This module builds upon the fundamental laboratory skills developed in Level 4. Blocks of advanced hands-on skills development techniques will be delivered that support the major areas of the Biological and Biomedical sciences. Areas will include advanced microbial techniques, cell biology, culture and immunological investigation, field skills and organismal identification, chemical biology and biochemistry, fundamental biophysics, physiological measurement, pharmacology, skills and techniques for molecular biology and genomics, data handling and mathematics for biosciences, coding and computational biology including R and/or Python, SQL and database languages, techniques for data mining, modelling and use of algorithms in biosciences. Functional team leadership and team membership skills will be developed along with project management and understanding of intellectual property and regulatory context for the biosciences.

All skills are delivered via interactive practical sessions in short blocks, normally, at more than one point in the year enabling students to select components to develop their skill set portfolio. Practical sessions will incorporate appropriate experimental design protocols and the use of inferential statistics applicable to the data being collected. Available practical skills courses within the module will be published at the start of each academic year. You will be advised as which skills are core for your award and which are optional choices.

Students will choose a number of the delivered blocks that underpin their practitioner development and help refine the techniques that form the laboratory basis of their biological route within the programme.

Reed, R., Weyers, J. and Jones, A. (2016) Practical Skills in Biology, 6th ed. Pearson. ISBN: 978-1292094328

Bioscience laboratory

1. On completion of this module, you will be able to demonstrate competence in the skills used in modern bioscience laboratories including both hands-on laboratory skills and appropriate planning, design, data analysis and project management applied to the subject(s) studied.

2. On completion of this module, you will be able to display enhanced manipulation and interpretation of information from a variety of sources including those of a statistical nature, biobank and biological and related databases

3. On completion of this module, you will be able to display the ability to work in a team to develop, execute and present the outcome of an investigation appropriate to the level of study.

Two scientific articles will allow you to develop key skills in data interpretation and presentation and will link to the key skills or techniques developed within the module. [L.O.2 and 3]

The practical skills portfolio will include both factual and practical based activities where a competence needs to be demonstrated. These are linked to the core practical skills for each award and/or pathway. [L.O.1]

This module builds upon the fundamental laboratory skills you developed in your first year. Blocks of advanced hands-on skills development techniques will be delivered that support the major areas of the biological sciences. Areas will include advanced microbial techniques, field sampling and identification, biochemical testing, physiological measurements and the techniques of molecular biology.
All blocks will incorporate appropriate experimental design protocols and the use of inferential statistics applicable to the data being collected.