BIMCB12: Commercial Biotechnology 1 $£ The Business of Health

Module code: BIMCB12

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Chris Jones, email: c.k.jones@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 23 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Taught by academic staff from the School of Biological Sciences and Henley Business School this module will introduce students to the biotechnology sector and the business and commercial challenges faced in this sector. Students will be given an introduction to the biopharma and biotechnology sectors in both the UK and from a global perspective. Students will learn about intellectual property and the law, the principles of project management and how to assess the market and understand customer needs. Students will learn about the importance of strategic partnerships and collaborations in the drug development process, including licensing agreements and mergers and acquisitions. This module will also cover the principles of entrepreneurship and how to start a biotech company, including venture capital, finance, valuations and business models. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Assess the key challenges and opportunities in the commercial biotechnology sector 
2. Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to address challenges related to commercial biotechnology, such as technology transfer, market analysis, product development, and commercialisation strategies. 
3. Develop a business plan for a biotechnological product or service, considering aspects such as market analysis, competitive positioning, financial projections and risk management. 

Module content

• Overview of the UK and global biotechnology sector 
• Intellectual property 
• Principles of entrepreneurship 
• Project management 
• Business development 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching will be delivered through formal lectures and seminars in which students will be introduced to key concepts in precision medicine with the aid of case studies provided by industry. Students will also be expected to learn through self-directed study and through group working. Learning will be assessed by a written report in which students evaluate a biopharma related business proposal. 

Study hours

At least 30 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 50% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Seminars will provide students with an opportunity to gain feedback on their understanding of the topics covered in the module. 

Reassessment

Additional costs