Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Spring 2025 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Pre-Medicine, Health Science, Public Health
Prerequisite(s):	One year of chemistry and one year of biology at university level
Research Mentor:	My Catarina von Euler-Chelpin (current students, please use the Canvas Inbox)
Research Director:	Susana Dietrich - research@dis.dk
Senior Research Manager:	Jeanette Erbo Wern jwe@dis.dk
Academic Support:	research@dis.dk
Time & Place:	See "Course Summary" below

Research Project Description

Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) is the most common disease of the digestive tract, with a prevalence of 10-20% and an incidence of 5 per 1000 persons and year in the Western world. The most common underlying physiological mechanism is a transient inappropriate relaxation of the lower oesophageal sphincter.

The reasons for GERD may be hereditary, but may also be related to obesity or lifestyle factors. Reflux may be asymptomatic, but it usually causes heartburn and (acid) regurgitation, while less common symptoms are dysphagia as well as respiratory problems due to aspiration. There is a strong and causal relation between gastro-oesophageal reflux and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. GERD is a very common disease and in view of the possible and serious consequences of the disease, we want to assess it both clinically and epidemiologically.

This project is part of a long-term Nordic collaboration, and will, for this part, be concentrated on an epidemiological approach: What do people who suffer from this disease look like?  Is this, for example, a disease that is equally distributed between genders or age groups? We will use epidemiological methods to organize and analyze data collected from hospital patient registries in order to map the demographic composition of patients and compare them to the overall population.

In your role as a Research Assistant, you will experience the world of research and gain skills that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the term, you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution to the project. You will have learned to collect and analyze data as well as to communicate ideas and findings, both orally and in writing, to colleagues within your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.

Learning Objectives

The primary objective is for you to experience the world of research and gain skills that will prepare you for any future career you choose to pursue. By the end of the term, you will grasp the complexities of the research project and have made your own contribution to the project. You will have learned to communicate ideas and findings, both orally and in writing, to colleagues within your particular discipline, as well as peers from other disciplines.

Project-Specific Objectives Include:

Relevant literature search, data analysis including risk calculations, written discussion about the results of the data analysis and a summary report of the findings.

Research Mentor

My von Euler-Chelpin

Associate Professor (Section for Environmental Health, Dept. of Public Health, University of Copenhagen) Ph.D. (Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 2007). Research Consultant at UNESCO, Paris and Nairobi, and International Committee of the Red Cross, 1986-2002. Researcher, Dept. of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, 2002–present. With DIS since 2011.

Readings

The readings will be agreed upon with the Research Mentor at the beginning of the semester -
The exact content will differ depending on your background. You will receive guidance
concerning the basics of relevant concepts, study designs, methods of analysis, etc.

 

Approach to Mentoring

All DIS research mentors have been trained in mentoring students but their approach to
mentoring may differ. Mentoring is about engaging at a different and often deeper level.
level than what is typical in the classroom. However, mentoring also comes with some
degree of ambiguity, which is important for you to expect. The research
mentor will work closely with you throughout the semester but part of the training is also
for you to use your own judgment to make assessments and decisions. As part of
planning your tasks and responsibilities for the semester together, the research
mentor will talk to you about her/his approach to mentoring.

DIS Accommodations Statement 

Your learning experience in this class is important to me. If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

Roles and Responsibilities of the Research Assistant

You are expected to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week on the project. The workload
may vary over the semester. If you are travelling to do field research in a different
location, additional time may be required.
As a research assistant, you will engage in some or all of the following:

1. Participate in weekly meetings with your research mentor at a time set collectively at
the beginning of the term.
2. Participate in a research orientation at the beginning of the semester 
3. Participate in two research workshops during the semester.
4. Write an assessment of your own strengths and weaknesses in the research
process at the beginning of the semester. Revisit at the end of the semester as part
of an evaluation of your own participation in and learning from the research project.
5. Keep a research journal and submit it in person or via email every week (or another
specified interval) to your research mentor, describing the activities of the week, and
outlining goals for the following week.
6. Conduct literature reviews.
7. Participate in carrying out the research project. This may include familiarizing yourself with core biomedical concepts, prototyping, design testing, and preliminary user studies. The specific responsibilities may vary depending on how the project progresses. Be prepared to contribute to tasks that may come up
during the semester. Research processes are not always predictable.
8. Present the relevance of the research and/or findings to peer(s) from other
disciplines at the DIS Festival.
9. Make a final oral and/or written presentation of the research you are involved in,
depending on what is agreed with your research mentor.

Evaluation and Grading 

All research assistants are assessed on their participation, weekly status reports to the research mentor, self-evaluation and presentation to peers from other disciplines. Additional evaluation and grading depends on the individual research project and project phase and is outlined by the research mentor. It may include literature reviews, a poster presentation for an expert panel, a working paper, etc.

Participation* 10% of grade comprises attendance & active participation, including homework in the research orientation, research workshops, and DIS Festival	20%
Literature review	5%
Research Project Outline	10%
Presentation at DIS Festival	10%
Final Paper	55%
TOTAL	100%

 

Research Orientation & Workshops

Days and times are available in the Course Summary, below.

Field Research (if applicable)

Some research projects include field research. Expenses related to fieldwork will be
covered by a DIS travel grant. The fieldwork will be planned with the research
mentor at the beginning of the semester.

Expectations of the Research Assistant

The specific expectations of the individual research assistant are agreed upon at the
beginning of the semester. In general, a research assistant is expected to take initiative,
take ownership of the project and work independently. You must also be prepared for
meetings and be willing to part take in relevant discussions. In cases where more
research assistants are involved in the same project, you will be expected to engage in
some teamwork. Carrying out a research project is not a straightforward and
predictable process. This is part of what makes it exciting. It also means that
communication is crucial. You are expected to take responsibility for communicating
about problems or issues that arise.

 

Data

Note that many US colleges/universities require their students who are participating in research at home or abroad to acquire Institutional Review Board approval. Examples include:

• Research involving human subjects
• If the results of any research conducted during your semester with DIS involving human subjects are to be made public or published in the US

You are responsible for confirming whether home IRB-approval is required and, if so, for seeking the approval of your home schools IRB. In addition, all research conducted in Europe must adhere to GDPR regulations, as noted above.

Disability and Resource Statement

Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Academic Support in Copenhagen (acadsupp@dis.dk) or in Stockholm (academics@disstockholm.se), depending on the project location. In order to receive accommodations, students should inform the instructor of approved DIS accommodations within the first two weeks of classes.

 

Academic Regulations 

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

 

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