Teaching code

4S011598

Credits

9

Coordinator

Maria Scupoli

Language

English

Courses Single

Not Authorized

Moodle Seminars 0

The teaching is organized as follows:

Learning objectives

The course aims to provide to students the knowledge of the main processes of experimental design; the acquisition of the functional basis of the main biological models in relation to their use in biomedical research; and the acquisition of basic knowledge of the main operational functions related to the management of scientific research. The main objective of the course is to provide students with the tools, methodological and regulatory, that will enable them to understand the processes of designing and conducting research projects. The integration of theory lectures with laboratory exercises, in which students will be able to perform laboratory experiments, will enable them to develop analytical and critical skills that they will be able to apply in the field of translational biomedical research.
The course is structured in two distinct modules:
- the Experimental design and biological research models module aims to provide the knowledge of the basic steps of experimental scientific design and in vitro and in vivo biological models commonly used in biomedical research. The main objective of the course is to enable the student to apply the acquired knowledge to the understanding of experimental design and the choice of the appropriate biological model in relation to research objectives, with particular reference to the areas of translational research and precision medicine. Teaching is based on an interactive and participatory teaching method (team-based learning) involving discussion of experiments from the scientific literature and design of original experiments. The module also includes laboratory exercises during which students, in small groups, can conduct the scientific experiments, the results of which will then be presented, interpreted, and discussed with other students and the professor.
- the module Research management, regulations, and bioethics illustrates the regulatory aspects of scientific research in order to let the student to understand how, to implementation a research project in today's scientific world, it is necessary to know the legal and bioethical framework in which it is inscribed. On this basis, the course provides the legal basis and bioethical knowledge preparatory to the scientific design, including aspects related to informed consent to experimentation and the processing of personal data. The objective of the course is the acquisition of basic knowledge of the main operational functions related to the management of scientific research, including aspects of management and funding of a research project, regulations related to intellectual property and intellectual transfer, bioethical aspects related to the use of animal models, biological material, and clinical data of patients.
Upon completion of the course, the student will have acquired:
a) knowledge of the basic processes of experimental design in the biomedical field and of the main experimental biological models;
b) ability to critically apply the acquired knowledge to the design of scientific experiments, the choice of the appropriate biological model and the interpretation of the results of experimental analyses;
c) ability to work in a team and communicate the results of experimental research using a logical approach and the appropriate scientific terminology;
d) adequate knowledge of the legal and bioethical foundations of scientific design;
e) ability to decline, in the specificity of the individual research project, aspects related to informed consent to experimentation and the processing of personal data.

Prerequisites and basic notions

There are no particular prerequisites.

Bibliography

Learning assessment procedures

Experimental design and research models module: the final examination of the course will consist of a written examination with multiple-choice questions, a written report and an oral test in which students, in small groups, will present the results of laboratory activities. The examination mode is the same for nonattending and Erasmus students.
Research management, regulations, and bioethics module: the exam consists of a written exam with multiple choice questions. The examination mode is the same for non-attending and Erasmus students.

Evaluation criteria

To pass the exam, the student must demonstrate that he or she has fully achieved the pre-set learning objectives. The overall grade is the weighted average of the marks obtained in the two modules.
For the Experimental design and research models module, the following will be assessed: knowledge of the topics covered in the lecture; the ability to make connections between the various topics covered and scientific language property; the ability to organize teamwork, in-depth study of the topic and critical reasoning; and communication skills. The overall grade, in thirtieths, is the average of the grade obtained in the two parts (written and laboratory report/exhibit).
For the Research management, regulations, and bioethics module, learning of the main regulatory and bioethical references of scientific research with specific regard to the issue of informed consent to experimentation and processing of personal data will be assessed. The grade will be expressed in thirtieths.

Criteria for the composition of the final grade

To pass the exam the student must demonstrate that he has fully achieved the learning objectives set for each module. The final overall mark, out of thirty, is the weighted average of the marks obtained in the two modules.