Principals of Biomedical Research

Guri Tzivion, PhDtzivion@windsor.edu

PBMR 611: Winter 2016Windsor University School of Medicine

PBMR 611 course components:

• Frontal classes covering the key aspects of biomedical research conduct and scientific writing

• Journal club

Course DescriptionJournal Club:

• The students will be divided to groups of 10 and assigned an instructor

• 10 research papers will be assigned, covering all aspects of biomedical research, including basic, clinical and epidemiological research

• Each student will present one paper

• All students are required to read the weekly papers and are expected to actively participate in group discussions

Course Description

The Journal Club aims to:• Train the students in critical reading of

biomedical research papers

• Provide a venue for discussing recent scientific advances in the biomedical research field

• Improve the scientific communication skills of our students

Journal ClubPresentation format: • Introduction to the subject area:

General review of the subject What was known before the authors started

their work • The declared hypothesis and objectives of the study• Methodologies used in the study• Results:

Present the actual results of the study Discuss each of the figures in detail

Journal Club

Presentation format: • Discuss the significance of the study and its

contributions to advancing the subject area/field (as

presented by the authors)

• Your critical analysis of the study:

Strengths and weaknesses

If you were the reviewer of the paper, what

would be your critique?

Journal Club

Other points to consider in preparing your presentation:

• Have a simple title for each slide

• Fonts should be large enough to be seen clearly

from the back of the room

• Figures: for multi-panel figures, enlarge and show

each panel separately

Journal ClubPresentation skills:

• Be familiar with the presentation content

• Speak loudly and clear

• Speak with excitement, don’t be monotone

• Do not read the slides – use the text as reference

• Face the audience, make eye contacts

• Use body language (facial expression, gesture)

• Do not abuse the pointer

Student evaluations Block Exam 1: 25%. Will cover topics 1-2 and

material from the journal club

Block Exam 2: 25%. Will cover topics 3-4 and

material from the journal club

Journal Club Paper presentation: 35%

15%: instructor evaluation of student

participation in journal club discussions

Journal ClubPresentation evaluation grid:

• Familiarity with the subject (20%):

• Presentation skills (20%):

• Stimulation of group discussion (20%):

• Preparedness (20):

• Overall presentation quality (20):

• Final evaluation:

• Comments for the student:

Journal Club1st theme: longevity research and sirtuin activators

1. Howitz KT, et al. Small molecule activators of sirtuins extend Saccharomyces cerevisiae lifespan. Nature. 2003 Sep 11;425(6954):191-6.

2. Baur JA, et al. Resveratrol improves health and survival of mice on a high-calorie diet. Nature. 2006 Nov 16;444(7117):337-42.

3. Hubbard BP and Sinclair DA. Small molecule SIRT1 activators for the treatment of aging and age-related diseases. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2014 Mar;35(3):146-54.

Journal Club2nd theme: B-Raf mutations and their targeting in Melanoma

4. Davies H, et al. Mutations of the BRAF gene in human cancer. Nature. 2002 Jun 27;417(6892):949-54.

5. Tsai J, et al. Discovery of a selective inhibitor of oncogenic B-Raf kinase with potent antimelanoma activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Feb 26;105(8):3041-6.

6. Bollag G, et al. Clinical efficacy of a RAF inhibitor needs broad target blockade in BRAF-mutant melanoma. Nature. 2010 Sep 30;467(7315):596-9.

7. Sosman JA et al. Survival in BRAF V600–Mutant Advanced Melanoma Treated with Vemurafenib. N Engl J Med 2012; 366:707-714.

Full text link: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1112302

Journal Club3rd theme: Diabetes and high cholesterol management

8. Knowler WC, et al. "Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin". The New England Journal of Medicine. 2002. 346(6):393-403

Full text link: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa012512

9. Patel A, et al. "Intensive Blood Glucose Control and Vascular Outcomes in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes". The New England Journal of Medicine. 2008. 358(24):2560-2572.

Full text link: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0802987

10. Kastelein JJ, et al. "Simvastatin with or without ezetimibe in familial hypercholesterolemia". The New England Journal of Medicine. 2008. 358(14):1431-1443.

Full text link: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0800742

Support Faculty

Dr. Soumitra ChakravartyBiochemistry

Dr. Vivek JoshiBiochemistry

Dr. Bikramajit Singh SaroyaPathology

Dr. Abiodun Mark AkanmodePathology

Dr. Baby MaloorMicrobiology

Dr. Samuel Taiwo AlawodePre Med Program

Dr. Osanoto Akolade SamuelPre Med Program

Dr. Uche Edith AmaefunaBehavioural Sciences