Type of course

Course content

The course includes training in relevant methods and techniques for biomedical research such as:

• cell culturing (including work with eucaryotic cells, and bacteria)
• advanced methods for detection, expression and quantification of DNA, RNA and proteins
• flow cytometry
• immune histochemistry/immune fluorescence
• advanced light microscopy
• electron microscopy
• molecular modelling
• inhibition kinetics
• assessment of mitochondrial respiration

Students will also be acquainted with other methods used at our core facilities, and the research groups at the department. In each exercise, the students will also learn to do relevant safety evaluations related to the methods employed.

As part of MBI-3012 student must complete the iKomp (information literacy) course, which give training in academic writing, referencing and citing.

Students will also be introduced to innovative thinking, and innovation in biomedicine.

The course further includes an intensive safety course for students and employees at UiT (HMS-0500 Safety course). This course will provide general safety skills relevant to lab work. Mandatory parts of the HMS-0500 course are:

• Environment Health and Safety work (EHS work)
• biological substances
• use of gloves
• allergy
• liquid nitrogen
• gas under pressure.

Objectives of the course

During the master thesis, the students will be introduced to a limited number of techniques and methods. To prepare the students for their master degree project as well as biomedical research work after the master degree, the present course introduces students to a wide range of much used classical and modern basic laboratory methods in biomedical research.

After the course, the students should be able to:

Knowledge

• explain the theory of given methods and techniques
• explain the selected methods/techniques with emphasis on their usefulness and limitations in biomedical research
• identify and discuss common issues related to methods/techniques used in biomedical research
• apply acquired knowledge in new areas within biomedicine

Skills

• perform the given methods and discuss the results obtained
• write reports including a proper discussion of results obtained
• design and execute controlled experiments to address given/relevant research questions

General proficiency

• analyze and discuss ethical issues connected to research methods in biomedicine
• communicate own scientific work both orally and in writing, using the relevant scientific language
• contribute to innovation processes in biomedicine

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

This course consist of a safety course (HMS-0500), a course in information literacy (iKomp), lectures, groupwork on innovation and innovative thinking, and several practical laboratory exercises. Each laboratory exercise is introduced by lectures, followed by individual- or group exercises.

Teaching methods in the course varies and includes online lectures, regular lectures, seminars, group work, laboratory work, report writing, presentations and discussions.