BCB430Y – Advanced Special Project in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology
What is it?
BCB430 is an opportunity for advanced specialized individual research in bioinformatics and computational biology by arrangement with the BCB program director and a supervisor. This opportunity for students to actively participate in the research process – in the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge – is a continuation from BCB330 (Special Project). Each student is responsible for finding a research supervisor to supervise their project. Students frame the questions that will guide their research, design and conduct the research to find answers, and communicate the results of their work, drawing on skills and experience that they have previously acquired. Significant background in both life science and computer science courses is required. To encourage breadth and ensure exposure to a diverse range of topics and techniques, students will not normally conduct both BCB project courses in the same laboratory or on highly similar topics. The final decision whether a BCB430 project proposal fulfills this academic objective is up to the program director. The original research project requires the prior consent of a faculty member to supervise the project. The topic is to be one mutually agreed upon by the student and supervisor and accepted by the program director. The expectation is that the student, aided and advised by the supervisor, will read the literature, and plan, execute, analyse, and report on experimental or descriptive investigations on an appropriate topic. A literature review alone is not sufficient.
Who is it for?
This course is only open to Fourth-Year Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Undergraduate Specialist Program students with adequate background, who have successfully completed BCB330Y1.
What is the time commitment?
Faculty members estimate that students spend 10-12 hours per week on their independent research project. Some students spend more time as they become immersed in their project.
When is offered?
BCB430Y projects are taken during the normal academic year. BCB430Y projects may also be carried out in the summer semester, with the aggregate time spent on the project equivalent to that for projects running during the academic year.
What are the timelines?
Before the academic session (4 to 6 months in advance):
- Start looking for a research supervisor. Click here for tips on finding a supervisor. Contact potential supervisors well in advance of the start of the academic session (i.e. February-March for the Fall-Winter session). See list of potential supervisors. You are not limited to this list. You may choose to work with a supervisor outside of this list as long as they are a PhD level researcher and the project is bioinformatics focused. Click here to see where former students have done their project.
Before the course begins (1 to 2 months in advance):
- Once a supervisor has agreed to supervise your project, discuss the project deliverables, and draft the project title and project description with your supervisor. Prior to beginning the project, the student and supervisor agree upon the time when the lab work is performed, place, and the provision of any materials. Gather the information you’ll need to complete the BCB330Y/BCB430Y Registration & Contract Form. Click here for more information on how students are evaluated.
- Once the details are agreed upon, complete and submit the form by the deadline.
- Once the research has been approved by the BCB Director, the BCB Administrator will enroll you in the course (students cannot enroll themselves on ACORN in BCB330Y1/BCB430Y1).
During the academic year:
- Arrange weekly or biweekly meetings with your supervisor to discuss project status and to request feedback.
- Submit to your supervisor a written literature review & project proposal of approximately 6-8 double-spaced pagesby the stated deadline (see marking scheme on your contract form).
- Supervisors must provide the proposal & literature review evaluation to the student and the BCB administrator no later than a week after submission.
- Supervisors must provide an interim participation mark to the student before the last day to drop the course.
- You must present your research to the lab – date to be mutually agreed on, ideally 1-2 weeks before the final report is due.
At the end of the course:
- Each project must result in a substantive written report. The report must be submitted to the supervisor by the stated deadline. The report should follow the format of a standard scientific article (introduction, methods, results, discussion, references, figures) and be 10-15 double-spaced pages in length (see marking scheme on your submitted contract form).
- The supervisor must provide the final report evaluation, a final grade and grade breakdown to the student and the BCB administrator no later than two weeks after the final report submission.
The University of Toronto’s Code of Behaviour on Academic Matters applies to all work produced for this course. This means proper referencing and citing of materials must be followed. Click here for relevant University of Toronto resources and policies.