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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2021/2022

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

Postgraduate Course: Stem Cell and Cancer Biology 2 (BIME11172)

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
SummaryThis research subject area for the MSc by Research Integrative Biomedical Sciences covers the broad range of basic and translational stem cell and cancer research.

Students will select a 20 week practical laboratory placement in a related research specialism (including Regenerative medicine, Stem Cell Biology, Cancer Cell Biology, Cancer Stem Cells, Bioinformatic Analysis of Cancer and Cancer Diagnostics) and complete a 10,000 word research project report.

This will be underpinned by a specialised taught element providing core skills and training required for biomedical sciences research.
Course description This course is an elective research subject for the MSc by ResearchIntegrative Biomedical Sciences programme. The course builds on skills developed in Project 1 of the MScR
Programme and allows students to reflect on their learning and, with Supervisors, identify how this can be further augmented. The course investigates cell proliferation and
differentiation and specifically how this relates to stem cells and cancer.

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.

Cancer arises due to acomplex combination of genetic and molecular changes within a cell that ultimately cause increased cell proliferation, decreased death and changes in differentiation, metabolism and cell motility.

The course includes a 20 week placement in one of our cutting edge laboratories that cover a broad range of stem cell and cancer biology research, including the
underlying molecular pathways, cell and tissue biology, genetics, drug discovery and how this relates to the aetiology of disease and its treatment. The laboratory placement will provide a sound introduction to the most up to date information on these subject areas and to current and advanced approaches for investigating molecular pathways in stem cells and cancer, such as super resolution imaging, proteomics and metabolomics.

The course includes a mandatory taught element to provide both essential research skills and training for biomedical science and specialised content related Stem Cell and Cancer
Biology. There will be 3 contact hours per week to include key training activities such as courses in experimental design and data analysis, use of bioinformatics, programming, modelling, sessions on science communication, presentation skills and project planning and research subject specific content.

It also includes an Inspirational Research seminar series which is designed to address questions from within each of the three research areas (Stem Cell and Cancer Biology, Infection and Immunity & Molecular Biomedicine and Informatics). The series will be presented by ZJE and Edinburgh staff and students must select to attend seminars from one of the three topics linked to the research subject area they have selected for Project 2.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements **This course is delivered in China. Only available to students enrolled on MSc Integrative Biomedical Sciences (in China)
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2021/22, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  60
Course Start Block 5 (Sem 2) and beyond
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 800 ( Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 16, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 784 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Coursework 100%«br /»
One 20-week project write up maximum 10,000 words
Feedback Feedback will be provided to students throughout the programme, by staff involved in the core taught element, peer group activities and by individual supervisors overseeing the research projects.

Formative assessments will ensure core skill development and maximise studentsupervisor interaction in project development and analysis, as well as peer and supervisor feedback. In addition each research project includes formative assessments that will be independently marked and will include formal feedback.

Two anonymous markers provide feedback on the summative research project assessment.
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Ability to devise an independent reserach project
  2. Develop detailed knowledge and understanding of a specific subject area of interest
  3. Acquire a range of core experimental research and generic/transferrable skills
  4. Acquire skills in ICT, numeracy, data presentation and statistical analysis of experimental results
  5. Develop written and oral presentation skills and demonstrate ability to commuicate science to a range of audiences
Reading List
Resources will be made available within LEARN
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Project planning and time management
Independent learning
Critical evaluation and analysis
Communication, numeracy and IT skills
Accountability and working with others
Laboratory and analytical research skills
KeywordsStem cells,molecular biology,cancer,proteomics,metabolomics,pharmacology,genetics,regenerative medi
Contacts
Course organiserDr Paul Le Tissier
Tel: (0131 6)50 3107
Email: Paul.LeTissier@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMs Eimear Musgrave
Tel: (0131 6)67 2157
Email: Eimear.Musgrave@ed.ac.uk
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