DEVELOPING AS A SCIENTIST: ADVANCED TECHNIQUES IN BIOCHEMISTRY - 2021/2

Module Overview

In this module students will undertake a programme of training and development activities in preparation for their MSci Research Project which will come in two forms:

• Pre-planned experimental training and competency – laid out and agreed with the project supervisor. Students will be expected to book and receive training, and to demonstrate competency on repeated performances of the methodologies where appropriate.

• Self-identified CPD opportunities – either internal or external opportunities. Which may range from attendance at lecture series or skills development workshops arranged by SPLASH and the library.

• Pre-planned theoretical training and competency – laid out and agreed with the project supervisor. Students will be expected to engage with blended learning activities through the Postgraduate Hub subjects, which include research design, ethics and statistical analysis.

Module provider

School of Biosciences and Medicine

Module Leader

MEIRA Lisie (Biosc & Med)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 7

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

BMS3048 Research project

Module content

Skill development may include, but are not limited to:

• Cell culture


• Western blot


• Protein purification


• PCR variants


• Molecular Biology


• Bioanalysis software usage


• Statistics packages and usage


• Bioinformatic approaches


• Systems biology


• Writing workshops


• Lecture series


• External training events


• Biometrology


• Enzyme kinetic measurement


• Spectrophotometry

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate Practical competency in undertaking a programme of research and evaluation into a biochemically relevant research problem.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• Completion of competency skills in the first experimental module (pass/fail)

• Completion and write up of the first experimental module - submission through Lab Archives in early November (20%)


• Completion and write up of 2/3 of the remaining experimental modules - submission through Lab Archives (40%)

• Reflective narrative of students' progress and development (40%)

• Portfolio will be completed by means of a Lab Archives e-portfolio, shared with the module team and the students’ dissertation supervisor.


• Students will be provided guidelines on which marking criteria for reflection


• Students will be working towards an agreed training agenda and will be assessed on their engagement with this and the completion of this.

Unit of assessment and weighting Module learning outcomes met Coursework package 1, 2, 3

Formative assessment

Supervisory meetings and portfolio check. Specific dates for formative feedback will be provided to the students, during which the supervisor or module leader will feedback to the students on the completion of their portfolio.

Feedback

Laboratory training feedback, supervisory discussions. Specific dates for formative feedback will be provided to the students, during which the supervisor or module leader will feedback to the students on the completion of their portfolio.

Module aims

• Enhance and develop the students practical and analytical skills in biochemical research.
• Provide a structured framework to enable the student to engage in a CPD style professional development to support the undertaking research project.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to: Students will be provided with training opportunities to register for, and the ability to practice and further develop newly learned skills. They will take ownership of this, and will provide a reflective record to the supervisor for final sign off. The module teaching hours will be fulfilled with bespoke learning activities which are determined by the specifics of the dissertation project. Practical skills training will be delivered, and the students will need to perform practices until they can be signed off as competent to undertake the procedure without help. This applies to wet-lab practical activities or software analyses.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Practical training and development of skills


• Statistical education and other blended learning activities


• Workshops and tutorials where necessary


• Supervisory meetings and check points

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMSM024

Other information

N/A

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.