6 ECTS credits
150 h study time
Offer 1 with catalog number 4012871FNR for all students in the 2nd semester at a (F) Master - specialised level.
Laboratory skills will be acquired by using a series of techniques in molecular, cellular and developmental biology within one chosen research group.
This "à la carte" approach proposes a total immersion in a laboratory to work with different researchers such as to be able to carry out several techniques.
The accent will be placed on the technical aspects in contrary to a bachelor or Master thesis.
These techniques can be for example: real-time PCR, microbiological analysis, stem cell culture, cloning, DNA analysis, cell sorting, immunostaining, etc.
The research group will be chosen by the student in agreement with the responsible of the practical and the hosting laboratory.
Research groups can be chosen not only within the biology department (DBIO) but also in the biotechnology (DBIT) department or eventually in other departments from the VUB.
This guarantees numerous choices to the student and allows the student to get to know a research laboratory before committing to a Master thesis.
For additional information, contact L. Leyns: luc.leyns@vub.be
Relevant protocols, articles and books will be proposed by the researchers involved in the supervision of the practical work.
Active participation is an absolute requirement.
This course unit has the following intended learning outcomes:
The student at the end of the course unit needs to be able to:
* evaluate the scientific relevance
of the experimental approach
* propose alternative technologies and describe the pro and contra of each of them,
* perform autonomously experiments in the laboratory
* link the obtained results with his/her knowledge of the biological system used.
After having successfully completed this course unit, the student should have acquired practical skills in the laboratory including experimental design, methodological approaches used in the lab and be able to present (written and oral form) the results.
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:
A written activity report (10 to 20 pages) is requested. It has to be handed in at the latest before the start of the examination session.
The examination consists of a short oral presentation (max 10 min) followed by a discussion.
The final note will be based on the note from the laboratory supervisor (50%) and from the report + exam (50%).
The average will be made if both are higher than 10/20. If not, the lowest mark will be used as final mark.
This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Biology: Education (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Biology: Molecular and Cellular Life sciences
Master of Teaching in Science and Technology: biologie (120 ECTS, Etterbeek) (only offered in Dutch)