Biomolecular Techniques I
Objectives
The course has the objective of endow students an extensive knowledge of the experimental techniques used on the different areas of Biochemistry. The students will be exposed to a broad range of research topics and research environments available in the Department of Chemistry at FCT/UNL, in a rotation regime. Throughout the semester the students will perform 2 laboratory rotations of 4 weeks each. During these periods, the graduate students will meet the various personnel in the host labs, will be introduced to their research programs and learn about the special techniques applied in these laboratories. It is intended that students develop a critical approach in the analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
It is also an aim of this curricular unit to promote the principles of integrity in scientific and scholarly research. The principles include, between others: honesty, realibility, responsability, objectivity, imparciality and independence and openness and acessibility.
At the end of this curricular unit students should have:
- acquired skills in different techniques / methods used in the study of biological systems. Rotations will allow integration in different research teams, given the opportunity students to develop strategies and approaches that were not acquired in the execution of a pre-established, optimized experimental protocol used in classic practical classes
- the ability to search and write an essay (in scientific paper format) with a critical spirit
- improved their oral communication skills.
General characterization
Code
10825
Credits
6.0
Responsible teacher
Maria João Lobo de Reis Madeira Crispim Romão
Hours
Weekly - 4
Total - 60
Teaching language
Português
Prerequisites
Available soon
Bibliography
More specialized books, reviews and/or original papers will depend on the selected experimental techniques and will be recomended by each supervisor.
Teaching method
Students are required to attend 2 laboratory rotations (24 h/rotation) in research laboratories of the Department of Chemistry or other departments at FCT/UNL. Particular focus will be made to the experimental component of each technique. It is intended to provide students a critical approach in the application of the different methodologies, and in the analysis and interpretation of experimental data.
This curricular unit will provide students a large number of techniques in different research environments and that can be applied to various biological systems.
Evaluation method
The evaluation will be continuous and at the end of each rotation, professors are required to complete a form evaluating the students performance. The student will be evaluated at different levels, namely: effort, laboratory skills, acquired knowledge, communication, creativity, maturity and ability to perform experimental work.
- Compulsory attendance of 4 x 4 h per rotation
50% A (25% each rotation) + 25% B + 25 % C
- Approval to the course requires a final score ≥ to 9.5/20
Subject matter
The graduate students will have the opportunity to perform experimental work in different areas of Biochemistry, from Molecular Biology to Biophysics. During the 2 laboratory rotations the students will apply techniques used in the isolation and purification of biomolecules and their characterization at the biochemical and biophysical, kinetics, spectroscopic and structural levels. Students will have to write a essay (in paper format) describe a work in which one of the chosen techniques was determinant for the study of a particular system.
At the end of this curricular unit students should have:
- acquired skills in different techniques / methods used in the study of biological systems. Rotations will allow integration in different research teams, given the opportunity students to develop strategies and approaches that were not acquired in the execution of a pre-established, optimized experimental protocol used in classic practical classes
- the ability to search and write an essay (in scientific paper format) with a critical spirit
- improved their oral communication skills.