1. Enabling students to find experiments fun and just a little bit addictive..... Liz Smythe Department of Biomedical Science

2. BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology.

3. BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology. Objectives: By the end of this module students should be able to: *Describe the principles of experimental design and the stages of development of a practical protocol * interpret and present data in a format used in a research environment

4. BMS385 Practical cell biology Aim: This module aims to provide third level students with experience of research laboratory work in cell biology. Particular emphasis will be placed on the development, execution and interpretation of experimental protocols as is standard practice in a research laboratory. Objectives: By the end of this module students should be able to: *Describe the principles of experimental design and the stages of development of a practical protocol * interpret and present data in a format used in a research environment

5. What is different about this module?

6. Standard practical module: Requirements: Predictable outcome Knowledge of fundamental techniques Logistics of classes with large numbers Isabelle Smythe

7. Standard practical

8. Problem: what if we need to go back to first principles? Standard practical

9. Problem: what if we need to go back to first principles? ….or want to try something more elaborate? Standard practical

10. …yes we did that in Level 1 but it was set up for us so I didn’t really pay attention…

11. So what do we do?

12. So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis

13. So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments

14. So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first

15. So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first Assessment 30% for write-up 70% based on lab performance (thought, planning, execution, interpretation)

16. So what do we do? Introduction The principle of experiment design hypothesis, experimental set-up, data interpretation, re-evaluation of hypothesis The principle behind the specific experiments What we expect from them three related experiments outline of protocol for the first Assessment 30% for write-up 70% based on lab performance (thought, planning, execution, interpretation) What they can expect from us to ask as many questions as they wish (but to expect further questions in response)

17. This may have been a mistake………… The first day

18. This may have been a mistake………… The first day..and it IS fairly chaotic…

19. Creative Proficient Independent Observant Confident Enabled As the module progresses…..

21. Practicalities

22. Small numbers

23. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility

24. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding!

25. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students:

26. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership

27. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work

28. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!)

29. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!) Awareness

30. Practicalities Small numbers Feasibility Demanding! Rewards Students: Ownership Taste for bench work Excitement of science (addiction!) Awareness Average students can perform very well

31. Feedback I thought all my University courses would be like this one Module taught me what science is really like… I enjoyed the module because I was treated like an equal

32. Acknowledgements Thanks to Bruno Orsi, Trinity College, Dublin