BIOB1500 Laboratory Technology and Quality Assurance Course description

The course comprises fundamental methods and laboratory techniques that are key in medical laboratories, and build on knowledge about quality assurance from previous courses. The students acquire practical experience of using different methods and quality assurance of these methods through laboratory work.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence: 

Knowledge 

The student 

• can explain fundamental methods, such as spectrophotometry, chromatography, mass spectrometry, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and flow cytometry

• can give an account of the structure and measuring techniques of selected instruments

• is familiar with quality assurance systems in laboratory work including accreditation

• is familiar with different sources of error and how they contribute to uncertainty in analysis results

• can describe selected methods used in point of care analysis and self-testing and how these are quality assured.

Skills 

The student

• can prepare and carry out maintenance on analysis instruments used in the course

• can follow procedures and creating his/her own simple procedures

• has basic skills in assessment of results and quality controls

• can assess which pipette techniques are suitable for different sample materials

• can control and adjust pipettes

General competence

The student 

• can understand and perform basic laboratory work pursuant to given procedures in a manner that is accurate and assures quality

The course consists of the following subject areas, specified below as the number of credits:

• Methods: 8 credits

• Quality assurance: 2 credits

Work and teaching methods include lectures, seminars and laboratory work. 

Digital learning resources are made available for students before the laboratory sessions. The time in the laboratory is therefore generally not used to demonstrate how to solve the assignments. 

In order to be permitted to take the exam, the following must have been approved: 

• a minimum of 90 per cent attendance in laboratory teaching

• laboratory reports in accordance with specified criteria

Supervised individual written exam, 3 hours 

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Grade scale A–F

All exam papers are assessed by two examiners. A minimum of twenty per cent of the exam papers will be assessed by an external examiner. The external examiner’s assessment shall benefit all students.

No overlap with courses in the former programme description.