Biomedical Research: experimental models

Code:

OPT150

Acronym:

IBME

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2017/2018 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Departamento de Biomedicina
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master in Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIMED	6	Mestrado Integrado em Medicina- Plano oficial 2013 (Reforma Curricular)	3	-	3	28	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The global objective of this curricular is to foster scientific skils of future physicians, providing them knowledge about experimental models currently used at diferente contexts in biomedical research.

Learning outcomes and competences

At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

- recognize the importance of using experimental models in biomedical research

- Identify distinct experimental models used in biomedical research

- enumerate advantages and disadvantagens of distinct experimental models

- select different types of experimental models based on the specific purpose of each research project

- prepare a study design proposing the best experimental model in the contexto of a specific scientific research question.

Working method

Presencial

Program

The scientific method and the experimental model – 1 h (T)

Experimental models – 2 h (T)

Cellular models: cell lines – 1 h (T)

Cellular models: primary cultures – 1 h (T)

Research project seminar: cell culture as an experimental model – 1 h (S)

Cell culture lab in loco – 6 h (PL)

Ethic issues in experimental models – 1 h (T)

Chronobiology issues in experimental models – 1 h (T)

Zebrafish: basic principles for research and handling – 1 h (T)

Research project seminar: zebrafish as an experimental model – 1 h (S)

Zebrafish: the housing conditions in loco– 2 h (PL)

Rodents: basic principles for research and handling – 1 h (T)

Research project seminar: the rat as an experimental model – 1 h (S)

Rodents: housing conditions in loco – 2 h (PL)

Human studies – 2 h (T)

Research project seminar: human studies – 1 h (S)

Debate: experimental models in biomedical research 3h (S)

 

Mandatory literature

TARIK F. MASSOUD, GEORGE J. HADEMENOS, WILLIAM L. YOUNG, H, ERZHEN GAO, JOHN PILE-SPELLMAN AND FERNANDO VINUELA; Principles and philosophy of modeling in biomedical research, FASEB J. 12: 275-285, 1998

Complementary Bibliography

Nuno Henrique Franco; Animal Experiments in Biomedical Research: A Historical Perspective, Animals, 3: 238-273, 2013

Teaching methods and learning activities

This course, with 3 ECTs, provides 81 hours of total work and will be taught in a block with 28 h of contact distributed between theoretical lectures (11 hours), seminars (7 h) and laboratory classes (10 h) that may be organized in shifts, depending on the number of enrolled students.

The final classification will be distributed with no final exam.

In order to be approved, students must attend a minimum of 75% of the classes and have a final grade equal to or greater than 10 (out of 20), calculated with the following formula:

Final grade = (CA*0.1) + (Deb*0.2) + (WW*0.7)

CA – continuous assessment

Deb – Debate

WW – written work

Students will be continually evaluated for their participation in all the proposed activities. Students performance in the preparation and running of the debate will also be assessed. The written work will consist in the elaboration of an experimental design in response to a research question formulated by the course director.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	20,00
Participação presencial	10,00
Trabalho escrito	70,00
Total:	100,00

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade = (CA*0.1) + (Deb*0.2) + (WW*0.7)

CA – continuous assessment

Deb – Debate

WW – written work