Research Methodologies in Biopathology

Code:

OPT4_05

Acronym:

MIB

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Medicine

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S (of 30-09-2024 to 10-01-2025)

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Molecular Pahology and Immunology
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Masters Degree in Medicine

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIM	1	Official Study Plan	4	-	3	28	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

1. Understand the Understand the basic principles underlying molecular diagnostics


2. Know the main techniques and molecular and cellular analysis tools in biopathology and "hands-on" work


3. Identify the situations in which each methodology is applied and respective limitations


4. Learn how to design, organize and carry out a laboratory work in the field of biopathology


5. Increase the scientific communication capabilities across the organization and interpretation of experimental results in the form of a scientific communication.

Learning outcomes and competences

1. To handle the basic laboratory equipment of molecular and cellular biology;


2. Isolate, analyse and identify biomolecules;


3. Handle in a technically appropriate way the genetic material;


4. Perform basic experimental protocols of molecular and cellular biology;


5. Perform basic cell culture and manipulation;


6. Identify methods and equipment appropriate to the various methodologies;


7. Obtain and interpret the information, integrating it in the experimental and / or clinical context;


8. Write and perform scientific projects / reports.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Frequency of Pathology I, Pathology II and Medical Genetics

Program

1. Basic laboratory safety rules of biological material’s handling


2. Culture of human cells


3. Nucleic acids and proteins’ extraction from biological material


4. Conventional and / or real-time quantitative PCR fragment amplification (Polymerase Chain Reaction) from human genomic DNA


5. Observation and analysis of PCR products


6. Protein analysis on polyacrylamide gel under denaturing conditions


7. Western blot with specific antibody against recombinant protein produced.


8. Colorimetric methods for the determination of the amount and activity of proteins


9. Fluorescence microscopy and / or immunohistochemistry for protein detection.


10. Laboratorial procedures of quality control

Mandatory literature

John Kiernan; Histological and Histochemical Methods, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2008. ISBN: 978-1904842422
Frederick M. Ausubel; Short Protocols in Molecular Biology, Wiley, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-471-25092-0

Comments from the literature

Review articles selected from leading scientific journals: International Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Research; Nature Methods, Biotechniques; Basic Methods in Cellular and Molecular Biology

Teaching methods and learning activities

 Each student will be integrated into the laboratory practice after the acquisition of knowledge about the basic procedures and safety rules. In addition, each student will develop the basic techniques of molecular biology and cell and interpret and discuss the results with the teacher. In the end of the semester the student will have to prepare a written report describing one of the activities / methodologies carried out. This work will be presented later and discussed with the teacher.

keywords

Health sciences > Medical sciences > Medicine > Oncology
Health sciences
Natural sciences > Biological sciences > Biology

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Participação presencial	50,00
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	53,00
Frequência das aulas	28,00
Total:	81,00

Eligibility for exams

Presence in at least two-thirds of classes

Calculation formula of final grade

Approval in this Curricular Unit implies a classification equal to or exceeding 9.50 / 20 in both components of the evaluation (CAE and CAO).

A negative result in any of the components will lead to disapproval.

The final classification of the curricular unit (FCCU) is calculated according to the formula:

FCCU = 0.5 x CAE + 0.5 x CAO

Examinations or Special Assignments

No special tests or works are planned.

Internship work/project

 Each student will be integrated into the laboratory practice after the acquisition of knowledge about the basic procedures and safety rules. In addition, each student will develop the basic techniques of molecular biology and cell and interpret and discuss the results with the teacher. In the end of the semester the student will have to prepare a written report describing one of the activities / methodologies carried out. This work will be presented later and discussed with the teacher.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

No special tests or works are planned

Classification improvement

Improvement of the classification will be performed according to the schedule approved by the Pedagogical Council.

Improvement of the classification in the CEC is not foreseen according to regulations of University of Porto.

Observations

Frequency of Pathology I, Pathology II and Medical Genetics