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2020/2021

Basic Translational and Clinical Research Skills

Code: 42896 ECTS Credits: 9
Degree Type Year Semester
4313794 Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biomedicine OT 0 A
The proposed teaching and assessment methodology that appear in the guide may be subject to changes as a result of the restrictions to face-to-face class attendance imposed by the health authorities.

Contact

Name:
Irantzu Pallarés Goitiz
Email:
Irantzu.Pallares@uab.cat

Use of Languages

Principal working language:
english (eng)

Teachers

Juan Genescà Ferrer
Francisco Rodríguez Frías

External teachers

Diego Arango Corro
Ibane Abasolo Olaortua
Ignacio Ferreira González
Jordi Barquinero Máñez
Josep Quer Sivila

Prerequisites

  • Requirements to be admitted to the master's degree.
  • English Level B2.

Objectives and Contextualisation

This module aims to approach the students to the functioning of research in a tertiary hospital, by showing the different medical states from diagnostic to care of diseases.

The aim of the module is to enable students to acquire the basic knowledge on the ethical, methodological, regulatory and logistical aspects used in translational and clinical research, to be able to plan experiments in human pathology based on Genomics, Proteomics, Cytomics and Metabolomics, to acquire the knowledge to identify the transferability of the results of their research to the market, and to understand the bases and the application of new diagnostic tools (massive sequencing, magnetic resonance imaging, microarrays, nanotechnology, etc.) and advanced therapies in human pathology.

Competences

  • Analyse and explain normal morphology and physiological processes and their alterations at the molecular level using the scientific method.
  • Apply techniques for modifying living beings or parts of these in order to improve pharmaceutical and biotechnological processes and products or develop new products.
  • Communicate and justify conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  • Conceive, design, develop and synthesise scientific and/or biotechnological projects within biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.
  • Develop critical reasoning within the subject area and in relation to the scientific or business context.
  • Integrate knowledge and use it to make judgements in complex situations, with incomplete information, while keeping in mind social and ethical responsibilities.
  • Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
  • Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  • Use and manage bibliography and IT resources related to biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.
  • Use scientific terminology to account for research results and present these orally and in writing.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases in order to make a diagnosis in problem cases.
  2. Communicate and justify conclusions clearly and unambiguously to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
  3. Design and conduct a research project in the field of biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.
  4. Develop critical reasoning within the subject area and in relation to the scientific or business context.
  5. Distinguish the processes by which pre-clinical research is conducted into new therapy agents.
  6. Integrate knowledge and use it to make judgements in complex situations, with incomplete information, while keeping in mind social and ethical responsibilities.
  7. Propose the use of pre-clinical animal models and cell models in advanced therapies.
  8. Solve problems in new or little-known situations within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to the field of study.
  9. Use acquired knowledge as a basis for originality in the application of ideas, often in a research context.
  10. Use and manage bibliography and IT resources related to biochemistry, molecular biology or biomedicine.
  11. Use scientific terminology to account for research results and present these orally and in writing.

Content

 

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE IN THE HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT.

1.1. Where are you? Introduction to Campus Vall d’Hebron and the Health System in Catalonia.

1.2. Module’s Introduction. Open questions.

1.3 Diagnosis Units. Transversal Facilities/Services. MICRO/AP/IMMUNO/GENETICA   

1.4. Pharmacology and pharmacy

1.5. Research models in surgery

 

SECTION 2: CLINICAL RESEARCH AND CLINICAL TRIALS.

 

2.1. Methodologies for Clinical Research.

2.2. Operational aspects. How to manage with clinical trials. Most frequent problems                                                            

2.3. Observational epidemiologic studies: Design, advantages and disadvantages. Principal bias                                                                                                  

2.4. Clinical trials. Legal and ethical issues of clinical research     

 

SECTION 3: CORE FACILITIES FOR RESEARCH. Visit to Core Facilities       

Visit to Central Laboratories HUVH

 

SECTION 4: TOOLS FOR DIAGNOSIS IN HUMAN PATHOLOGY. GENOMICS.

4.1. NGS for Virus research and diagnosis (Hepatitis A, B, D & E virus)  

4.2. HCV from basic research to the diagnosis. Example of translational research. 

4.3. Massive Sequencing in Exosomes and Liver disease follow up

4.4. Use of sequencing technologies to investigate the human microbiome     

4.5. Research tools in dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders           

4.6. Biomarkers for the Diagnosis of Diseases   

 

SECTION 5: TOOLS FOR ADVANCED THERAPIES. CELLS, PROTEOMICS & NANOPARTICLES. Jordi Barquinero / Ibane Abasolo

5.1. Tools to study cellular organelle dysfunction

5.2. Proteomics, a general purpose tool for the biomedical research laboratory             

5.3. Advanced Therapies. Gene Therapy. Stem Cells.

5.4. Therapies with mesenchymal cells                

5.5. Immunotherapy    

5.6. Cell therapy for fetal repair              

5.7. General Introduction to Nanomedicine. Drug delivery systems

5.8. Inorganic Nanoparticles with applications in medicine

5.9. Clinical genetics. Cytogenetic Prenatal Diagnosis: past and present trends

5.10. Liquid biopsy for prenatal diagnosis

 

Evaluation: Oral presentations 

 

Methodology

Theoretical classes. Discussion of problems in class. Visit laboratories. Stimulate the interest of the students to solve real or putative clinical problems. Reading articles to propose a team based research project. Discussion of projects. 

Activities

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Theory clases 65 2.6 1, 5, 7, 6, 9
Type: Supervised      
Mentoring 3 0.12 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 10, 11
Type: Autonomous      
Study 154 6.16 1, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 10, 11

Assessment

Writing a project based on a clinical problem (team work) 30%

Defence of the project in front of all the students and evaluators 35%

Test exam 35%

Attending a minimum of 80% of the classes is required for taking the exam and passing the course.

To be eligible for the retake process, the student should have been previously evaluated in a set of activities equaling at least two thirds of the final score of the course or module. Thus, the student will be graded as "No Avaluable" if the weighthin of all conducted evaluation activities is less than 67% of the final score

Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Delivery of research project 30% 0 0 1, 4, 5, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9
Oral presentation of the project 35% 1 0.04 1, 4, 3, 5, 7, 6, 8, 2, 9, 11
Test exam 35% 2 0.08 4, 3, 5, 7, 2, 9, 10, 11

Bibliography

At the Bench: A Laboratory Navigator. Updated Edition. Kathy Barker. Cold Sprinh Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, 2005.

GeneReviews (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1116/)

Edited by Roberta A Pagon, Editor-in-chief, Thomas D Bird, Cynthia R Dolan, and Karen Stephens. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-.

Molecular Diagnostics: Techniques and Applications for the Clinical Laboratory. 2009. Edited by: George P. Patrinos and Wilhelm J. Ansorge. 2nd ed. p. 616. Academic Press. 1st ed. p. 736. Academic Press.

Molecular Pathology: The Molecular Basis of Human Disease. 2009. 1st ed. p. 664. Academic Press.

Transforming Clinical Research in the United States: Challenges and Opportunities, Workshop Summary, Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation Board on Health Sciences Policy, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, The National Academies Press, Washington D.C. http://fastercures.org/train/resources/documents/TransformingClinicalResearchintheUnitedStates.pdf

Biotecnología Aplicada a la Identificación y Validación de Dianas Terapéuticas. Informe de Vigilancia Tecnológica, Genoma España, http://www.gen-es.org/12_publicaciones/docs/pub_73_d.pdf

 

Impacto de la Biotecnología en el sector Sanitario (SECURED), 1er Informe de Propspectiva Tecnológica, Genoma España http://www.gen-es.org/12_publicaciones/docs/pub_63_d.pdf

The Human Protein Atlas ( www.proteinatlas.org)