Biomolecular Techniques I
Code
10825
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Química
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
José Ricardo Ramos Franco Tavares
Weekly hours
5
Total hours
60
Teaching language
Português
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 3 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 integrationin 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 inclassic practical classes
- the ability to search and write an essay (in scientific paper format) with a critical spirit
- improved their oral communication skills.
Subject matter
he 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 usedin 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 inclassic practical classes
- the ability to search and write an essay (in scientific paper format) with a critical spirit
- improved their oral communication skills.
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 or service providing laboratories of the Department of Chemistry or other departments at FCT/UNL. Special focus will be on the experimental component of each technique in view of its application to real samples. 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 and biochemical systems.
Evaluation method
To obtain frequency in this UC it is compulsory to participate in 4 x 6 h for each Rotation.
The final grade will be 50% of the information form filled out by the person responsible for the Rotation (25% for each rotation) and 50% based on an Oral presentation of the contents and critics about one of the Rotations, chosen by the student. To pass this UC it is mandatory to obtain a grade eqaul or higher than 9,5 valores.
The information form to be filled out by the person responsible for each Rotation will focus on several parameters, namely, the effort developed by the student, their interest in the experimental execution, the knowledge they acquired about the specific technique(s), communication capacity and team work, creativity and initiative.