Show/hide contentOpenClose All
Curricular information is subject to change
At the end of the module the student will have acquired basic knowledge of several biophysical approaches and of many of the most fascinating topics in the field.
Indicative Module Content:After an introductory part devoted to cell biology fundamentals (e.g. lipids, proteins, DNA and RNA, cellular membranes), the module will focus on several cases of study, including: (i) protein amyloidogenesis in health, diseases and material sciences; (ii) structural and mechano-elastical properties of amyloid fibrils; (iii) structure, dynamics and viscoelastical properties of biomembranes; (iv) the functioning of selected membrane protein channels including the Piezo 1 & 2 of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine; (v) cell migration, adhesion and invasion in heathy and pathological conditions, and the role of substrate elasticity. The main techniques that will be considered are: (a) neutron scattering, (b) atomic force microscopy, (c) static and dynamic light scattering, (d) Infrared and Raman spectroscopies, (e) optical and electron microscopies, (f) optical tweezers, and (f) several cell biology approaches including cell survival assays, flow cytometry, western blotting, cell migration and adhesion assays, and patch-clamp. The module is a lecture-based module. The module will be enriched by seminars presented by international experts in the field. An overview of biophysical research carried out in UCD Physics and in the other UCD Schools will be also presented.
| Student Effort Type | Hours |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 0 |
| Total | 0 |
Not applicable to this module.
| Description | Timing | Component Scale | % of Final Grade | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group Project: A group of 4 students max will work on an agreed project, which will be present to the class in a 30 minutes seminar followed by a Q&A session. A written 20-pages report will be also submitted. | Week 6 | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | Yes | 50 |
| Group Project: A group of 4 students max will work on an agreed project, which will be present to the class in a 30 minutes seminar followed by a Q&A session. A written 20-pages report will be also submitted. | Week 12 | n/a | Standard conversion grade scale 40% | Yes | 50 |
| Remediation Type | Remediation Timing |
|---|---|
| In-Module Resit | Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board |
• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities
Feedback will be provided both individually to students and to the whole class.