Experimental Models in Molecular Biomedicine (EMMB)

If you want to pursue a research career in life science research or biomedicine, then this course is the right one for you! Learn about the generation, use, application and limitation of experimental model systems in the context of life science research and molecular biomedicine.

This BIP will provide you with knowledge on different experimental models commonly used in current biomedical research, as well as on the principles of scientific methods and experimental approaches. Under the supervision of scientists and teachers from seven CIVIS universities, you will practice by designing and discussing experiments and projects to address real research questions.

Teaching within this BIP is based on team-, active- and peer-learning activities. You will be able to choose between 3 or 6 ECTS by selecting the number of virtual workshops you like to attend. Each workshop is scheduled for two weeks with virtual face-to-face sessions (1 or 3h/ week), pre-recorded lectures and peer-group tasks. The BIP concludes in one final week of physical face-to face sessions in Tübingen/Germany.

BIP structure:

• Presentation & introductory lectures: 1 week (compulsory: 3h; 1h/lecture)
• Research workshops: 4 or 7 models of your choice, 2 weeks/workshop (compulsory: 1h 1st week + 3h 2nd week)
• Physical mobility: 1 week, 5 days

Every workshop will have the same structure:

• 2 weeks of face-to face work: Monday/Wednesday/Friday 3-4pm (CET); compulsory attendance: week 1, only Friday, week 2, all three sessions for team work & presentations and peer evaluation;
• pre-recorded 1h-lecture (most important concepts behind the scientific project) plus 1 h-seminar on the teacher's research, available from week before. Teachers will be on-line Monday and Wednesday for optional Q&A sessions (non compulsory);
• 2 sessions (1h each) of team work (3-4 students) aimed at proposing and designing experiments to address the assigned specific research questions raised at the end of the seminar. These sessions will be tutorized by the teacher (teams will be split in different virtual rooms). Teams will also prepare a simple 3-4 slides-presentation;
• 2 final sessions (1 h each) in which the teams will present their proposals. These will be evaluated by both the teacher and the peer teams. Both teacher and students will be provided with evaluation rubrics.

Main topics addressed

1. The compulsory introductory lectures (week 1) will be on scientific methods, different types of experiments, the dynamics of an experimental approach, how to design research projects, how to prepare effective presentations.

2. Research workshops (virtual phase):

• Yeast as a biotechnological tool with multiple applications: a model for dietary toxicology
• Non-coding RNAs and RNA modifications in cell differentiation and disease
• Behavioral phenotyping of mouse models
• Riboseq to understand proteostasis in disease
• Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells differentiation for tissue engineering applications
• Models to study angiogenesis
• Novel approaches to study human diseases

3. Tuebingen program (physical phase): 

• written and oral individual presentation (for individual evaluation);
• general discussions on each of the models;
• personal feedback from scientists;
• visits to companies and/or university facilities;
• closing ceremony including keynote speeches from young and senior researchers and diplomas delivery;
• city tours and local cultural activities will make the mobility experience the most enriching for all international participants.

Learning outcomes

During this BIP, students will be exposed to a realistic situation in research which is highly relevant and important for your future career as a scientist but typically not covered in traditional teaching programs. They will be confronted with scientific questions and asked to develop their own reseach strategy on how to solve those problems. In order to do so, they will need to apply both previous and gained within the BIP knowledge.

The course will lead to the following learning outcomes:

• knowledge of scientific methods, experimental approaches, basics of experimental design;
• knowledge of the rational and characteristics of different experimental models in biomedical research: yeast, advanced molecular research (epitranscriptomics, single cell-NGS), in vivo (mouse and non-mouse) approaches, novel models for physiological and pathological conditions (patient-derived tumor chips and xenografts, organoids, tissue engineering, 2D- and 3D- cell systems...);
• practice on designing experiments, assigning controls, delineating outcomes, predicting interpretations directed to answer specific research questions;
• ability to synthesize and apply all previous theroretical knowledge;
• improvement of presentation skills.