This module comprises an extended research project for 4th year MSci Cell Biology students and is designed to give students a research experience similar to that of a 1st year PhD student.  It has two streams – a Developmental and a Molecular Cell Biology stream.  Research projects are offered by the research department Cell and Developmental Biology CDB (within the Division of Biosciences) and the Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology (LMCB).  Under supervision, students carry out original research that is assessed via a short project proposal, a short presentation at a lab meeting, a conference presentation and a write-up in the form of a scientific paper.

This module represents a major component of the MSci in Cell Biology. The provision of two experienced tutors ensures a cohesive but specialized approach to placing students in the appropriate research laboratories. Delivery of the project will be through experimental laboratory work and discussions with the supervisor and members of the host laboratory. Wherever possible the 3rd year investigative project will have been in same laboratory that the student undertakes their 90-credit research project. Thus students will be familiar with the general scientific area, as well as the members of staff, of the host laboratory before starting their extended research project. The module aims to give 4th year students a realistic experience of research science and to equip them with skills appropriate to obtaining a PhD position.

Students will be given the opportunity to learn how to:

Design experiments to test specific hypotheses
	Analyze experimental results using the appropriate statistical techniques
	Keep effective experimental records
	Troubleshoot experiments when experiencing technical difficulties
	Present their research orally to other lab members in lab meetings, and to the wider science community at a student conference
	Write at a level suitable for publication in a scientific journal.
 

Module organizers: Dr Julie Pitcher (julie.pitcher@ucl.ac.uk) and Professor Leslie Dale (l.dale@ucl.ac.uk).