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LSC-20145 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

LSC-20145 - Cell Biology for Regenerative Medicine
Coordinator: Gianpiero Di Leva Tel: +44 1782 671651
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

This module explores the life and death cycles that shape human tissues and organs, focusing on how cells sense mechanical signals and translate them into responses essential for tissue regeneration. Through a detailed study of molecular mechanisms, students will gain an in-depth understanding of cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, mechanosensing, and mechanotransduction, and their critical roles in morphogenesis and tissue repair. Key topics will include cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix communication, the regulation of cell movement, and comparisons of migration mechanisms during regeneration. Learning is delivered through a combination of lectures, independent research, and formative activities, providing a comprehensive view of cellular mechanisms that underpin tissue regeneration and regenerative medicine applications.

Aims
This module will provide in-depth coverage of the life and death cycle that shapes tissues and organs of the human body underpinning the processes of a cell sensing mechanical signals and translating them into cellular responses.

Intended Learning Outcomes

describe in detail the molecular events driving cell proliferation and cell death and discuss how these processes drive morphogenesis and regeneration of human tissues and organs.: 1
distinguish the different molecular mechanisms by which cells mechanosense and mechanotransduce extracellular cues in cellular responses.: 1,2
describe the relationship between ligand and receptor and consider the inside-out and outside-in cellular signalling which are essential in tissue and organ regeneration.: 2
describe the structure and function of the main adhesion complexes in a cell and compare their roles in the cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix communication.: 2
evaluate how cell movements are associated with structural and molecular changes and compare durotaxis versus contact-guidance migration mechanisms during regeneration.: 2

Study hours

Active learning:
In situ lectures (24 hrs)
Formative Class test (4 hrs)
Drop in session (6 hrs)
Class test (4 hrs)
Independent study:
Essay research and preparation (72 hrs)
In Class Test preparation (40 hrs)

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Class Test weighted 40%
Class test (2 hour working time in a 4 hour assessment window)
Students will be required to sit a timed (two hours) unseen test taken in class during a timetabled session after the first six lectures of the module. 40 MCQ and 2 SAQ out of four will test the knowledge about cell cycle, cell death, mechanosensing and mechanotransduction. A formative session with the completion of a mock test will provide support to students and facilitate the revision of the material. The test is designed to take approximately 2-hours, but we will timetable 4-hours for all students to promote a more inclusive approach to delivery, with less reliance on the need for specific reasonable adjustments for more time.

2: Report weighted 60%
A 2000-word report
Students will be required to submit a 2000-word report on a topic related to mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in regenerative medicine. Pre-selected topics will be provided during the module, with the report submitted towards the end of the semester. To support the development of their report, students will be offered a formative pre-submission opportunity where they can present their plan (e.g. as a mind map or a list of the report headings) and discuss it with the teaching team in a pre-booked one-to one session.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025