Period
June 11 - July 6, 2018.
Admission requirements
Successful completion of 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, 2e druk 2009. Elsevier, ISBN 978-1-4160-3115-4: Pages 458-466..
Robbins and Cotran, Pathologic Basis of Disease, Cotran RS, Kumar V, Collins T, 8th ed 2010, ISBN 978-1-4160-3121-5: Pages 115-129, 666-675.
Description
Blood coagulation is a uniquely complex process that protects from significant blood loss following vascular damage. Research in this area focuses on the fundamental mechanistic understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of blood coagulation disorders, such as bleeding or thrombosis. 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). During this course, we will focus on various aspects of the regulation of the coagulation system, which include structure-function relationships of blood coagulation proteins, the pathophysiology of the bleeding disorders von Willebrand disease and hemophilia, the biological mechanism(s) underlying acquired and genetic risk factors for venous thrombosis, and the link between coagulation, tumor progression, and cancer-associated thrombosis. The course will start with some introductory lectures on these subjects. 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, setting up the research strategy (collection of patient samples, design of molecular, biochemical and/or cellular approach), interpretation of data, writing a report. While no actual experiments will be performed, the students will work on original research 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 give weekly oral presentations for the entire group and will produce a written final report. Important to note is that this course is full-time.
This course will particularly work on:
Research competences:
Defining a research question, developing a scientifically sound research plan and appropriate technical approach, critically analyze and consider experimental results.
Professional competences:
Adopting a professional and critical position during collaborative research projects, communicating scientific data and conclusions from own research, giving and receiving peer review.
Digesting of other people’s opinions, reflecting on personal actions.
Defending and debating his/her own position regarding his/her own research.
Course objectives
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.
Mode of instruction
Plenary sessions, self-study assignments and working groups.
Assessment method
Oral presentations of assignments; student behaviour (motivation, independency, oral reporting, participation in discussion); written final report.