BIMPLE1: Project Planning, Laboratory Skills and Experimental Design

Module code: BIMPLE1

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Postgraduate Masters

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Phillip Dash, email: p.r.dash@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Mike Fry, email: m.j.fry@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: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

To enable students to research the background, plan and design experiments and execute a research project successfully. This module also aims to familiarize students with a range of key biomedical research techniques used in both academic and commercial applications of biomedical science. It will enable students to decide on the most appropriate methods to use in conducting their own research. The practical experience gained in this module will enable students to perform their own experiments and conduct their own research. 

This module will teach students how to conduct a successful research project at postgraduate level. It will enable students to be able to identify a research question and then design and execute an experimental plan to answer that question. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Identify relevant literature through advances searches 
2. Critically analyze of the literature and following discussion with academics plan and design a suitable research project to pursue.  
3. Develop an understand of the background to their project  
4. Design an experimental plan to successfully answer their research question. 
5. Understand the theoretical principles underlying a range of core laboratory techniques,  
6. Be able to perform laboratory techniques  experimentally and apply them to address scientific problems.  
7. Critically evaluate research methods and be able to select the appropriate methods for addressing a particular research question. 
8. Additional outcomes: 
9. Students will develop writing and critical analysis skills through the writing of the project proposal. 
10. The students should obtain a deeper understanding of biomedicine though the application of practical approaches, and will learn to work as part of a group. 

Module content

This module will cover a number of topics of importance to planning a research project, starting with the identification of a research question. All academic staff in the biomedical sciences section of the School of Biological Sciences (around 20 staff) will give a seminar on their research area to give students an idea of the range of areas they will be able to research. Students will select a topic of interest and, in collaboration with the appropriate members of academic staff, will write a literature review that identifies a novel research question or hypothesis. 

Biomedical research requires a broad knowledge of the experimental methods and techniques that are used in modern laboratories. This module will provide students with an understanding of the theoretical principles and the practical application of a range of core biomedical research techniques. Each of these techniques will be taught through a combination of lectures (to discuss the theory behind the techniques) and practical classes (to gain hands on practical experience). Throughout the module the general principles of experimental design and good laboratory practice in both academic and industrial applications of science will be emphasized. 

The following biomedical research techniques have been covered in this module in previous years : 

• Cloning & genetic manipulation 
• PCR 
• Microscopy (including confocal microscopy and live cell imaging techniques) 
• Bioinformatics  
• Cell culture and transfection techniques 
• Western blotting 
• Flow Cytometry 
• The exact techniques taught may vary from year to year and alternative techniques may be substituted. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The Project Planning component of the module will primarily be delivered by attendance at seminars followed by individual meetings with academics on specific areas of interest. Additionally individual study will be required to review the literature and develop the research plan. 

The Research Skills component will be primarily hands on practical-based sessions in the teaching and research labs in the HLS Building. Additional individual study and class preparation (using blackboard site) will be required and participation in class discussion will be encouraged. 

Study hours

At least 60 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.

Laboratory note books will be kept during the laboratory skills component and feedback on these will be given to help the students understand the level of detail required in these for their projects  

Reassessment

Additional costs