proposal aspect of the unit.  You will need to read the background and history of the problem, critically examine previous research that has been reported in the literature, consider the relevant molecular, cellular and tissue-level processes, and any clinical implications. Your supervisors will help you to fill gaps in your basic knowledge, depending on your background. The methods you learn in parallel practical skills and tutorial units and attendance at seminars and group meetings will all help you to understand the concepts and methodology you encounter.

After you have completed your literature review, you will prepare a research proposal to address a hypothesis you generate based on the gaps in knowledge identified during the literature review. Developing a proposal is an essential skill for researchers and provides an opportunity for you to formulate a hypothesis and design a research project.

With the exception of students on the BHF MRes programme who complete RP1 at the end of semester 2, before proceeding with their PhD projects, all other students must pass RP1 (mark of 50% or greater) to proceed to Research Project 2 (MEDN66132).

The aims of Research Project 1 are to train students in:

          • Literature and database searching

          • Critical analysis

          • Identification, conceptualisation and exposition of unsolved problems

          • Literature review planning

          • Creating and using appropriate images

          • Scientific writing and referencing

          • Research proposal design

          • Critical evaluation and debate

          • Effective time management

The literature review and research proposal are equally weighted and both contribute 50% towards the final mark for this unit. 

Formative feedback is provided by a supervisor for both the literature review and research proposal. Submitted reports will be annotated by assessors and detailed feedback given on marksheets returned to students.

Please note: BHF MRes students undertake their RP1 literature review/research proposal in semester 2, in contrast to other programmes on this unit code.

Teaching Staff:

• Elizabeth Cottrell
• Mark Dilworth
• Elizabeth Cartwright
• Ellie Cheadle
• Karen Rees-Unwin
• Ashraff Kitmitto
• Wei Liu