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Life Sciences Program
Independent Study Information Night
February 2014
LIFE SCI 3RP3
Provides students an opportunity to explore potential research projects while volunteering in the laboratory or clinic of a faculty member in Science or Health Sciences
Students will complete 60 hours of practicum work in the laboratory or clinic over one term
Students will be required to complete a research proposal as a final graded deliverable for the course
What is a Research Practicum ?
Credit or registration in SCIENCE 2C00 Registration in Level III or above of Life
Sciences Permission from
Research Supervisor Director of Life Sciences (or delegate)
Completion of the required application form
3RP3 - Prerequisites
LIFE SCI 3RP3 is not open to students with credit or registration in the following courses at the University Department- or program-based applied placement Independent Study Research Seminar Internship Practicum course
Students may not take LIFE SCI 3RP3 and an Independent Study Course concurrently LIFE SCI 3RP3 must precede an Independent Study
Course but is not a required prerequisite for LIFE SCI 4A03, 4B06, 4C09
3RP3 - Course Restrictions
What is an Independent Study?
LIFE SCI 4A03, 4B06, 4C09 1- or 2-term course with one supervisor Conduct Independent research or investigation
Formulate a scientific hypothesis Design and conduct research to support or refute
hypothesis Learn and utilize research techniques Apply statistics
Present results and analyses in a written thesis Oral or poster presentation
4A03, 4B06, 4C09 - Prerequisites
Registration in Level IV of Honours Life Sciences Requires permission of the supervising faculty
member and course coordinator
LIFE SCI 4A03 LIFE SCI 4B06 CA of 7.0 LIFE SCI 4C09 CA of 8.5
LIFE SCI 4A03: 6-9 hours/week over 1 term LIFE SCI 4B06: 9-12 hours/week over 2 terms LIFE SCI 4C09: 15-18 hours/week over 2 terms
4A03/4B06/4C09 – Time Commitment
How are you evaluated? 4A03
The marking scheme for the one term independent study course is as follows.
Literature Review 20%Lab/Clinic/Field/Computer 30%Formal Presentation 20%Final Research Proposal Report 30%
How are you evaluated? 4B06/4C09
The marking scheme for project and thesis courses are as follows.
Research Proposal/Lit Review 10%Mid-year assessment 15%Written final report or thesis 25%Lab/Clinic/Field/Computer 30%Final presentation in lab meeting, Ontario
Biology Day or Life Sci Interdisciplinary Research Symposium 20%
LS 4A/B/C are optional except for students in Origins specialization
Must take ORIGINS 4A09
• These courses require the supervision of a professor from the Faculty of Science or Faculty of Health Sciences.
• It is YOUR responsibility to find a supervising faculty
member for your project
• Further Supervisor search tips are available on the Life Sciences website.
Supervision
Use the following links to Department and Faculty websites to find potential Academic supervisors:
Finding a suitable research supervisor in Faculty of Science
DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT FACULTY WEBSITE Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences
http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/biochem/people_faculty.html
Biology http://www.biology.mcmaster.ca/faculty
Chemistry and Chemical Biology http://www.chemistry.mcmaster.ca/research-home
Geography and Earth Sciences(including Environmental Sciences)
http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/geo/faculty/faculty.html
Kinesiology http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/kinesiology/people/faculty.html
Mathematics and Statistics http://www.math.mcmaster.ca/people/index.php?position_selected=2
Med Physics & Applied Rad Sci http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/medphys/people.html
Physics & Astronomy (&Biophysics) http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/?menu=18#page=All
Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour
http://www.science.mcmaster.ca/pnb/people.html
There are too many departments in the Faculty of Health Sciences to list here:
The following link is a good starting place: http://fhs.mcmaster.ca/main/schools_and_departments.html
Explore the Departments that interest you and look for potential faculty members to contact for an interview
Finding a suitable research supervisor in Faculty of Health
Science
Then what?
• Send an email inquiry, introducing yourself, indicating your interest—be specific about what research you would like to do; explain that you are looking for a supervisor for a project or a thesis, and would like an appointment to discuss potential research topics
• If you have taken a course with the professor, let him/her know that, and if you have a list of courses or an unofficial transcript, include that as an attachment
• You want to impress the professor and sell yourself as being an asset to the research group
• Do not simply say “Are you taking on any more students?”• Do this all relatively briefly
Contact the professor!
When should you do this?
• If you are in Level 2, start looking for a supervisor at the beginning of Level 3 (October and November)
• Offer to complete a Life Sci 3RP3 (Life Sciences Research Practicum) with the professor in the spring or summer term or in Level 3 so you can learn more about their research.
Who will you really be working with?
• In many instances, the day-to-day training will be with post-docs or graduate students in the lab
• You may not meet with your supervisor more than once or twice a month or once weekly during lab meetings
• Sometimes, however, you may work very closely with the professor---it all depends on your circumstances
• SO ASK YOUR potential supervisor about this BEFORE you start the project if this is important to you.
Forum for presenting your results:
Ontario Biology Day
Conference held annually in March and rotates around 12 universities in the province.
Lab Meetings Conferences
Forum for presenting your results:
Life Sciences Interdisciplinary Research Symposium (LS-IRS)
Run by the Life Sciences Program for HLS
2014 Event: April 1Ewart Angus, HSC-1A areaAll welcome to attend oral
and poster presentations of current students.
LIFE SCI 3RP3 30 days prior to the start of the term in which the course takes place
LIFE SCI 4A03 Fall Term 1: July 1 Winter Term 2: November 1Spring/Summer: March 1
LIFE SCI 4B06/4C09 Spring/Summer: March 1Fall/Winter: March 31
Application deadlines:
Note: these deadlines are for submission of forms, but you are strongly encouraged to contact a Faculty member as soon as possible to arrange supervision.
Tooth Development in Sea Urchins.
3 unit project
Department of Biology
Newborn genetic screening.
6 unit project
Biochemical Genetics Program
Examples of Past Projects
Molecular markers of heart disease.
3 unit project
Department of Pathology & Molecular Medicine
Cell cycle regulation in flies.
9 unit project
Department of Biology
Examples of Past Projects
Bone density and maternal healthBiochemistry and Health
Sciences
Basic Research (Lab Bench).
-drug discovery
Examples of Past Projects
Nematode phylogenies
These projects give students the opportunity to work independently while still acquiring the skill of coming back together in a group to aggregate and analyze the collected data.
Group projects with Dr. Dej and Dr. Gupta (Biology)
Field opportunity•In partnership with Hamilton Naturalist Club, determine the ecological status of endangered species such as the flowering dogwood and American chestnut in Spooky Hollow
•Conduct long-term monitoring of streams and wetlands in Hamilton region or in the Bruce Peninsula
Field with Dr. Chow-Fraser
More information: www.science.mcmaster.ca/lifesciences/