6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4012869ENR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.
During this class, we will study in detail several developmental operations.
We will use articles and analyze the published techniques, results and conclusions. Moreover, the chosen topics will show the importance of multi-disciplinary approaches when studying biological problems as well as illustrate new paradigms.
Such topics are for example:
* Establishment of a gradient of a morphogen
* Antero-posterior patterning in the mid/hindbrain boundary
* Establishment of a biological clock during somite formation
* Gene regulation leading to the formation of the limb
* From pancreas development to insulin secreting cells
An active participation of the student is necessary and the presence during all the classes is MANDATORY.
One point of the final grade (on 20) will be substracted for each non-justified absence (justification based on the VUB/faculty rules).
Several PowerPoint presentation will be have to be made by each student.
A new teaching approach is used for this class: the lectures transformed into a Virtual Laboratory.
The students will in groups of two analyze four scientific articles on the same topic, from the same laboratory and published over a period of time. This allows to “see” the evolution of the science processes. Each group will receive each articles in parts, first the introduction, then the materiel& methods, then the figures, followed by the text of the results and finally the discussion and perspective.
This allows each group to propose working hypotheses, imagine the experimental approach, analyze the experiments and at the end to formulate their own discussion, conclusion and perspectives.
Afterwards they compare their hypotheses, interpretations and conclusions to those of the authors.
During the last class, each group will make one final presentation to provide an overview of the scientific results.
Based on: Hoskins SG, Stevens LM, Nehm RH. “Selective use of the primary literature transforms the classroom into a virtual laboratory” - Genetics. 2007 Jul;176(3):1381-9.
e-mail: luc.leyns@vub.be
Scientific articles will be made available online
This course unit has the following intended learning outcomes. At the end of the course unit, the student should be able to:
* know and understand the various developmental operation discussed in the course,
* analyze in depth experiments, the conclusions that can be made and the hypotheses that can be generated based on these results,
* propose experimental plan based on the knowledge acquired and,
* communicate orally to peers the scientific results as well as their own hypotheses.
The student will then know: how to tackle recent scientific paradigms in developmental biology , be able to autonomously analyze and report on a specific biological operation.
The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 100% of the final mark.
Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:
During the oral exam, the student will present in 15 minutes a scientific topic (based on one or several scientific articles) under the form of a presentation. The article(s) will be provided several weeks in advance.
Afterwards, this topic as well as the content of the course will be discussed (about 15 minutes) with the examiner.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Management and Business (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biomedical Sciences: Clinical Biomedical Sciences (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biology: Education (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Life sciences
Master of Biomedical Research: Standaard traject
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)