Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

The module aims are to:

1.       Provide students with a concise theoretical and practical understanding of high-level technologies and
methodologies such as imaging, proteomics and genomics, that underpin nearly all aspects of biomedical
research.
2.       To link technologies to relevant, high impact and wide-appeal use cases where they have driven new
biomedical discoveries and linked to understanding human health and disease.
3.       To support students to be equipped for a broad range of future opportunities including research projects
within the MRes programme, PhD programmes and careers in research facilities both within academia and
industry.

Outline Of Syllabus

This module will introduce the students to a number of technologies. It will include Imaging which will be a combination of taught components and practical experience (including some non-compulsory sessions) and is supported by a workshop on:

Exploring Electron Microscopy and volume EM workshop and two lectures where imaging has been used to support research. Other technologies that will be covered include, Metabolomics as lectures and two workshops. Proteomics delivered as a series of lectures that will cover the Basics in Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics (these will be delivered jointly alongside the postgraduate development program). Sequencing and bioinformatics will also be delivered as a series of lectures that will cover, Sequencing Technologies and Applications, and the basics of bioinformatics. We will also introduce students to Spatial transcriptomic technologies. To flow cytometry as both a lecture and a virtual practical on data analysis.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Upon completing this module the students should be able to:

1.       Evidence a broad and detailed understanding of the basis of several key analytical technologies for
biomedical research including Genomics, Flow Cytometry and Single Cell technologies, Bio-Imaging etc.
This includes the fundamental theory or each, the main use applications as well an awareness of how
each technology will develop over the next 5 years.
2.       Evidence a clear understanding of how such technologies work together to address key questions in
fundamental biomedical research, clinical/translational research and clinical diagnostic application
(where appropriate).
3.       Be able to select the appropriate technologies and methodologies to address a given research question
and comment on why they made that choice.
4.       Have an understanding of the software and data analysis needed to successful employ several technologies
and analyse outputs of these

Intended Skill Outcomes

Upon completing this module the student should be able to:

Follow a detailed instructions or SOPs to complete a methodological procedure

Have the ability to work within a research team to complete tasks in a timely and efficient manner

Manage a series of complex tasks and recognise when errors may have occurred.

Manage equipment with care and recognise boundaries in terms of time and use of equipment

Recognising appropriate data outputs from experimentation based on reference literature

Question results that do not fit with expectations

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Successful research requires the understanding of what individual technologies need to be employed to address specific questions. This needs to be further support by understanding what type of data can be generated and how this is best analysed and presented. This module will provide students with the knowledge of best practice in understanding why certain technologies have been used in research and give them the ability to critically assess if the approaches used are appropriate and guide them toward recognising and solving issues around data reproducibility. In addition, the students will have the opportunity to gain some practical experience. This combination of practical skill and understanding will provide the students with more confidence in using technologies and interpreting data. Workshops will provide the opportunity for formative feedback on material covered.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The purpose of this module is to enable students to understand the importance of the employment of the correct technologies to answer specific research questions and that by doing so how research can progress whether it be scientific, clinical or industrial. The essay assignment will give students experience in assessing why certain technologies were employed in a research study and if they feel this was successful or not.
In addition, for the report the students will be provided with a biological question and ask to consider what technologies they would employ to address this question, what is their rationale for the choices of technologies, what data will they generate and what are the possibly limitations?
These assignments will collectively, in combination with the taught content and practical experience, give the students skills in best practice in understanding and employing technologies for research progression. These skills will be valuable in their future career development.

General Notes

N/A