Period: June 7- July 2
Objectives/ aim
The course is intended to give students comprehensive experience in the combination of clinical and biochemical research. The course will give the student understanding in how clinical problems and biochemical methods are translated into a scientific study. During this FOS course, regulation of coagulation and vascular maintenance and repair are highlighted.
Content
Thrombosis is the major cause of death in western cultures. It may occur in arteries (myocardial infarction, stroke) and veins (deep-vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism). Abnormalities affecting blood coagulation and the vascular wall may play an important role. During this course we will focus on aspects of the regulation of the coagulation system as well as the recruitment of progenitor cells involved in vascular maintenance and repair.
The course will start with some introductory lectures on the subject. During the course the students will work in pairs and have to design a detailed research project. The students will mimic a scientific study, in which they will pass through all phases of a research project: posing a research question, finding a study design, setting up the study (grant application, collection of patient samples, design of biochemical and/or molecular approach), interpretation of data, writing a report. The students will work on actual data, analyze these data and develop new hypotheses and experimental approaches. The students are supervised by one or two tutors, who will be available for frequent work discussions. The students will produce written reports and give oral presentations for the entire group regularly during the course.
Form of tuition
Plenary sessions, self study assignments, work groups, practicals.
Mode of assessment
Oral presentations of assignments; research proposal; student behaviour (motivation, independency, oral reporting, participation in discussion); final presentation on written report.
Entry requirements/recommended prior knowledge
Successful completion of BM321 (How To Write A Research Proposal) is strongly recommended.
The following textbook chapters are also strongly recommended as preparatory material:
Medical Physiology, Updated Edition, Boron W & Boulpaep E, 1e druk 2005. Elsevier, ISBN 1-4160-2328-3: Pages 446-446g.
Robbins and Cotran, Pathologic Basis of Disease, Cotran RS, Kumar V, Collins T, 7th ed. 2005, ISBN 0721601871: Pages 123-139
This course will particularly work on:
Research competences:
Defining a research question, choosing appropriate techniques, integrate different biomedical disciplines.
Professional competences:
Collaborating with peers, digesting of other people’s opinions, reflecting on personal actions.