Medical Biology Research Project

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2015:

Students should discuss total time commitment with their supervisor but as a guide, a student would be expected to be engaged in their research for an average of thirty hours per week over two semesters.

Students must be enrolled in the Bachelor of Biomedicine (Honours) or Bachelor of Science (Honours) to complete this subject.

Available to Honours students in Medical Biology with approval of the Head of Department.

Students must have completed a three-year undergraduate degree in a relevant science discipline, e.g. BSc., BBiomed. Or equivalent.

Completed three-year undergraduate degree in a relevant science discipline.

None

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Equitable Adjustment Procedure (SEAP), academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Objectives, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry. It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and the Disability Liaison Unit: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

The student will conduct an original research project in a research laboratory under supervision of a research scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute from February to November.
The student will be introduced to current literature and techniques in specialised areas.
The research project will form part of a larger project or the basis of an expanded project. In both cases the work is anticipated to culminate in an original research publication.

Students will be enrolled in a combination of the research project subjects indicated below to ensure they have completed a total of 75 points for the research project by the end of their course.

BMSC40003 Medical Biology Research Project – 31.25 points (semester 1)
BMSC40008 Medical Biology Research Project – 43.75 points (semester 2)

• Acquire the ability to absorb information, analyse it critically, and integrate it into the current state of knowledge in the field. Develop hypothesis, propose experiments, engage in discussion with other scientists.
• Acquire and hone experimental skills for work at the bench. Acquire technical knowledge specific to the research project.
• Acquire oral and written presentation skills to present original scientific data to an expert audience.
• Generate a body of original scientific results that will form part of a peer-reviewed, primary research publication.

• Oral overview of thesis project and literature, presented in June – 10%
• A written report (thesis) of up to 10,000 words, due in November, and an oral deference of the thesis – 65%
• Oral presentation of thesis results and response to questions, in November after written thesis submission – 20%
• Supervisor's input into Honours project assessment – 5%

None

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

In a more general sense that students will learn to

• critically asses literature
• accept or reject information provided by others
• integrate scientific information into an information framework
• identify unresolved scientific questions
• identify the best experimental approaches to address open questions
• polish their oral presentation skills
• polish their written presentation skills