Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 13: In receptor-mediated endocytosis the correct contents are collected together, wrapped in membrane and held together with clathrin. The lucky endosomes get to unwrap these vesicular presents.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 14: Distinguishing a hypothesis from a prediction. Hypothesis: only good children get presents. Prediction: if my children are naughty they won’t get any presents.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 15: Counting multiple measurements from one experimental unit (e.g. multiple measurements of antibody levels from one vaccine recipient) as separate results is called pseudoreplication. It's like counting a pair of socks as two presents.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 16: Coronaviruses are a family of viruses named after the spikes which give them a crown-like appearance. Paper crowns inside Christmas crackers are not thought to be an infection risk.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 17:During mitosis, microtubules form the spindle apparatus topped with a star (the aster): it’s another biological Christmas tree!

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 18: In neurons, the axon sends out messages in the form of little parcels of neurotransmitter. The dendrites receive the messages and are so excited to receive their present they respond with a little jolt of electricity.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 19: Helicase unwinds the DNA helix to allow replication. it would be great for putting away paper streamer decorations.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 20: The cell cycle as a calendar: if telophase is Christmas day and the start of M phase is when normal people want to start celebrating, Christmas then supermarkets put up their decorations at the start of G2.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 21: DNA can be cut at precise locations by molecular scissors: restriction endonucleases, now all we need is molecular wrapping paper and molecular sticky tape.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 22: Sometimes Father Christmas comes down the chimney like water through an aquaporin but, in houses without a chimney, maybe he simply passes through the wall like a steroid hormone passing through a plasma membrane.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 23: The resting potential of a neuron depends on the number of potassium leak channels in the membrane. The resting potential of a Christmas holiday is inversely proportional to the number of children in the house.

Biomedical sciences advent calendar day 24: Opening the door of an advent calendar is like exocytosis. No explanation required!

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SULSA EastBio DTP @SRF_Repro I'm conducting research for my Honours dissertation into the effect of research culture on Biomedical science research. I'm looking for researchers in UK academia to take part in a 5 minute survey: edinburgh.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/how-does-resea… Thank you!

Please help my student, who has been delayed through no fault of her own, by taking part in or promoting her interviews. British Neuroscience Association

My first education research paper! Mark distribution is affected by the type of assignment but not by features of the marking scheme tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…

Catriona Daw has been elected as a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament. We are so proud of you here at Larbert High School especially in S4. Well done and good luck 👏

"Marking is a skill, and we need ways to help markers develop this skill" -Michael Daw discusses the challenges of standardising the quality of feedback on student work, & explains how the Biomed Sci Edinburgh addressed this issue by introducing a feedback template: teaching-matters-blog.ed.ac.uk/experiences-wi…