School of Molecular & Cellular

Biology
FACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

Biomedical Nanotechnology
BIOL3111
Module Manager: Prof. Paul Millner
Semester 2
10 Credits
2015-16

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2015-16

For full information about studying this module, students should read this document and the School handbook
(available in 'Information' in the Biological Sciences School ORGANISATION area on the VLE). Students
enrolled on this module are presumed to have read the information, rules and regulations within the FBS
School Handbook.
MODULE DESCRIPTION
AIMS OF THE MODULE
(i)

(ii)

To provide an opportunity for you to acquire an understanding of the potential role of nanotechnology in
providing new approaches to understanding diseases and illnesses, developing new therapeutic agents
and therapies, and also potential problems raised by nanotechnology in these contexts.
To develop data analysis and interpretation skills necessary to gain an overview of the biomedical
nanotechnology, together with the communication skills needed to exchange this information with other
subject specialists.

LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE

- Biosensing devices: mediators, coated electrodes, voltametric and amperometric techniques, optical sensors,
SPR, Fluorescence, Mechanical sensors, QCM.
- Tissue engineering: wound healing, implants, artificial joint.
- Gene technologies: Microarray diagnostics.
- Gene technologies: Combinatorial display.
Further details about the module, including the full module description, learning outcomes, and reading list can
be found on the module catalogue. Please click on the link below for the undergraduate module catalogue.
Biological Sciences (code BIOL3111)
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The module has a significant groupwork and presentation content which is assessed at the end of the module.
At the beginning of the module Prof Paul Millner delivers a briefing for the presentation which is then tackled in
teams of 2 or 3.
MODULE TEAM
The module manager is Prof. Paul Millner
Room:

Garstang 6.44f

Telephone:

0113-313-3149

Office hours:

By appointment

Email:

p.a.millner@leeds.ac.uk

All other staff teaching on this module are listed next to the activity they are involved in on the timetable page.
You can find contact details and office locations of all Faculty staff online: http://www.fbs.leeds.ac.uk/staff/.
MODULE TEACHING
Timetable information is correct at time of handbook production. Please check your online timetable before
each session for the most up-to-date information.
Attendance at all teaching sessions is compulsory and attendance registers will be taken.
Supporting learning resources are available on the VLE.

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LECTURE CAPTURE AND RECORDINGS OF LECTURES

Whenever possible, lecture capture recordings and/or audio recordings of lectures will be made and posted on
the VLE for your personal use. Faculty policy is to record all lectures wherever possible however there may be
some circumstances in which this is not possible so please do not rely on recordings being taken. Audio
recordings should NOT be made privately by students, except by agreement with the module manager for
students with registered disabilities requiring this. Lecture capture and audio files can be accessed for
individual use but must not be distributed in any form.
RESPONDING TO FEEDBACK
The Faculty relies on constructive feedback from students to help to shape and improve the module for future
years. We have two main ways of collecting student feedback: the Student:Staff Forum and the end of module
questionnaire, which is completed through the VLE.
Summary of changes that have been made to the module this year as a result of feedback

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TIMETABLE 2015-16
Week
7 (20)

8 (21)

9 (22)

10 (23)

11(24)

Date
Time
09/03/16 10:0012:00
10/03/16 11:0012:00
16/03/16 10:0012:00
17/03/16 11:0012:00
20/04/16 10:0012:00
21/04/16 11:0012:00
27/04/16 10:0011:00
28/04/16 11:0012:00
28/04/16 12:0013:00
04/05/16 10:0012:00
05/05/16 11:0015:00

Semester 2 (25th January 6th May 2016)

Day
Venue
Topic
Wed
Worsley SR (6.55)
Summary Lectures DNA and protein chips
Thur
Worsley SR (8.11J)
Prosthetic nanoparticles
Wed
Thur

Michael Sadler SR
(LG.15)
Worsley SR (8.11J)

Biosensing devices
Biosensing devices

Easter Break (18th March 18th April 2016)

Wed
Worsley SR 7 (6.55)
Biosensing devices

Staff
Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Ingham, Prof. E.
Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Ingham, Prof. E.

Thur

Worsley SR (8.11J)

Wed

Worsley SR 7 (6.55)

Biosensing devices/
Gene technologies
Tissue Engineering

Thur

Worsley SR (8.11J)

Biosensing devices

Millner, Prof.
P.A.

Thur

Worsley SR (8.11J)

Gene technologies

Wed

Michael Sadler SR
(LG.15)
Worsley SR 9 (6.70a)

Tissue Engineering

Millner, Prof.
P.A.
Ingham, Prof. E.

Thur

Assessed presentations

Millner, Prof.
P.A.

Assessed presentations are on Thursday 5th May at 11.00 am in Worsley SR 9 (6.70a) (see timetable
above)
Please refer to the Portal for the most up-to-date version of your timetable, which may be subject to change.
For directions to the location of your lectures, as well as a map of the University, please click on the links to
the rooms on the on-line timetable. Alternatively you can access each module timetable or the location for
teaching information on the University website.

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ASSESSMENT(S) & DATES

Assessment for this module consists of the following:
Assessment
Essay

Deadline
Wednesday 20th
March at 4.30
p.m.

Essay

Wednesday 4th
May at 4.30
p.m.

Submission requirements
You must submit your essay to the locked
box outside the UG Office, Garstang
Building and you must also upload an
electronic copy to the assignment upload
area in the VLE.
You must submit your essay to the locked
box outside the UG Office, Garstang
Building and you must also upload an
electronic copy to the assignment upload
area in the VLE.

Additional Details
1,500 word limit.
This coursework
component is assessed
anonymously.
1,500 word limit
This coursework
component is assessed
anonymously.

MODULE ASSESSMENT
Students should familiarise themselves with the marking criteria, procedures and regulations for assessments
by referring to the Code of Practice on the Conduct of Assessment Procedures which is available in the
Administration section of all module areas on the VLE. This includes information about penalties for late
submission of coursework and procedures for mitigating circumstances.
COURSEWORK
Assessment
type
Essay

Description

Notes

% of formal
assessment
25.00

Method of
feedback
Written
comments on
script

2 x 1,500 word
essays

Failure to submit this work or make a

serious attempt will result in a V
code being appended to the final
module mark.

Presentation

20 min presentation

10.00

Verbal
feedback in
assessment
session

Total
percentage

(Assessment Coursework)

35.00

All pieces of coursework should be considered as compulsory and their marks contribute to your overall
module mark. Some assessments test skills (e.g. practical competence) which cannot be tested effectively in
the end-of-module exam and, therefore, are a necessary prerequisite to fulfilling the learning outcomes of the
module. Such assessments are indicated in the Notes column of the Table above and will incur a 'V'
designation if they are not completed. If you fail to submit any of these assessments, then you will be
required to complete an extra alternative assessment in order to pass the module, even if your overall
module mark is greater than 40%.
EXAM
Exam type

Examination rubric

Unseen exam

Time allowed: 1 hours

Answer TWO questions.
Use a separate answer book for each question.
(Past exam papers, where available, can be found through the

% of formal
assessment
65.00

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module area in the VLE)

Total percentage (Assessment Exams)

65.00

COURSEWORK SUBMISSION
Where a hard copy is required, all coursework should be submitted using the front cover sheet available at the
FBS Student Education Office front desk in the Manton building.
When submitting on the VLE, please ensure the submission title includes the markers surname (in capitals),
markers first name and then your student ID number in brackets, e.g. HERITAGE, John (200000000). Details
of markers will be available through the VLE.
REFERENCING
For modules in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, students should use the official University of Leeds version
of the Harvard referencing style. Guidance on how to include citations within the text and how to reference
different types of material is available at http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills-referencing. Marking of all submitted
coursework will be informed by this guidance.
FEEDBACK AND ASSESSMENT RETURN TO STUDENTS
Feedback on assessments should be received no later than 15 working days after submission of the piece of
coursework. We will endeavour to avoid delays in returning marked work but will make you aware of any
exceptions to this guideline and let you know the reason for the revised timeline. We may have to make
changes because of circumstances beyond our control, such as staff illness. Please refer to the Code of
Practice on the Conduct of Assessment Procedures for more information.
There are a number of ways in which you will receive feedback on your work. These can be through written
comments on your assignments and associated pro-formas or examination scripts, but also orally during
scheduled teaching sessions. The latter could be, for example, through discussions with tutors during tutorials.
It can also be through discussions with your tutors and demonstrators during any practical classes. To benefit
fully from the feedback you receive, you should read through the written comments on your assignments/proformas and think of actions that you need to take to improve the quality of your work. Similarly, with any oral
feedback, you should listen carefully to the advice given, ask questions if necessary and consider ways in
which you can use the feedback to improve your work. By engaging fully with the feedback (written and oral)
in this way, you are more likely to improve the quality of your work and hence your overall academic
performance.
The Faculty will provide opportunities for students to discuss feedback and academic progress with staff.
Further guidance on Feedback can be found in the FBS Undergraduate organisation on the VLE, in the
Student Feedback booklet (Information and useful documents section).

SKILLS@LIBRARY

Skills@Library provides academic skills teaching and e-learning support so that students can effectively find,
use, apply and present the information they need: http://library.leeds.ac.uk/skills.