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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : Deanery of Biomedical Sciences : Biomedical Sciences

Postgraduate Course: Stem Cells, Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine (BIME11134)

Course Outline
SchoolDeanery of Biomedical Sciences CollegeCollege of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits80 ECTS Credits40
Summary80 credit Theme entitled Stem Cells, Tissue Repair and Regenerative Medicine to add to the portfolio of Themes available to students on the MSc by Research Biomedical Sciences (Life Sciences) programme.
Course description This theme will comprise a taught element and a research dissertation which will investigate the application of stem cells in medicine. The theme will cover (a) basic concepts of regenerative medicine and the contribution stem cells make to normal homeostasis, (b) the definition and derivation of adult stem cells for therapy, including regulatory and ethical issues that concern the derivation of such cells, (c) mechanisms of tissue homeostasis with respect to different tissues, (d) how stem cells can be used to treat damage and degenerative disease in different tissues and (e) problems associated with the delivery of different types of stem cell products in regenerative medicine.

This course describes the study of stem cells in Biomedical Sciences and their application in regenerative medicine. Stem cells are fundamental in the processes of tissue development, cell renewal and healing. They allow the building of new tissue and continually replace many specialised cells if they are aged or injured. A better understanding of stem cell function may lead to new strategies for a wide variety of diseases from cancer to multiple sclerosis. The integrated approach of this theme will cover (a) fundamental properties of stem cells including self-renewal and differentiation, (b) their role in tissue repair following cell injury and death, and (c) how the natural process of tissue repair may be used in regenerative medicine to restore or replace damaged cells and tissue present in diseases such as Parkinson's and multiple sclerosis. The theme will take advantage of some of the teaching elements already established for the course 'Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine' - GMED11109 organised by Dr Paul Travers.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  None
Course Start Blocks 1-3 (Sem 1-2)
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 800 ( Seminar/Tutorial Hours 20, Dissertation/Project Supervision Hours 40, Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 640, Feedback/Feedforward Hours 3, Formative Assessment Hours 22, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 16, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 59 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Feedback Students will be given routine feedback by their research supervisor at tutorials and laboratory meetings where students will be expected to present their research data for critical review. Feedback will be provided on a formative (2500 word) review essay and on drafts of the Dissertation. Feedback on the assessed component (i.e. the Dissertation) will be provided by the Programme director and Theme organiser.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Develop detailed knowledge and understanding in the dynamic research area of stem cells and their role in regenerative medicine.
  2. Stimulate critical thinking, and the formulation and testing of experimental hypotheses.
  3. Acquire a range of relevant experimental research, and generic/transferrable skills.
  4. Acquire skills in ICT, numeracy, data presentation and statistical analysis of experimental results.
  5. Development of oral and written presentational skills.
Reading List
None
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Students on this Theme will develop the cognitive skills required for the critical analysis and eloquent presentation of their data and those published by other workers in the area of stem cell biology.
Students will learn about the presentation and analysis of quantitative data and develop the numeracy, data presentation and IT skills required for the communication of their work to their peers.
Students will work within, and be an active part of, a research group/team led by their supervisor working at the cutting edge of stem cell research in SCRM. Students will do the comprehensive background reading required for their project and in discussion with their supervisor, identify experimental protocols and future research directions and thus develop an autonomous approach to their project.
KeywordsNot entered
Contacts
Course organiserDr Lesley Forrester
Tel: (0131) 537 1763
Email: L.Forrester@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMiss Sara-Louise Tait
Tel: (0131 6)51 5997
Email: Sara-Louise.Tait@ed.ac.uk
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