Candidates will be required to take 12 credit units (i.e. four Core Courses of 3 credit units each) from the following Core Courses. At least one Course should be selected from either of the two main sections, viz. Research Methods and Biological Systems.

I. Research Methods

CMED7100 Introduction to Biostatistics

Aim(s)

• To introduce the students to biostatistical methods and the underlying principles, as well as practical guidelines of "how to do it" and "how to interpret it" as the role they can play in decision making for public health majors.
• To introduce the students to descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, with emphasis on selection of appropriate methods and tools for various applications, and proper interpretation of results.
• To introduce SPSS, a commonly used software package for statistical analyses.

Contents

• Exploratory data analysis
• Regression and correlation
• Probability
• Statistical inference
• Hypothesis tests
• Designing studies
• Applied regression
• Analysis of survival data
• Statistics in practice

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• present data using appropriate tabular and graphical formats.
• define and calculate standard measures of location and dispersion of data.
• define probability and recognise common probability distributions including the binomial and normal distributions.
• estimate and interpret confidence intervals for means and proportions based on random samples from a population.
• calculate and interpret p-values for simple hypothesis tests.
• interpret parameter estimates and confidence intervals from linear regression, logistic regression and proportional hazards regression models.
• perform power and sample size calculations for one- and two-group studies.

Mode of teaching

Lectures and Practical

Assessment

In-course assessment (15%), Mid-term examination (15%) and Final examination (70%)

CMED7200 Introduction to Epidemiology

Aim(s)

• To identify, define and calculate measures of illness and their association with health determinants, including risks, rates and prevalence.
• To describe and differentiate common epidemiological study designs, and discuss their strengths and limitations.
• To discuss approaches to the identification of causes of illness and the implications for control efforts.

Contents

The Course consists of four sections:

1. Approaches to measuring the occurrence and distribution of illness in populations
• Measures of occurrence
• Measures of effect and association
2. Design, interpretation and critical appraisal of epidemiologic studies
• Randomized trials
• Cohort studies
• Case-referent studies
• Other types of study designs
3. Design, interpretation and critical appraisal of epidemiologic studies
• Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and causal inference
• Bias, confounding and interaction
4. Epidemiology in practice
• Conducting and reporting epidemiological studies
• Using appropriate epidemiological evidence in public health practice and medical research

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• identify and define measures of illness, including incidence rates and prevalence, and their ratios.
• differentiate common epidemiological study types, and appraise their strengths and limitations.
• describe approaches to the identification of causes of illness and the implications for control efforts.
• apply appropriate evidence to inform public health and medical decisions.

Mode of teaching

Lectures and Tutorials

Assessment

In-course assessment (15%), Mid-term examination (15%) and Final examination (70%)

PATH6100 Laboratory Methods and Instrumentation

Aim(s)

• To provide students with the basic understanding of the principles and latest developments in the practical applications of a broad range of techniques commonly employed in medical research projects.

Contents

• Animal models for research
• Basic concepts in automated DNA sequencing and genotyping
• Basic concepts in conventional and molecular cytogenetics
• Cancer stem cells: methods and protocols
• Epigenetics and methylation analysis
• Mass spectrometry and its applications in biological studies
• Mutation detection technologies
• Principle and applications of flow cytometry
• Protein analysis methods
• Tissue processing and immunohistochemistry

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• describe the basic principles and the practical applications of a broad range of basic techniques routinely employed in medical research projects and their possible application in students' own MMedSc research projects.
• demonstrate their ability to self-study and write an essay in their own words.
• demonstrate their ability to make power point presentation on the essay topic.

Mode of teaching

Lectures and Essay writing

Assessment

In-course assessment (30%) and Final examination (70%)

PATH6500 Practical Course in Laboratory Methods

(Prerequisite: PATH6100 Laboratory Methods and Instrumentation)

Aim(s)

• To provide practical experience for laboratory methods commonly employed in medical research projects.
• To provide training in experimental design and biological sample processing.
• To develop observational and record keeping skills.

Contents

Tissue processing and immunohistochemistry:

• Tissue embedding
• Microtome sectioning of paraffin block and cryostat sectioning of frozen block
• H&E staining, immunohistochemistry (IHC)
• Histological analysis

Tissue culture:

• Basic tissue culture techniques
• Cell growth assays (Tryphan blue staining, cell counting, MTS assay)
• Colony formation assay
• Flow cytometric analysis

Preparation of clinical samples for molecular diagnosis:

• Extraction methods for genomic DNA and RNA
• Extraction methods for protein
• Reverse transcription of mRNA
• Electrophoresis (agarose gel, SDS-PAGE)

Molecular detection of gene expression, mutation, and DNA methylation analysis:

• PCR / quantitative PCR
• DNA sequencing
• Genotyping

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• describe the procedures of different laboratory techniques.
• acquire practical experience in laboratory methods.
• perform experiments with immunohistochemistry, molecular and tissue culture techniques.
• keep an accurate record of laboratory work.
• analyse data obtained from experimental work.

Mode of teaching

Practical

Assessment

In-course assessment (40%) and Final examination (60%)

SBMS7100 Practical Bioinformatics

(Candidates choosing this Core Course should have molecular biology background.)

Aim(s)

• To provide students with the basic understanding of the principles and latest developments/tools in bioinformatics.

Contents

• Biological databases
• Gene prediction
• Information retrieval: entrez and SRS
• Introduction - Essential concepts on gene structure and sequence, protein structure and function
• Multiple sequence alignment
• Pair-wise sequence alignment I: dot plots
• Pair-wise sequence alignment II: dynamic programming
• Phylogenetic prediction
• Sequence database searches: BLAST, FASTA
• Substitution matrices

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• demonstrate a solid knowledge of DNA and protein sequence analysis and how to use public database and web servers to solve biological problems with bioinformatic approaches.
• analyse, evaluate and interpret data of dot plots, local and global sequence alignments.
• explain the principles for using different substitution matrices.
• analyse and interpret BLAST search and understand the statistical rationale behind it.
• describe the principles and methods for gene prediction and phylogeny.

Mode of teaching

Lectures and Workshops

Assessment

In-course assessment (40%) and Final examination (60%)

SURG6910 Laboratory Animal Handling and Surgical Techniques

Aim(s)

• To introduce the various approaches in the generation and applications of various animal models for medical research.
• To introduce the safety/ethics legislation in the use of animal for medical research.
• To introduce surgical techniques for small and big animals.

Contents

• Animal models for human diseases
• Animal surgical techniques: demonstration of laparoscopic surgery
• Audio-visual instruction on animal handling techniques
• Cancer models
• Common laboratory animal species in the Laboratory Animal Unit
• Drug/radiation induced animal disease models
• Ethics in using laboratory animals
• Genetically modified (GM) animal disease models
• Transplantation immunology
• Transplantation models
• University and Government regulations governing the use of animals for experimental purposes

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, students will be able to:

• grasp basic knowledge in the generation of various animal models.
• understand the application of various animal models in different medical research.
• understand the safety, ethical regulation and legislation in the use of animals for medical research.
• gain practical experience in the handling of small rodent.

Mode of teaching

Lectures and Practical

Assessment

Practical (30%) and Final examination (70%)