BIOCHEMISTRY RESEARCH
Course Department, Number & Title: BIC 820, Biochemistry Research
Course credit or length: 2 to 4 weeks. Additional weeks may be added upon advance written approval by the Course Director AND the Office of Academic Affairs.
Course director and contact information: Pier Paolo Claudio, MD, , 304-696-3516
Course location: Byrd Biotechnology Science Center, 1700 3rd Avenue, Huntington, WV
Brief Course Description: This elective course will provide an opportunity for medical students to become familiar with the tools and techniques used in modern biochemical and translational research. Prior to the beginning of the course, interested students will meet with departmental faculty and select a faculty member who will serve as the course mentor. A research problem appropriate for the length of the course will be selected by joint agreement between the faculty mentor and the student. The student will conduct laboratory experiments, gather and interpret data, read the current literature, and write a paper on the research. Research topics may include, but are not limited to, (1) hormone responsiveness in human breast cancer, (2) control of tumor cell growth and differentiation, (3) ß-catenin as a molecular target in cancer, (4) molecular therapeutics for cancer, (5) cellular and whole animal models of nutrition and cancer, and (6) stem cells proliferation and differentiation.
Attendance Requirements: Students will be required to report daily to the research laboratory and to conduct experiments, prepare materials, or perform other duties pertinent to the work. Failure to come to the laboratory on a daily basis will be grounds for failure.
Self-Directed Learning: Students will be expected to search for and read relevant journal articles in preparation for conducting the research and writing of the research article.
Grade Mode: This is a Pass/Fail course.
Relevant MU Institutional Objectives:
Institutional Objective:
Medical Knowledge: Students must demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social-behavioral sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.
Basic Science Course Objective: Students will demonstrate the ability to formulate a scientific problem in the area of medical biochemistry, conduct research to address the problem, analyze the resulting data, and evaluate its significance in light of existing evidence. Students will demonstrate a general understanding of the process of biochemistry research and an improved understanding of the specific area under study.
Outcome Measure: Students will be required to state specific aims and expected findings at the beginning of the course and will be evaluated by the course mentor based on completion of the specific aims, acquisition of data, and interpretation of findings. Students will be required to write a research paper which provides the research goals, specific aims, results and discussion. The length of the paper will correspond to the length of the course and will be determined at the outset of the course. The course mentor will review the paper to determine if the course objective has been met and if the paper is satisfactory.
Institutional Objective:
Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Students must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.
Course Objective: Students will interact with and exchange information with other members of the laboratory team. Students will demonstrate their communications skills by writing a research paper about their projects.
Outcome Measure: The course mentor will evaluate the student’s research paper to determine if the course objectives have been met.
Institutional Objective:
Professionalism: Students must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.
Course Objective: Students will demonstrate professionalism by completing work assignments reliably and punctually, maintaining a good work ethic, and maintaining positive interactions with other laboratory personnel.
Outcome Measure: The course mentor will observe the student’s professional behavior in the laboratory to determine if the course objectives have been met.
ASSESSMENT METHODS:
Mid Point Evaluation: Students will meet with the course mentor at least once per week to review progress. At the midpoint of the course, the course mentor will meet with the student to evaluate progress and provide suggestions for improvement.
Final Evaluation: The course mentor will assign a grade of pass or fail for the course based on the mentor’s subjective evaluation of the student’s completion of the course objectives.
A final grade of 70% is required to pass the course.
The mentor will evaluate the following components to determine the final grade:
Attendance and reliability: 25%
Professional interactions with other laboratory personnel: 25%
Research paper: 50%
Evaluation of Course and Faculty Requirement
Completion of evaluations of the course and faculty members by the student is a required component of this course. The student will be issued an “Incomplete” until the course and faculty evaluations have been submitted.
MUJCESOM Policies: All medical students taking this course will comply with School of Medicine policies given at http://musom.marshall.edu/students/policies.
Individual policies can be found at the following websites:
Student Infectious Material Exposure:
http://musom.marshall.edu/ups/postexposure.asp
MS-IV Attendance:
https://musom.marshall.edu/students/documents/policies/Yr4attendence.pdf
Academic Dishonesty Policy:
https://musom.marshall.edu/students/documents/policies/Standards-of-Professionalism-and-Honor-Code.pdf
Academic Standards Policy:
https://musom.marshall.edu/students/documents/Policies/ASC-FINAL-POLICY.pdf
Policy for Students with Disabilities:
https://musom.marshall.edu/students/documents/Guidelines.pdf
University Computing Services’ Acceptable Use Policy:
http://www.marshall.edu/ucs/CS/accptuse.asp
Affirmative Action Policy:
pp. 16-17
http://www.marshall.edu/catalog/Graduate/S2008/gr_sp08.pdf
Inclement Weather Policy:
https://musom.marshall.edu/students/documents/policies/MUSOM-Inclement-Weather-Policy.pdf
Notification of delays and cancellations of classes are posted on the Medical Education Home Page when Marshall University Main Campus is not in session
https://musom.marshall.edu/weather
Required Reading: Reading materials (e.g. journal articles) will be assigned by the course mentor at the beginning of the course.
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