Unit information: Cellular and Molecular Pathology in 2012/13

Please note: you are viewing unit and programme information for a past academic year. Please see the current academic year for up to date information.

Unit name Cellular and Molecular Pathology
Unit code PANM22042
Credit points 20
Level of study I/5
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director Dr. Brown
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

None
Co-requisites

None
School/department School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine
Faculty Faculty of Life Sciences

Description including Unit Aims

The cellular and molecular basis of the most important types of disease that are not directly related to infectious microorganisms.

Intended Learning Outcomes

At the end of the unit a successful student will be able to:

  1. describe examples of human genetic diseases,
  2. discuss genetic testing,
  3. explain the causes, mechanisms and prevention of cancer,
  4. discuss transplantation and HLA,
  5. list and explain the types of hypersensitivity reaction,
  6. discuss examples of autoimmune disease and HLA associated diseases,
  7. carry out and describe molecular and cytogentic experimental techniques,
  8. interpret data and solve problems,
  9. present scientific information and complex arguments in written and oral form,
  10. undertake the further study of genetics, cancer and immunopathology at Level 6.

Teaching Information

Lectures

Tutorials

Practicals

Assessment Information

The unit provides an in-depth coverage of the cellular and molecular basis of important types of disease, not directly related to infectious micro-organisms. The course will illustrate some important principles in cellular and molecular pathology by experiment and demonstration in practical classes. It will provide training in calculation and evaluation of scientific data and a scheme for self-directed learning through essay writing and oral presentations of scientific concepts based on searches of peer reviewed literature. The unit is delivered using a series of integrated lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions.

Unit aims:

To provide students with information about:

  1. human genetic disease,
  2. the causes, mechanisms and prevention of cancer,
  3. immunopathological processes including hypersensitivity, autoimmune disease and HLA associated diseases
  4. the principles of transplantation.

To teach students skills including:

  1. experimental techniques to perform genetic analysis and study chromosomes,
  2. data interpretation and problem solving,
  3. essay writing based on literature database searches,
  4. oral presentation of complex scientific issues.

Reading and References

The Biology of Cancer. Robert A Weinberg, 2007. (GS Garland Science)

Introduction to the Cellular and Molecular Biology of Cancer. 4th edition. Eds. M.A. Knowles & P.J. Selby, 2005. (Oxford University Press)

Human Molecular Genetics. 3rd edition. P. Sudbery & I Sudbery, 2009. (Pearson/Prentice Hall)

Emery’s Elements of Medical Genetics. 14th edition. P. Turnpenny & S. Ellard, 2011. Churchill Livingstone Elsevier

Janeway’s Immunobiology 8th edition, by Kenneth Murphy, 2011. (Garland Science)

All textbooks are available in the Medical Sciences library.

Related links