Bio­med­ical Lab­o­ra­to­ry Sciences

In International Project 1 students will learn to work in the lab in an international setting.

This project stimulates the student in their professional development where internationalization/diversity is a must. In addition, the student is stimulated to develop their English/French communication skills. 

The aim of this OLOD is to teach the student knowledge and English and/or French jargon about relevant biomedical analyses and techniques such as POCT, haematologic analysis and PCR. For IP1, there is an five-day exchange with HELHa in Charleroi.

A virtual exchange is integrated in the program as well.

In International Project 2 students will learn to work in the lab in an international setting.

This project stimulates the student in their professional development where internationalization/diversity is a must. In addition, the student is stimulated to develop their English communication skills.

The main topic of IP2 is bacteriophages, which are very specific viruses of bacteria. Students construct and perform several lab experiments with bacteriophages and their hosts. They also learn the basics of CRISPR-Cas as this naturally exists as a defence system for bacteria against bacteriophages.

Theoretical lectures are also embedded in the program.

In International Project 3 students will learn to work in the lab in an international setting.

This project stimulates the student in their professional development where internationalization/diversity is a must. In addition, the student is stimulated to develop their English communication skills. During this project the student will perform a next generation sequencing experiment. This will start from library prep over sequencing till data analysis. This project is in collaboration with the Bright Core facility from the university hospital of Brussels.

Theoretical aspects of next generation sequencing are taught by experts in the field. This project focuses on the use of Nanopore technology to analyse differences and similarities of the gut microbiome of animals and humans.

The project includes a DNA analysis part and a chemistry/ toxicology part.

Part 1. DNA analysis:

Thanks to powerful molecular-genetic techniques such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), it is possible to extract information from extremely small amounts of DNA, as found on hairs, or isolated from just a few cells found in bloodstains, on a beverage can, etc. This is far from easy, and practice makes perfect.

In this project, we will identify individuals by comparing patterns of variable tandem repeats (which are person-specific) that can be detected with PCR.

By looking at the amelogenin gene located on both the X and Y chromosomes, we can determine (also by PCR) the sex of a person from a splash of blood; this is an important source of information in the forensic world.

Part 2. Forensic chemistry/toxicology:

In these practicals, an unknown sample linked to a case of a suspicious event is analysed. At first, the substances present (benzodiazepines, amphetamine...) are identified by presumptive testing followed by the determination of the concentration of the compounds. This requires an extraction procedure, after which the sample is analysed with one of the available instrumental techniques. The analysis is based on (self-selected) scientific literature.

An internship offers students the opportunity to apply the competencies developed and acquired during their studies in a professional setting. They will be confronted with situations that can hardly, if at all, be simulated at the university college.

During the internship, students will learn to recognize and solve problems independently and to successfully carry out assigned duties. They are expected to prove they can function as an individual and as a colleague in an employment context. An internship prepares students for their future professional lives.

Internships for medical lab technicians are performed in clinical laboratories. The domain is dependent on the availability of internship places. This internship primarily intends to create an opportunity to practice modern analytical techniques, to manage samples, and to update the knowledge within the relevant discipline.

An internship offers students the opportunity to apply the competencies developed and acquired during their studies in a professional setting. They will be confronted with situations that can hardly, if at all, be simulated at the university college.

During the internship, students will learn to recognize and solve problems independently and to successfully carry out assigned duties. They are expected to prove they can function as an individual and as a colleague in an employment context. An internship prepares students for their future professional lives.

Internships for medical lab technicians are performed in clinical laboratories. The domain is dependent on the availability of internship places. This internship primarily intends to create an opportunity to practice modern analytical techniques, to manage samples, and to update the knowledge within the relevant discipline.

An internship offers students the opportunity to apply the competencies developed and acquired during their studies in a professional setting. They will be confronted with situations that can hardly, if at all, be simulated at the university college.

During the internship, students will learn to recognize and solve problems independently and to successfully carry out assigned duties. They are expected to prove they can function as an individual and as a colleague in an employment context. An internship prepares students for their future professional lives.

Internships for medical lab technicians are performed in clinical laboratories. The domain is dependent on the availability of internship places.

This internship primarily intends to create an opportunity to practice modern analytical techniques, to manage samples, and to update the knowledge within the relevant discipline.

The aim of the "Survival Dutch" course is to master the basics of the Dutch language, both written and spoken. Starting from everyday situations, you will learn the necessary grammar and vocabulary in order to function in a Dutch speaking environment.

We strongly recommend incoming students to participate in the Survival Dutch course, organized prior to the start of the semester.

In Molecular design and gene editing in silico, students will learn to design cloning and CRISPR experiments. The courses consists of different parts:

Design of primers and PCR reactions
Design of plasmids and cloning strategies
Design of a CRISPR Cas gene modification protocol
Guest lectures
The topics will be introduced first through lectures, followed by hands-on in silico exercises.

During the sessions the students will get in touch with several bio-informatic desiging tools.

To end there will be some guest lectures on research that has been done by the use of several molecular biology techniques as well as the newest developments in the field.

As a result of this course, the student will be able to design a new CRISPR Cas9 gene modification experiment in silico.

How does one orient itself towards the future -or should we say futures-, in an ever-changing world? Through participation in a hands-on futures research project related to your area of expertise, you will gain a better understanding on how to navigate future worlds.  Together we will learn how to give meaning to the many changes unfolding around us and empower you to actively co-create more sustainable futures for all.
At the end of the course you will understand the relevance of futures research for your specific work context and have gained a ‘futures literacy’ skillset which allows you to think about the future in a more rich, resilient, systemic and creative way.

Evaluation: Portfolio

Artificial Intelligence or AI is a buzzword today and remains a concept poorly understood, vague, and often approached with fear of the unknown or with false hopes about what can be achieved. The course "Navigating the world of Artificial Intelligence" aims to introduce non-IT students to some of the basic concepts, principles, and techniques that fall under the umbrella term AI and offers a more nuanced understanding on the topic. This course is specifically designed for students with no technical background. This is not a coding course! Instead this is an introductory course that enables students to think critically, creatively and ethically about the implementation of AI technology.

Through exercises, you will be encouraged to investigate the general impact of AI in your own field to then further conceptualize what that could mean for a specific organization within your field. The students are guided through these exercises via online course material and regular discussions with peers.