Outline

Overview

Nanoscale Biomedical Diagnostics will provide a comprehensive introduction to the foundation of Nanotechnology for application in biomedical diagnostics and of the recent progress in nanobiosensor technologies and their application to medicine. Focus will be placed in providing the tools for understanding the physical and chemical mechanisms underlying the working principles of nanoscale biosensors. Nanodimensionality and biomimetics holds the potential for significant improvements in the sensitivity, selectivity and biocompatibility and thereby open up new routes in clinical diagnostics, personalized health monitoring and therapeutic biomedical devices.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Biomedical Engineering
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	AMME5958
Assumed knowledge ?	(BMET2903 or BMET9903) and CHEM1111. Basic knowledge in physics, thermodynamics, chemistry and mathematics
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Antonio Tricoli, antonio.tricoli@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Antonio Tricoli, antonio.tricoli@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Fabian Garay Rairan, fabian.garayrairan@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Supervised exam ?	Final exam Summative assessment	40%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Weekly assignment Weekly continuous assignments for helping students to solve problems.	13%	Multiple weeks	continuous weeks
Outcomes assessed:
Small continuous assessment	Scientific Article Discussion Individual discussion (15mins) Understanding (10 points) Presentation Skills (10 points) Q&A (7 points)	27%	Multiple weeks	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Small test	Mid-term quiz from 4 first weekly assessments	20%	Week 06	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
= AI allowed ? = restricted AI ?

Assessment summary

Mid-term quiz – covering content from the first four weeks
Weekly assignment – weekly continuous assignments to help solve related problems
Scientific article presentation and discussion on the latest research articles in the field of nanoscale biomedical diagnostics
Final exam

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2021 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Distinction	75 - 84	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Credit	65 - 74	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Pass	50 - 64	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars established by the faculty.
Fail	0 - 49	To be awarded to students who, in their performance in assessment tasks, fail to demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard established by the faculty. This grade, with corresponding mark, should also be used in cases where a student fails to achieve a mandated standard in a compulsory assessment, thereby failing to demonstrate the learning outcomes to a satisfactory standard. In such cases the student will receive the mark awarded by the faculty up to a maximum of 49.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Except for supervised exams or in-semester tests, you may use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessments unless expressly prohibited by your unit coordinator.

For exams and in-semester tests, the use of AI and automated writing tools is not allowed unless expressly permitted in the assessment instructions.

The icons in the assessment table above indicate whether AI is allowed – whether full AI, or only some AI (the latter is referred to as “AI restricted”). If no icon is shown, AI use is not permitted at all for the task. Refer to Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks for this unit.

Your final submission must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of automated writing tools or generative AI, and any material generated that you include in your final submission must be properly referenced. You may be required to submit generative AI inputs and outputs that you used during your assessment process, or drafts of your original work. Inappropriate use of generative AI is considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

The Current Students website provides information on artificial intelligence in assessments. For help on how to correctly acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the  AI in Education Canvas site.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Non-submission of the weekly assignments the by the Sunday 11:59pm when it is due will be counted as zero. For scientific article presentation, the mid-term and final exam, non-submission of the tests will receive a zero mark.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction to nanoscale biomedical diagnostics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 01	Introduction to nanoscale biomedical diagnostics tutorials, final exam and weekly assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 02	Forces and mechanisms at the nanoscale	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Forces and mechanisms at the nanoscale assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 03	Nano-scale biosensor fabrication	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Nano-scale biosensors fabrication weekly assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 04	Nanostructures characterisation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Nanostructures characterisation assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 05	Cellular biosensing	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Cellular biosensing weekly assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 06	Genomic based diagnostics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Mid-term quiz and weekly assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 07	Translation and commercialisation of biosensors (industry speaker)	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Scientific article presentation I	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 08	Electrochemistry for biosensing at the nanoscale	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Scientific article presentation II	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 09	Raman-based biosensing	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Electrochemical and Raman biosensor weekly assigments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 10	Nanopore biosensing	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Nanopore biosensing weekly assigments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Clinical diagnostics challenges and opportunities	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Clinical and commercial biosensing weekly assignments	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 12	Scientific article presentation III	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Scientific article presentation IV	Tutorial (2 hr)
Week 13	Lecture summary and perspective	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Final exam rehearsal	Rehearsal (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

It is recommended that all lectures are attended and that the opportunity is taken for questions and answers in the lecture. Lectures will be made avaiable online.
The University attendance policy can be found here (see clause 68): https://www.sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2014/378&RendNum=0
In-class quizzes will only be available during prescribed lecture or tutorial times, as notified during lectures.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Organise and discuss professional ideas in written, graphic and oral formats through assessments 1 (tutorial assignments), 2 (quizzes), 3 (exam) and 4 (Presentation/Seminar). Present basic analytical reporting by extracting information and identifying point where information is incomplete or conflicting with other resources.
LO2. Search, evaluate and manage multi-disciplinary information from various resources including lectures and research papers found in online data bases about biomedical diagnostics.
LO3. Develop critical judgement at a general level in the context of the application of nanotechnology in the biomedical engineering field, by applying the knowledge discussed in the lectures into the different assessments.
LO4. Deep learning and developing interdisciplinary skill set and knowledge from Engineering and Science e.g., Physics, (Electro) Chemistry, Biology, Nanotechnology and Medicine. Synthesise and apply this emerging nanoscale diagnostics knowledge to find a solution to real and case studies taken from current investigations, through different assessments including exams, tutorial assignments, seminars and quizzes.
LO5. Practice problem solving and integration of the knowledge learned in lectures through tutorial practice and through the exam, quizzes, presentation/seminar and tutorial assignments that all include problem-solving and inventiveness through case studies.
LO6. Implement the knowledge acquired in the lectures on engineering principles, methods and materials in the disciplines of nanotechnology, biomaterials and biomedical engineering, by critically reviewing the development process and outcomes of a specific nano-biomedical electronic device.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis. 5.3. Skills in the selection and characterisation of engineering systems, devices, components and materials. 5.4. Skills in the selection and application of appropriate engineering resources tools and techniques, appreciation of accuracy and limitations;. 5.5. Skills in the development and application of mathematical, physical and conceptual models, understanding of applicability and shortcomings. 5.6. Skills in the design and conduct of experiments and measurements. 5.8. Skills in recognising unsuccessful outcomes, sources of error, diagnosis, fault-finding and re-engineering. 5.9. Skills in documenting results, analysing credibility of outcomes, critical reflection, developing robust conclusions, reporting outcomes.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 3.3. Creativity and innovation. 4.1. Advanced level skills in the structured solution of complex and often ill defined problems. 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 3.1. An ability to communicate with the engineering team and the community at large. 3.2. Information literacy and the ability to manage information and documentation. 3.3. Creativity and innovation. 3.7. A capacity for lifelong learning and professional development and appropriate professional attitudes. 4.4. Skills in implementing and managing engineering projects within the bounds of time, budget, performance and quality assurance requirements.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 1. ENABLING SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DEVELOPMENT 1.1. Developing underpinning capabilities in mathematics, physical, life and information sciences and engineering sciences, as appropriate to the designated field of practice. 1.2. Tackling technically challenging problems from first principles. 4.4. Skills in implementing and managing engineering projects within the bounds of time, budget, performance and quality assurance requirements. 5.3. Skills in the selection and characterisation of engineering systems, devices, components and materials.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 3.7. A capacity for lifelong learning and professional development and appropriate professional attitudes. 4.1. Advanced level skills in the structured solution of complex and often ill defined problems. 4.2. Ability to use a systems approach to complex problems, and to design and operational performance. 4.3. Proficiency in the engineering design of components, systems and/or processes in accordance with specified and agreed performance criteria. 4.5. An ability to undertake problem solving, design and project work within a broad contextual framework accommodating social, cultural, ethical, legal, political, economic and environmental responsibilities as well as within the principles of sustainable development and health and safety imperatives.
	Engineers Australia Curriculum Performance Indicators - 2.1. Appropriate range and depth of learning in the technical domains comprising the field of practice informed by national and international benchmarks. 2.2. Application of enabling skills and knowledge to problem solution in these technical domains. 2.3. Meaningful engagement with current technical and professional practices and issues in the designated field. 4.3. Proficiency in the engineering design of components, systems and/or processes in accordance with specified and agreed performance criteria. 5.1. An appreciation of the scientific method, the need for rigour and a sound theoretical basis.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The course content has been reviewed and updated based on feedback from prior classes.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

BMET5958: Nanoscale Biomedical Diagnostics

Semester 1, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect