Goals

The methodology of the curriculum has been designed in such a way that students will gain the knowledge and know-how required to acquire professional skills and abilities. The University of Lleida's Faculty of Medicine ensures that students acquire the practical knowledge required of them in the following areas.

Competences in the biomedical sciences

• Acquiring scientific training in all aspects of the biomedical sciences.
• Developing the attitudes and aptitudes necessary to work across the breadth of the biomedical research field.
• Acquiring a broad grounding in the basic sciences, the techniques and methods used in biomedical research, research management, the legal and ethical aspects of research, public health, languages and other complementary material.

Professional values, attitudes and behavior

• Recognize the essential elements of the biomedical sciences, including ethical principles, legal responsibilities and professional behavior, applying the principle of social justice to professional practice with respect for people and their customs, beliefs and culture.
• Practice the profession with respect for other health professionals, acquiring relevant teamwork skills.
• Recognize limitations and the need to maintain and update professional skills, with particular emphasis on continuous autonomous acquisition of new knowledge about new biomedical research ideas, products and techniques, and be motivated to maintain professional excellence.

Communication skills and information management

• Communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing, with individuals, health professionals or industry and the media, and knowing how to use information technologies, particularly those related to the biomedical and health sciences.
• Understanding, critically evaluating and knowing how to use and apply information sources related to biomedical research.

Legal and scientific advice and management

• Giving advice on the development, communication and management of research projects in the biomedical sciences in keeping with social needs, ethical principles, scientific understanding and applicable laws.
• Interpreting the results and observations of research projects in the biomedical sciences.

Critical analysis and research

• Acquiring basic training in research, being able to develop a hypothesis, and knowing how to collect and interpret information to resolve problems using scientific methods.
• Understanding the importance and limitations of scientific thinking in the fields of health and biomedicine.

Competences

The range of competences acquired on the Degree in Biomedical Sciences is based on the skills included in the Degree in Biomedical Sciences of the University of Marburg and the white papers on degrees in biology, pharmacy, medicine, biochemistry and biotechnology. The most relevant competences for biomedical researchers were chosen from among the above resources.

Module I. Module Scientific Principles of Life (48 ECTS )

CE1. Apply and formulate mathematical and physical concepts of relevance for the study of human biology.

CE2. Apply the mathematical and physical concepts learned in biomedical experiments and research.

CE3. Define the basic principles of inorganic chemistry

CE4 Apply solid knowledge of organic chemistry that is relevant to the biomedical sciences

CE5. Apply the principles of inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and physical chemistry in the study of biomolecules and fundamental biochemical processes

CE6. Describe the structure and function of biomolecules

CE7. Describe the mechanisms of synthesis and degradation of biomolecules and their regulation

CE8. Integrate or classify the molecular and metabolic bases of the functioning of the human body in relation to human pathology and therapeutic techniques.

CE9. Recognize the structure and function of animal cells, as well as their life cycle, and the mechanisms that regulate it, and acquire an integrated view at the molecular, structural and functional level of cell structures and their alterations in relation to human pathology

CE10. Manage and apply the microscopic methods used in biomedical research

CE11. Describe the mechanisms of storage and processing of genetic information, as well as the different levels of organization of the human genome.

CE12. Apply the basics of genetics, as well as methods for the study of genetic pathologies

CE13. Critically evaluate the biomedical literature in relation to design, statistical analysis and interpretation of results, as well as know how to interpret risk and association measures, confidence intervals and statistical significance.

CE14. Design simple studies and analyze the results according to the proposed objectives.

CE15. Differentiate the biology of microorganisms in their structural, physiological and genetic aspects, as well as their diversity.

CE16. Describe the main infectious agents and their mechanisms of action.

CE17. Apply basic techniques for handling microorganisms.

CE18. Critically evaluate and use clinical and biomedical information technologies and sources to obtain, organize, interpret and communicate clinical, scientific and health information

CE19. Use laboratory material and apply basic laboratory techniques.

Module II. Human Biology (52.5 ECTS )

CE20. Define the fundamentals of physiology

CE21. Distinguish the shape, structure and functions of the apparatus and system of the human body, as well as their embryonic development and organogenesis.

CE22. Differentiate and classify the diversity of animal cells and their integration into tissues and organs

CE23. Recognize using macroscopic, microscopic methods and imaging techniques the morphology and structure of tissue, organs and systems

CE24. Define the bases of the most prevalent human diseases and pathologies.

CE25.Define and apply the medical terminology and language used in clinical practice

CE26. Interpret a normal blood test analysis.

CE27. Recognize the characteristics of tissues at the cellular and molecular level in the different situations of injury, adaptation and cell death

CE28. Use biochemical, cytogenetic and molecular biology markers applied to clinical diagnosis

CE29. Describe the molecular, cellular and physiological bases of the immune system and the immune response.

CE30. Apply the methodology, perform and use cell cultures in biomedical research.

CE31. Apply the main methods of pharmacology and toxicology

CE32. Describe the basics of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics.

CE33. Describe the basic types of drugs and their actions.

CE34. Describe the main types of poisons, toxins and their actions.

CE35. Define the molecular, cellular and genetic bases of the immune mechanisms involved in autoimmunity and hypersensitivity. As well as the immunopathological mechanisms and pathogenetic bases of autoimmune diseases.

CE36. Describe the fundamentals of innate immunity and inflammation, and the involvement of low-grade chronic inflammation in the pathogenesis of prevalent diseases: type 2 diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome.

CE37. Recognize the basics of immunotherapy and immunomodulation in autoimmune diseases and inflammatory diseases.

CE38. Define the mechanisms for generating the target organ injury of the main systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases.

CE39. Identify the indications for biochemical, hematological, immunological, microbiological, anatomopathological and imaging tests

CE40. Apply the methods of diagnosis and study of genetic variation

CE41.Process a biological sample for study using different diagnostic procedures

CE42. Assess the most common parameters used in the description of the main diagnostic laboratory tests.

CE43. Apply clinical documentation procedures

Module III.Molecular and Systems Biology Module (40.5 ECTS )

CE44. Describe the structure, properties, and levels of organization of DNA and RNA.

CE45. Define the molecular bases and mechanisms of the flow of genetic information and its regulation.

CE46. Apply the basic criteria for the quantitative validation of analysis at the global level of cell or organism.

CE47. Assess the techniques of analysis of the structure and expression of genomes.

CE48. Assess the techniques of studying the cellular proteome.

CE49. Evaluate the study techniques of cellular metabolites.

CE50. Distinguish the singularities of molecular genetic analysis and its biotechnological and biomedical implications.

CE51. Define the fundamentals and apply the methodology used in the genetic modification of organisms.

CE52. Apply knowledge of animal biology necessary to be able to experiment with animals.

CE53. Correctly apply the legal bases and principles of bioethics related to the development and application of molecular and cellular methodologies in the practice of biomedical sciences and life sciences.

CE54. Recognize and apply measures to avoid ecological-environmental problems in the development and application of life sciences

CE55. Use the different bioinformatics tools to extract information from databases in relation to the structure and function of genes and proteins, and know the methods of sequence comparison and comparison between different genomes.

CE56. Distinguish the fundamentals of programming languages ​​that allow the extraction of information from genomics, proteomics and metabolomics databases.

CE57. Apply and evaluate electrophoretic methods for the separation of proteins and nucleic acids

CE58. Apply and evaluate qualitative and quantitative immunological techniques applied to the analysis of molecules and cells

CE59. Apply techniques of luminometry, cytometry, chromatography and spectrometry.

CE60. Apply the basic methods of Molecular Biology used in biomedical research

CE61. Differentiate the technical and methodological means used in Biomedical research

Module IV. Clinical Topics (45 ECTS ) (Interdisciplinary module on the medical problems of human pathologies)

CE62. Describe the molecular, cellular, genetic and epigenetic bases of diseases such as: cancer, diseases of the nervous system, cardiovascular diseases and related processes such as aging.

CE63. Understand the biological bases of the most prevalent human pathologies, as well as apply this knowledge to design research hypotheses.

CE64. Describe the main lines of research that are been addressed related to the most prevalent human pathologies.

CE65. Analyze scientific information through specialized publications, as well as be able to summarize and present it in different formats.

CE66. Recognize the scientific methodology of research.

Module V. Supervised internships and Final Degree Project. (30 ECTS )

CE67. Apply scientific methodology in biomedical research. Learn to work in the laboratory by joining a scientific group and participating in all its activities

CE68. Develop work skills and interpersonal relationships in a work environment and know the organization of research centers and biomedical scientific companies.

CE69. Apply transversally the knowledge and skills acquired in problem solving.

CE70. Final Degree Project: Cross-curricular subject to be carried out in association with different subjects. Describe and synthesize scientific and technical information with a critical sense, and be able to make presentations based on this information and the elaboration of working hypotheses.

CE71. Use information and communication tools and techniques for data analysis and the preparation of oral and written reports and other training and professional activities.

CE72. Adequately use the scientific and technical vocabulary of the different fields of biomedical sciences. Be able to make comprehensible written reports, with a justification based on the theoretical and practical knowledge achieved.

CE73. Use the scientific method to analyze data and design experimental strategies related to biomedical sciences

CE74. Present in public the scientific work

 

General competencies (adapted to the degree):

 

Basic skills

CB1 That students have demonstrated that they have and understand knowledge in an area of ​​study that is based on general secondary education, and is usually found at a level that, while supported by advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that involve knowledge from the forefront of their field of study

CB2 That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated through the development and defense of arguments and problem solving within their area of study

CB3 That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of ​​study) to make judgments that include reflection on relevant issues of a social, scientific or ethical nature.

CB4 That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialized and non-specialized audiences.

CB5 That students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.

 

General Competences

CG1. Have a correct oral and written expression

CG2 Master a foreign language.

CG3 Master ICT

CG4 Respect the fundamental rights of equality between men and women, the promotion of Human Rights and the values ​​of a culture of peace and democratic values.

CG5 Apply the gender perspective to the tasks of the professional field

 

Module VI. Optional Subjects (24 ECTS )

These subjects contribute to the interdisciplinary nature of the course.

• Understanding the fundamental principles of systems biology and being able to put a research problem in context by correlating genomic, proteomic and metabolic knowledge.
• Understanding the concept of the mathematical modelling of a system and its role in assessing a hypothesis about the integration of the various elements that make up the system studied.
• Understanding the importance of dynamic aspects in assessing metabolic problems, with particular attention paid to the role of simulations in evaluating models.
• Understanding the process of cellular proliferation and differentiation, as well as mechanisms that regulate this process.
• Understanding the principal morphological changes and, cellular and molecular mechanisms in animal embryos during differentiation stages, as well as changes in gene expression.
• Understanding stem cells and their therapeutic potential for the treatment of human diseases.
• Understanding the molecular, genetic, cellular and physiological processes that have an impact on host-micro-organism interactions.
• Understanding the mechanisms whereby micro-organisms develop differential genomic and proteomic responses during the infectious process.
• Adopting strategies for anti-infectious drug design.
• Understanding and knowing how to apply genetic analysis in the study and characterisation of human diseases.
• Knowing and understanding the role of individual and population genetic factors in health maintenance and disease prevention.
• Understanding and knowing how to apply genetic, chromosomal and molecular diagnostic techniques.
• Understanding the basic principles and fundamentals of clinical biochemistry used in diagnosis.
• Understanding biochemical processes and their relevance to human pathology.
• Understanding clinical biochemistry applications used for the diagnosis and monitoring of pathologies.
• Understanding the fundamental principles of experimental design, with special emphasis on clinical trials.
• Being able to plan a clinical trial and defend decisions regarding design, sample selection and data analysis.
• Being able to adjust multivariate models and carry out an analysis of relevant results based on the study design.
• Being able to interpret the statistical results of a study and discuss the conclusions based on the results of the analysis.