Description
In the course 'Cell signaling in Cancer and Drug Safety' (CS-CDS) students get a first taste of what it is like to perform a research project from start to finish within a LACDR department; as will be expected from them in future BSc and MSc internships. The research projects mainly focus on molecular signal transduction and on pathways/networks in drug toxicity & safety, cancer progression and cancer drug resistance. The topics are directly related to current research performed at the Division of Drug Discovery and Safety. Imaging and computational modeling play an important role in the context of monitoring cellular behavior at multiple scales. Computational projects are available for students who have followed Part 1 of the Minor ‘Computational Approaches to Disease, Signaling and Drug Targets’.
Course objectives
The objective of the course is to train students with diverse practical skills in molecular and cellular biology or in computational skills in biomedicine, particularly in the context of cancer, drug safety and therapeutics. Students will be trained in research design and planning.
Coordinator
Mw. Dr. A. van Oosten
Mode of instruction
The 4 week course starts with a week of literature study and preparing a proposal presentation. The proposed experiments will be conducted in 2 weeks of practical or computational experiments, followed by a week to write a research report. Students will be supervised by PhD students or postdoctoral researchers; the research topic is directly linked to their own research projects. The preparation and practical work takes place in group of 3-4 students; the proposal presentation and research report are individual tasks.
Assessment method
Presentation of research design proposal: 10%
Practical/computational skills: 50%
Research report: 40%
Students are graded individually in all 3 categories.
Admission requirements & Registration
This course is mandatory for and restricted to students who follow the Elective Module DSDT. Furthermore, a maximum of 9 additional computational instead of practical projects are available for students who follow the minor ‘Computational Approaches to Disease Signaling and Drug Targets’ (CADSDT). In case more than 9 of the latter students apply for a computational project, students will be selected based on a motivation letter. Moreover, students are only admitted to a computational project if they have actively participated in the Course 'Computational Biomedical Research' of said minor. All students that are admitted to the Elective Module DSDT or a computational project for the Minor CADSDT will be registered for this course in uSis by the Minor coordinator.