Admission requirements
The course is open for all students that are enrolled in the minor Molecular Biotechnology and who have followed the previous courses ‘Exploitation of Natural Products’ and ‘Biotechnology: from Gene to Bio-based Product’.
Contact information
Coordinator: Prof. Dr. A.H. Meijer
Email: a.h.meijer@biology.leidenuniv.nl
Description
The medical biotechnology course can be taken as a 3 EC (2-weeks) or 6 EC course (4 weeks). It will provide a fascinating overview of how living cells and animal models are used to investigate and produce pharmaceutical and diagnostic products that help treat and prevent human diseases. This course will demonstrate how an integrated and multidisciplinary approach can yield critical new leads to our understanding of disease generation. By stimulating lectures from key players in the research field students will become familiar with the techniques, approaches and inventions leading to future generations of pharmaceuticals. The students will also receive lectures from specialists of companies in the Leiden Bio Science Park to show applications in biotechnology. Topics that will be covered include the drug discovery pipeline, vaccine development, biopharmaceuticals, transgenesis, gene therapy, stem cell therapy and tissue engineering.
Learning goals
Course objectives:
Getting a broad understanding of the value of biomedical research for biotechnological applications. To see links with the fundamental research in biomedical sciences and industrial applications e.g. in the Leiden Bioscience Park.
Final qualifications:
Understanding of the state of the art in biomedical research areas, including drug and target discovery, vaccine development, biopharmaceuticals, transgenesis, gene therapy, stem cell research and tissue engineering. Insight into current limitations and future prospects of biotechnological applications in medicine. Ability to apply the knowledge gained from the course lectures in a short literature research and powerpoint presentation about a relevant topic of choice.
Timetable
From 26 October 2015 – 20 November 2015. Lectures by invited speakers and time for self-study on a daily basis. Participation in lectures is obligatory. Exams: 6 November (3 and 6 EC courses) and 16 November (6 EC course). Powerpoint presentations (6 EC course): 17 and 18 November preparation (self study), 19 and 20 November presentations. The detailed schedule will be provided on Blackboard.
Mode of instruction
A series of obligatory lectures provided by invited specialist speakers will be combined with self study from the following book: Medical Biotechnology, Pongracz and Keen, Churchill Livingstone (Elsevier). The students will have to prepare for the lectures by submitting multiple choice tests through Blackboard. Students taking the 6 EC course additionally have to prepare a powerpoint presentation on a topic of choice in the field of medical biotechnology.
Assessment method
2 weeks course (3 EC): exam 1 80%, Blackboard tests 20%. The minimal grade for the exam should be a 5.
4 weeks course (6 EC): exam 1 40%, exam 2 30%, powerpoint presentation (including participation in discussions) 20%, Blackboard tests 10%. For both exams the minimal grade should be a 5.
Blackboard
The course information, time table, test questions and powerpoint presentations of the lectures will be available via Blackboard.
Reading list
Obligatory book: Medical Biotechnology, Pongracz and Keen, Churchill Livingstone (Elsevier).
Registration
Register for this course via Usis and enroll in Blackboard.
Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Prospective students website for information on how to apply.