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CNWY40130

Academic Year 2025/2026

Flow Cytometry: Principles and Practice (CNWY40130)

Subject:
Conway Institute
College:
Research Inst & Other Entities
School:
UCD Conway Institute
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
2.5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Alfonso Fernández
Trimester:
Summer
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
Module Type:
Research/Capstone Module
How will I be graded?
Distinction/Pass/Fail (GPA Neutral)

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module is designed for research students who wish to understand and become critically aware of principles, practice and applications of flow cytometry and become competent, independent users of this technology. It will be delivered in five blocks comprising seminars (3 hrs - morning) and practical sessions (3 hrs - afternoon) covering:Introduction to flow cytometry: principles & data analysis [Block 1]Flow cytometry instrumentation [Block 2]Flow cytometry applications; Apoptosis, cell cycle & physiology [Block 3]Flow cytometry applications; immunology, physiology and clinical cytometry [Block 4]Flow cytometry clinical and industrial applicationsy & synergies with allied technologies [Block 5]

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the course, students should:1. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of Flow Cytometry (FC).2. Be able to obtain and critically assess FC data using specific analysis software applications and pre-acquired samples.3. Become familiar with instruments and their components, demonstrate understanding and critical awareness of the process of analysis protocol creation.4. Integrate knowledge of good laboratory practice in instrument usage, sample preparation, quality control, troubleshooting.5. Describe the biology of apoptosis, the cell cycle & general physiology.6. Be able to integrate knowledge of apoptosis, cell cycle and physiology into protocol design for FC analysis and to carry out sample analysis using standard (and/or own) samples and protocols.7. Understand the concepts of immunophenotyping & phagocytosis.8. Apply knowledge and understanding of FC to the analysis of immunological & phagocytic cells, carry out sample characterization using standard (and/or own) samples and protocols.9. Become critically aware of uses of FC outside the academic research setting.10. Achieve understanding of allied technologies such as high content analysis, live cell imaging, confocal and fluorescent microscopy and be able to critically assess the synergistic benefits of flow cytometric analysis in combination with allied technologies.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

15

Specified Learning Activities

15

Autonomous Student Learning

30

Total

60


Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A series of lectures and hands-on sessions will be delivered over one week.
Practicals sessions will reinforce the concepts explained during the lecture sessions.
Lectures will be though by experts in the field of cytometry with different background
The course is design to cover the needs of participants with no previous knowledge to provide a basic level, participants with basic knowledge to reinforce their concepts and practices and for participants with advanced level of knoledge, increasing their capabilities, critical view, updates in the latest improvements in technology, standard operation procedures, etc.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Participation during lectures and practical sessions.
Criticism of a published paper
Short Assesment

Final scored based on the performance on the three activities
Week 15 Graded No
100
No

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.