Last modified: 31 Jul 2023 11:19
Why do some microorganisms cause disease, yet others don’t? This course explores host-pathogen interactions from bacterial, fungal, parasite, viral and host perspectives in a lecture series, examining virulence factors, host defences and immune responses.
Students develop a detailed knowledge of one specific host-pathogen interaction through self-directed study and working as a group to review a specific disease selected by the students. In addition, students will enhance their ability to work within teams and will develop their skill in academic writing, creating a group-written review article.
Course workshops discuss experimental design for analysis of host-pathogen interactions, virulence and evaluation of novel drug treatments.
The course materials will enable students to develop and refine their understanding of the roles of host and pathogen in infectious disease.
Please note that some of the material on this course may describe animal research and/or may discuss disease outbreaks.
| Study Type | Postgraduate | Level | 5 |
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| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
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This course will explore host-pathogen interactions, examining the relationships from both host and pathogen perspectives. Topics covered will include fungal, bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases, host responses to disease causing agents, as well as clinical therapies. The course also aims to explore experimental design for analysis of host-pathogen interactions in workshops.
The course will be research-led and will focus on up-to-date research, exposing students to a stimulating and challenging learning environment, which will require students to engage with recently published research papers.
The course also aims to encourage development of student critical thinking, through evaluation of literature and synthesising information into a review article. Students will be assigned to groups and the group will choose a disease to write a review on. The group will submit weekly progress reports on tasks assigned to team members and will monitor progress towards creating the review article. This task will develop the team working skills of students, an essential skill for the modern workplace. Students will also develop their ability to create an academic article as a group, another skill which will prepare the students for a modern scientific career, where most research papers review articles are created by teams of researchers.
This course will develop personal and transferable skills to equip students for the research or other work environment.
Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 40 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | 35 | Feedback Weeks | 39 | |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 10 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | 39 | Feedback Weeks | 40 | |
| Feedback |
Students will design and present an infographic poster based upon their major essay subject. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 20 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | 29 | Feedback Weeks | 31 | |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 30 | |
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| Assessment Weeks | 36 | Feedback Weeks | 41 | |
| Feedback | ||||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Formative | Weighting | ||
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| Assessment Weeks | 39 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Students will submit an individual assessment of their group and contribution of individual members to the group work. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Formative | Weighting | ||
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| Assessment Weeks | 28,29,30,31,32,33,34 | Feedback Weeks | ||
| Feedback |
Weekly group progress reports submitted by the group and highlighted who has been allocated which task, what progress has been made and any issues experienced. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | ||
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| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
30 minute exam, to be carried out via Online Classroom (Collaborate), to test achievement of intended learning outcomes. |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
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| Reflection | Evaluate | Worked within a team, sharing tasks, monitoring progress and reflecting on team performance. |
| Reflection | Understand | In-depth knowledge and understanding of pathogenesis of bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens and host immune responses to these pathogens |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Critical and analytical skills required for further studies in specialised areas of microbiological, immunological or related research. |
| Procedural | Apply | Ability to apply knowledge gained to the solution of theoretical problems and to communicate these effectively in group situations and in written form |
| Reflection | Apply | Acquired self-directed learning skills |
| Procedural | Create | Created a group-written piece of academic writing |
| Reflection | Evaluate | Knowledge and understanding of current clinical therapeutics for bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens and drug discovery, including novel therapies |
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