The course is intended to provide hands-on laboratory experience. Students will learn to work in groups, although each student will be able to perform her/his own experiment. Each result is examined individually and interpreted in relation to the overall group outcomes.
Course Prerequisites
No prerequisites are needed.
Teaching Methods
Laboratory experiments and microscopy analysis. The course consists of laboratory activities. To introduce the practical experience, the instructor provides a detailed overview of the procedures with a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation and a subsequent practical demonstration for each phase of the experiment. This includes specific instructions on all the steps to be followed, with specific attention to critical points and how to address them. Preparations resulting from the experiment are analyzed using a fluorescence microscope, and the guided analysis involves interpreting and critically discussing the results obtained by each student. Attendance is mandatory.
Assessment Methods
Evaluation is based on students’ performance related to involvement, teamwork, and experiment results.
Texts
No textbook is needed. Attending students are provided with detailed instructions on all the steps required to perform the experiments.
Contents
The laboratory will focus on the interaction between cells and nanoparticles. The experiment aims to demonstrate the mechanism of nanoparticle internalization via endocytosis. By varying different conditions such as incubation time and temperature, the students can assess whether the mechanism is time-dependent or/and temperature-dependent.
