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Content:

The module provides research based-education. You will receive some hands-on experience of selected laboratory techniques in cell biology with a focus on microscopy, to understand how to apply them to address novel scientific questions and help make the transition from student to scientist.

You will discover the relative advantages of the techniques, some brief background on how they work; receive some training in applying them to real biological problems and in scientific skills in data analysis; and opportunities for critical analysis, interpretation, and scientific communication. You will be engaged in seminars; skills-based sessions; hands-on experiments and subsequent practical image processing and data analysis; peer-review.ÌýSessions will be led by scientists currently using these techniques and you will have opportunity to see how they apply them to address fundamental cell and tissue function and in some cases how this might in the future provide leads to potential new targets for disease therapy.

Please note, for all image acquisition laboratory practicals, staff will have done some of the steps in advance for you, and some you will carry out. This is due to time constraints and that cell biology experiments typically take in the order of weeks. You should also note that the time allocated to hands-on data analysis is typically more than the time allocated to hands-on image acquisition on microscopes. In part, this is due to the necessity of fitting multiple, repeat practical groups into the timetable, so that each individual student has individual time on each type of microscope.

How Taught: Precise teaching methods of CELL0022 is currently undergoing review; and these details are subject to change. You undertake two or three case studies: each enabling experience of different cell biology microscopy techniques; their applications; and communication of your scientific findings. Each case study is completed and assessed before moving to the next one. Your learning is supported by timely tutor feedback and peer-review, either on developing skills (1-2 formative assessments) to meet learning objectives that are subsequently tested in the summative assessments; or on the summative assessments themselves; or both. There is also some class-discussion of selected experimental findings with peers and tutors.

The module is collaborative in nature, similar to how science works in practice and it is EXPECTED that you attend every class; contribute peer-review, discussion and in the final case study share your data with the class data.

Attendance at every event isÌýcompulsoryÌýandÌýparticipating in the formative assessments and peer-review is a key part of learning and is required to receive a summative grade for the module.Ìý The formative and summative assessments and class discussion are designed to provide opportunity for learning key areas of scientific thinking and communication and you are expected to reflect on that feedback and apply your learning successively as the module proceeds. Organisation of your time is important and is supported by a clear at-a-glance timetable of all events and deadlines, downloadable from Moodle.Ìý There is no final exam.

Module Lead: Dr Louise Cramer

Indicative Topics: This may change in 24-25, however as an indication in 23-24 the topics were: Electron Microscopy and Nerve and Neuron Cell Morphology; High Content Microscopy and Autophagy; Confocal Light Microscopy and Organelle Size.

Module Learning Objectives:

Overall the module provides opportunities for research-based education. The key learning objectives are:

1. Understand how to carry out several different cell biology techniques, appropriate to the timescale the module permits in practicing skills

2. Understand and discuss the importance and limitations of these techniques in scientific discovery

3. Understand the limitations of what can be concluded from your findings of your experiments, from the scope of the experimental samples available to you.

4. Generate a hypothesis or an aim, within the scope of the experimental samples available

5. Design and implement an analysis of experimental data to either test a hypothesis or meet an aim.

6. Gain an awareness of what is meant by ‘rigorous science’ and to communicate scientific experimental outcome similar to how this is done as a practicing scientist (authentic assessment).

Recommended Readings: None required in advance. You may be given recommended reading during the teaching itself.Ìý