Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Neuroscience Applied to Orthoprosthesis
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, Spanish,
Teaching staff
Meetings can be arranged by email at jcerda@uic.es .
Introduction
This multidisciplinary course is a meant for 3rd year Bioengineering BSc students with a particular
interest in aiding patients with next generation orthoprostheses. Our students will require
understanding of brain physiology, neurological interactions, (sub)conscious perceptions and the
application of orthoprostheses. The teaching language will be English. This course is a prequel of
Robotics courses, where the students will study the electronica and bionics part of prostheses.
The total course consists of 6 ECTs, with 4 lecture hours per week spread over 2 hours in 2 days.
After the first semester, an examination will take place in the second week of January 2021.
Pre-course requirements
Cellular and molecular biology
Anatomy and physiology
Basic knowledge of Matlab programing.
Objectives
Understand the basis of the nervous system comunication
Improve the knowledge about the nervous system anatomy
Know and apply the different neuroimaging techniques to explore the nervous system
Apply all this knowledge on the experimental design of ortheoprothesis
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
- CB4 - Students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
- CE16 - To apply specific Bioengineering terminology both verbally and in writing in a foreign language.
- CE17 - To be able to identify the engineering concepts that can be applied in the fields of biology and health.
- CE20 - To be capable of devising experimentation systems to measure the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of biological materials of human origin.
- CE7 - To know how to recognise anatomy and physiology when applied to the structures Bioengineering involves.
- CE8 - To hold a dialogue based on critical thinking on ideas connected to the main dimensions of the human being
- CG3 - To be able to learn new methods and theories and be versatile so as to adapt to new situations.
- CG4 - To resolve problems based on initiative, be good at decision-making, creativity, critical reasoning and communication, as well as the transmission of knowledge, skills and prowess in the field of Bioengineering
- CT5 - To use information sources in a reliable manner. To manage the acquisition, structuring, analysis and visualisation of data and information in your specialist area and critically evaluate the results of this management.
Learning outcomes of the subject
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To acquire knowledge about basic principles of neurobiology and neuron communication
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To acquire knowledge about the neuroanatomy of the nervous system
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To understand and develop a rigorous scientific approach to the study of brain function and movement disorders.
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To apply the principles of neuroscience to the development of ortheoprothesis.
Syllabus
Block 1: Molecular and cellular neuroscience
Block 2: Systems neuroscience
Teaching and learning activities
In person
- Theoretical classes
- Practical labs
- Interpretation of scientific papers and critical thinking
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The final grade of the subject will be obtained as:
Grade = 0.3·Ncheck1 + 0.3·Ncheck2 + 0.2·Nproject+ 0.2·Nlab
Nproject = 0.3·Nrep + 0.5·Npres + 0.2·Ngit
Where
Nep : Partial exam grade (minimum grade of 4)
Nef : Final exam grade (minimum grade of 4)
Nproject : Project grade (minimum grade of 4)
Nrep: Report grade
Npres: Presentation grade
Ngit: Github repository grade
Important considerations:
- Plagiarism, copying or any other action that may be considered cheating will be zero in that evaluation section. Besides, plagiarism during exams will mean the immediate failing of the whole subject.
- In the second-sitting exams, the maximum grade students will be able to obtain is "Excellent" (grade with honors distinction will not be posible).
- Changes of the calendar, exam dates or the evaluation system will not be accepted.
- Exchange students (Erasmus and others) or repeaters will be subjected to the same conditions as the rest of the students.
Bibliography and resources
Basic bibliography
[1] Purves et al. (Sixt Edition, 2018). Neuroscience. Oxford University Press.
[2] Bear, M. F., Connors, B. W., & Paradiso, M. (Third Edition, 2007). Neuroscience: exploring the brain. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
[3] Gazzaniga, M., & Ivry, R. B. (2013). Cognitive Neuroscience: The Biology of the Mind: Fourth International Student Edition. WW Norton.
Complementary bibliography
[1] Kuiken, T.A., Schultz Feuser, A.E., & Barlow, A.K. (Eds.). (2013). Targeted Muscle Reinnervation: A Neural Interface for Artificial Limbs (1st ed.). CRC Press. ISBN:9780429065996. https://doi.org/10.1201/b15079
[2] Statistical Parametric Mapping: The Analysis of Functional Brain Images. Elsevier, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-12-372560-8
Evaluation period
- E1 08/01/2025 P2A03 14:00h