| Unit name | Research Methods in Translational Cardiovascular Medicine |
|---|---|
| Unit code | BRMSM0079 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Hudson |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | Bristol Medical School |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
This unit provides an essential foundation for your educational journey as a translational cardiovascular medicine researcher by delivering training in a variety of research methods. The journey through translational research includes both pre-clinical and clinical studies, and this unit will teach you about experimental (cell- and animal-based) and clinical study design, including the choice of statistical analysis. Robust experimental design is critical for determining the success or failure of research, and ultimately will affect the translation of basic scientific findings to clinical advances. You will also gain an understanding of the theory and practical application of commonly used laboratory techniques. This unit will help you interpret and critically appraise the methodologies and data presented in scientific literature, and will be important when planning and conducting your own research studies.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
All taught units on our programme require you to examine and critically review scientific literature, and the knowledge gained in this unit will help you understand complex research studies, both experimental and clinical. The use of animals in research will be introduced and will be built upon in other taught units that describe the use of specific animal models of cardiovascular disease. You will apply the experimental design concepts from this unit when creating an outline research proposal and when conducting your final research project (both in the Research Project unit; MSc students only), and you will receive additional, complementary research training at this time.
An overview of content
This unit will introduce you to theoretical and practical details of laboratory methods that are relevant to translational cardiovascular medicine research. We will discuss genetic modification, qPCR, western blotting, ELISA, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, assays for cell proliferation, migration/invasion and apoptosis. We will provide an overview of experimental design concepts such as variables, controls and biological replicates. Data generated by laboratory methodologies will be processed, analysed, presented and interpreted, and the application of statistical testing will be introduced.
The second part of this unit will introduce clinical research design, with an emphasis on clinical trials. We will describe how to conduct clinical trials successfully and how to avoid common pitfalls. Essential concepts underlying statistical methods used will be introduced, allowing you to be able to identify which statistical analysis method should be employed in certain situations.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
You will understand the fundamentals of study design (experimental and clinical trials) and will be able to apply these principles during your future research. You will understand basic laboratory techniques and be able to make choices about which techniques should be used to address specific research questions. You will interpret and critically analyse experimental and clinical data, gaining confidence in your journey as a researcher.
Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing this unit you will be able to:
The core content will be delivered via in-person lectures (campus students) or lecture recordings (online students). Lecture recordings will be available to all students so you can review the lecture material multiple times at your own pace, with the inclusion of captions. Lectures will be supplemented with additional teaching methods such as:
Students will be given formative feedback on all summative assessments to aid their learning.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
When assessment does not go to plan:
If you do not pass the unit, you will normally be given the opportunity to take a reassessment as per the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes. Decisions on the award of reassessment will normally be taken after all taught units of the year have been completed. Reassessment will normally be in a similar format to the original assessment that has been failed.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. BRMSM0079).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
