NBIK18004U Principal Subject in Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology 3

Volume 2019/2020
Education

MSc Programme in Biochemistry

Content

Third of 3 modules of project work on Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology.

The course discusses topics relating to the molecular mechanisms that regulate cellular and immunological processes in humans and animals, with a focus on model organisms such as Drosophila and mammalian systems. Topics range from molecular mechanisms of cell functions to molecular aspects of innate and adaptive immune system processes. Each block is devoted to one or more such topic, where journal articles that illustrate important literature and current development of new insight into the subject have been selected. During each teaching session, articles are presented by students, and the other students will prepare questions for the points in the papers they want discussed. Thus, a significant amount of time is used for an in-depth, student driven, discussion of the issues, including the methodologies used. Therefore, in addition to training and feedback of presentation skills, methods and knowledge pertaining to changing subjects are acquired by the students.

Learning Outcome

Students complete three modules of one subject-line by following three blocks.

The student will, with the completion of the modules, be capable of understanding the basis for specific conclusions in a field and will therefore understand the consequences of technical or experimental future developments when they occur.

Knowledge:
The student will have obtained knowledge of specific research areas (differing from module to module and from block to block) including different experimental and theoretical approaches.

Skills:
Based on original research literature, the student will be able to explain, evaluate and critically analyse the results, the methods used and the conclusions drawn and compare with other relevant literature. In addition, they will be able to present and explain the background literature for peers.

Competences:
The student must demonstrate an ability to critically understand, explain and discuss the relevance and potential impact of a certain given research area in a written form, understandable to fellow students. The written project must be a clear, well-structured scientific report/article produced within a fixed time-period, and should contain an introduction to a problem, within an area of molecular mechanisms of cell function or immunology, that provides a broad overview of the area and a discussion of scientific data. The report/article can outline (dogmatic) prevailing viewpoints, major conflicts, and future perspectives. The emphasis should be on demonstrating understanding of collection and interpretation of original experimental data in the designated research area and to critically evaluate their interpretation as presented in the papers selected.

The student will, with the completion of all three modules, be capable of understanding the basis for specific conclusions in a field and will therefore understand the consequences of technical or experimental future developments when they occur.

Literature

See Absalon.

Principal Subject in Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology module 1 and module 2.

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree is recommended.
Project work.
Only one of the principal subjects (Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Molecular Genetics, Molecular Microbiology or Protein Chemistry) can be chosen. All modules (1, 2 and 3) must be within the same principal subject.
The written assignment is based on the knowledge and competences obtained in module 1 and 2.
Guidance is not scheduled. Students must contact their supervisor according to need.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Exam
  • 1
  • Guidance
  • 10
  • Project work
  • 195
  • Total
  • 206
Feedback by final exam (In addition to the grade)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment, 3 weeks
Oral examination, 45 min. (no preparation)
The course is evaluated on basis of the 3-week take-home written assignment followed by an oral examination. The grade is based on an overall evaluation of the two parts of exams.
Aid
All aids allowed

Written assignment: All aids allowed.
Oral exam: No aids allowed.

 

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Several internal examiners.
Re-exam

The same as the ordinary exam.

A new written assignment (3-week take-home) within a new subject, will be handed out 5 weeks before the reexamination. The written assignment must be handed in three weeks before the reexamination.

 

Criteria for exam assesment

In order to achieve the grade 12 the written project, together with the oral presentation and defense, must, through its brief introduction, introduce the reader to the problem and the scientific context. The main content, through presentation of selected results, must be relevant for the subject posed, and clearly described. The description must show full understanding of the argumentation for the experiments undertaken, the methods used, their interpretation, as well as an (implicit or explicit) quality assessment; and demonstrate an understanding of the stage of knowledge, including its limits, of the selected subject matter.