This face to face course is run by the Researcher Academy as part of the Medicine and Health Sciences Faculty Training Programme.

The Researcher Academy courses are very popular and the majority are run in both semesters to give you the opportunity to attend at a time of the year that suits you. 

Target Audience: Postgraduate doctoral students and Research-only staff (ECRs) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences that are new or early to laboratory based research only.

Course Description:

To be able to understand basic lab practices and to provide a foundation for new laboratory based students to enable an easier start to laboratory based research

The course will address the following techniques through directed problems:

• Pipette handling, including calibration
• Proper use of weighing and balancing, including balancing of solutions for centrifugation
• Creating solutions, including measuring of liquid volumes using measuring cylinders, the use of magnetic stirrers and fleas and basic mathematical calculations, i.e Molarity and Simple Proportion
• Creating ‘hot’ solutions (proper use of a microwave), including melting powders in liquids (agarose) and melting solids in containers (agar)

Students will be taken through each technique by being presented with a related problem, via a central presentation slide, such as ‘Aliqot Solution A into 18µl, 220µl and 1200µl aliquots’ and ‘Create a 2 Molar solution of NaCl’. The processes involved and the techniques used will be discussed by the room, with students actively encouraged to develop the method and solution as a group. The students will then have the opportunity to have individual hands on experience  actively carrying out the process, supported by tutors (Mike, Chris, Alison) and other supporting staff (as required by student numbers).

Process: Hands-on laboratory applications, tutor led problem solving

Course Accessibility

The following table shows a summary of what is needed to participate in the course. 

If you feel you will experience any difficulties participating, please let us know via the ‘special requirements’ tab, providing as much information as possible. The special requirements tab can be completed when you book your place. Alternatively, you can contact us directly at ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk.

Print off pre-requisite paperwork/ resources & bring them to the course (optional)
Bring your own laptop/ PC to the course (optional)
Access seminar room on campus
Attend the course at the specified date and time
Watch and listen to the course tutor(s) and/or other attendees
Follow presentation slides during the course

Booking Conditions

Latecomer policy

Researchers should plan to arrive prior to the advertised course start time. Except for exceptional reasons, there will be no admittance to a Researcher Academy or Faculty Training Programme (FTP) course 15 minutes after the advertised course start time.

Importance of booking commitment

When booking on to a Researcher Academy short course you are entering into a commitment to attend. If you find that you are no longer available to attend you MUST cancel your place (on the system if more than three days before the course) or if at short notice by emailing ra-training@nottingham.ac.uk. This will ensure that your place can be offered to another researcher on the waiting list. Failure to cancel a place results in other researchers missing out on places through the waiting list process.

It is unacceptable for researchers to just not attend when booked onto a course. The Researcher Academy maintains records of those who repeatedly do not attend courses they have booked. This may affect future eligibility to book onto further Researcher Academy courses and will affect considerations for Researcher Academy funded opportunities.