| Unit name | Immunology and Infectious Disease |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PANMM0029 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Jones |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
Infectious disease and the increasing incidence of autoimmune and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) represent global health challenges. Competent host defence relies on an effective immune response to pathogens, while chronic diseases often involve inappropriate and persistent immune activation. The unit will explore how hosts and pathogens interact to initiate immune responses to pathogens including viruses and bacteria, and mechanisms employed by these organisms to evade the host’s immune response. You will learn from expert researchers about immunological mechanisms that underpin IMIDs, and how our fundamental understanding of immunology, virology and microbiology has informed the design of vaccines, antimicrobials and immune-modulating drugs that have revolutionised the prevention and treatment of diseases. You will gain an appreciation of current and emerging medicines that aim to address urgent health challenges that impact our world.
How does this fit in with your programme of study?
This optional unit in Teaching Block 1 will give you knowledge and understanding of important current research topics in the fields of microbiology, virology and immunology. This will support students interested in undertaking further research in these areas as part of the Literature Review, Project Proposal or Research Project.
Individual and group activities will build your confidence in vital skills used throughout the programme, including critically engaging with scientific literature, independent research skills, experimental design and academic writing. Through teamwork and your individual oral presentation, you will build oral communication skills, to support you in delivering a presentation about your Research Project.
An overview of content
The unit will explore examples of infectious diseases that are a global threat across low-, middle- and high-income countries and how climate change is affecting the transmission of these diseases. The unit will consider the development of antimicrobials to prevent infectious diseases and the challenge antimicrobial resistance presents, how our immune system senses pathogens and approaches to vaccine development. We will look at examples of autoimmune and IMIDs, and how our knowledge of immune mechanisms that promote inflammation and tissue damage informs the design of drugs that target the immune system.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will develop knowledge and understanding of host-pathogen interactions critical to host defence, how dysregulated immune responses promote chronic disease and how our understanding of these mechanisms can be applied therapeutically. You will critically engage with literature surrounding the topic and develop your written and oral communication skills. You will gain an appreciation of the rich opportunities for scientists working in these fields to apply their knowledge to tackle global health problems.
Learning Outcomes
This unit will consist of mix of integrated lectures delivered by subject experts, interactive workshops led by the subject experts and facilitated student-directed inquiry based Active Learning Groups (ALG). Lecture topics will present areas of research interest and provide the foundational knowledge needed to carry out independent research for the coursework essay. Discussions in ALG will support the development of your individual oral presentation, where you will carry out further research on your presentation topic.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks:
You will have the opportunity to complete a formative essay and a formative oral presentation as part of the integrated assessment approach for the MSc Biomedical Sciences Research programme; these tasks will be undertaken as part of the MSc Core Skills unit. You will receive support and guidance on how to prepare for these tasks and . Reflecting, and responding to feedback will allow you to improve your critical approach to engaging with research. It will also allow you to refine your written and oral communication skills.
In this unit, your work with peers in student-directed inquiry based Active Learning Groups (ALG) will support you to develop knowledge fundamental to your summative oral presentation.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Coursework essay (60% of unit mark): essay topics will be linked to research areas introduced in the infectious diseases components of this unit.
Oral presentation (40% of unit mark): individual oral presentation topics will be linked to the immunology research areas introduced in lectures and then further researched and discussed as part of student-led Active Learning Groups.
When assessment does not go to plan
If you are unable to submit your coursework essay by the deadline, you can request an extension at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline.
If you are unable to present your oral presentation, an alternative opportunity to deliver the presentation will be offered.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to the programme of study. The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. PANMM0029).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
