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Stem Cell Research and Critical Thinking
Provider: Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences

Activity no.: 3812-22-00-00
Enrollment deadline: 13/10/2022
Date and time11.11.2022, at: 00:00 - 02.12.2022, at: 16:00
Regular seats25
ECTS credits2.50
Contact personAmelia Ann Green    E-mail address: amelia.green@cpr.ku.dk

Aim and content
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:

1. Describe emerging themes in stem cell research
2. Have a foundation to critically analyze data from primary literature in stem cell research
3. Describe common methods used in the investigation of stem cell potency, cell fate regulation, stem cell therapy, and organogenesis and explain how experiments in the primary literature investigating stem cells were performed
4. Discuss the positive and negative controls that are or should have been used in the primary literature investigating stem cells
5. Evaluate whether or not a particular series of experiments warrants the conclusion made by the authors of a study


Content
Our current understand of human biology is being revolutionized by rapid and extraordinary technological advances in molecular and cellular biology that have led to an unprecedented understanding of the molecular basis of disease. Translating this knowledge into new clinical procedures and treatments demands a deeper understanding of basic stem cell biology.
Stem cells are essential for biological development and regeneration. Self-renewal maintains the population of multi or pluripotent stem cells. The potency of stem cells gives them the capacity to develop into all specialized cell types. Basic research into all aspects of stem cell potency, cell fate regulation and organogenesis contributes to the progress of translational research within medicine and provides important insights for new treatment modalities. Detailed studies of the molecular and genetic mechanisms influencing cell fate decisions inform new approaches to disease prevention and treatment.
The course brings together a group of experienced researchers to provide training on how to analyze data and think critically about state-of-the-art stem cell research. Specifically, the content of the course will focus on discussing primary literature from current topics in stem cell potency, cell fate regulation, stem cell therapy, and organogenesis.


Participants
Ph. D. –level students with a B.Sc. and/or M.Sc. degree in any biological science or chemistry may enrol.
The course is limited to a maximum of 25 participants.
The course is particularly suitable for early-stage PhD students looking to improve their general knowledge in the field of stem cell research and their abilities to critically analyze literature through reading and active discussion.


Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
- Molecular Mechanisms of Disease

Language
English


Form
Students will participate in group literature discussion sessions led by leading researchers in several fields of stem cell research, from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine at the University of Copenhagen. The course comprises four literature discussion sessions, which take place approx. once per week. A week before each session, a problem set of relevant scientific papers and questions based on their content will be provided. Students must then read the papers critically and submit a written report with the answers to the set questions before the discussion session. The discussion will then be based on the problem set. Evaluation (pass/fail) will take into account participation in discussion sessions and written work.


Course director
Joshua Brickman, Professor, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), University of Copenhagen

Course coordinator
Amelia Green, Programme Coordinator, Copenhagen Bioscience PhD Programme, University of Copenhagen and Technical University of Denmark
amelia.green@cpr.ku.dk


Teachers
Group Leaders from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW) at the University of Copenhagen:
https://renew.ku.dk/


Dates
Three-hour discussion sessions on the following dates. Extensive reading of current literature (approx. 6-8 hours per session) and preparation of a written report are required in advance of each.
Friday 11 November, 2022
Friday 18 November, 2022
Friday 25 November, 2022
Friday 02 December, 2022
(2.5 ECTS)


Course location
Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Norre Alle 20, 2200 København

Registration
Please register before October 13, 2022.
Use this form to provide your name, email address, the university and graduate programme where you are currently enrolled, and a 150 word (max.) statement of your motivation for applying for this course.
You will be notified about your registration by email soon after the deadline.
Contact amelia.green@cpr.ku.dk with any questions.

Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.

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