SS032 Further laboratory skills for biology and health

Further laboratory skills for biology and health is a four day laboratory school which will enable you to get some hands-on experience in the Open University teaching laboratories in Milton Keynes. It will in particular develop experimental skills introduced in the SS022 laboratory school.

Suitability

This laboratory school builds on learning outcomes from the study of other modules, particularly S285, S290, S296, SK320 and S317. You should have completed 90 credits of relevant study at level 2 before you study this module, including at least one of S285, S290, S294, S295, S296 or SXHL288, or have equivalent knowledge from relevant work experience. We recommend you take this module after SS022.

If you have any additional requirements (e.g. accessibility or dietary requirements), please can you highlight these at an early stage so that we can discuss the reasonable adjustments that may need to be made.

Information for 2024-25

Venue: The Open University Campus, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA

Duration: 4 days

Tuition Fee: £424

Laboratory school dates:
Tuesday 21st - Friday 24th January 2025
Make sure your travel plans allow you to register between 09:00 and 10:00 on the morning of day 1.

Registration: for SS032 can only be completed by telephone. Call +44 (0) 300 303 5303. Lines are open between 8am and 5:30pm Monday to Friday. We will update this page when registration is open.

Travel and accommodation:

You will need to book and pay for your own accommodation, travel and food associated with the laboratory school. The tuition fee for the course and these additional costs cannot be covered with a part time tuition fee loan. When booking accommodation please be aware of transportation requirements as the campus is several miles from the centre of Milton Keynes.

Experiments and techniques covered in the practical sessions 

This module will provide you with good laboratory practice (GLP) skills, as well as an awareness of the relevant laboratory health and safety risk assessment processes and working practices. You will be carrying out both individual and small team working activities, helping to develop team working skills - engagement with this aspect is essential.

The laboratory work will focus on the optimisation of several different molecular assays commonly used to quantitate DNA and RNA (qPCR) and analyse proteins (antibody-based assays). These assays are commonly used in research and diagnostic laboratories and you will encounter them in scientific literature associated with many of your modules.

During the laboratory school you will carry out experiments that are designed to provide you with experience of the hands-on aspects of molecular biological protein and RNA analysis procedures and the relevant instrumentation used, including reverse transcription, qPCR, the use of hydrolysis probes, SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis.

There are no assignments for this practical school.  However, to pass and for your attendance to be included in your academic transcript on StudentHome, you will need to meet the participation requirement of attending more than 80% of the school. Whilst at the school you will record data, analysis and interpretations in your lab manual and discuss/present your data/findings. You may then include this as evidence within your portfolio for employability purposes.