Unit information: Stem Cells in Cardiac Systems in 2022/23

Unit name	Stem Cells in Cardiac Systems
Unit code	CSSBM0001
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Slater
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	Bristol Medical School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Unit Information

The aim of this unit is to outline the role of stem cells in cardiac tissues. The module will describe a number of the main cardiac diseases/conditions. The role of stem cells as possible therapeutic options for such conditions: this will be discussed with particular focus on angiogenesis and repairing the ischemic heart.

This unit will describe:

1. The development of the cardiovascular system

2. Scientific and clinical aspects of cardiovascular disease

3. The clinical relevance of cardiovascular regenerative medicine, including stem cell therapy, molecular therapy and tissue engineering

Your learning on this unit

Students successfully completing this unit will:

• Evaluate the potential of different types of stem cells in the treatment of cardiac and vascular disease.
• Appraise ways in which gene and protein expression can be manipulated in cardiac and vascular disease
• Be able to integrate current understanding of cellular pathways in to cardiac and vascular systems and how this may benefit the development of new treatments.
• Critically evaluate how biomaterials can support the use of stem cells and regenerative medicine approaches in the context of cardiac and vascular systems
• Appraise current pre-clinical and clinical stem cell and regenerative therapies.
• Be able to describe the prenatal development of the heart and vasculature
• Be able to critically analyse data and present findings

How you will learn

• Web-based Audio Lectures and Seminars.
• Web-based tutorials/practicals
• Self-directed study
• On-line discussion forums

How you will be assessed

Summative Assessment will comprise a number of tasks during the Unit and a final end of Unit timed assessment:

• 1x integrative essay (2000 words) contributing 40% to unit
• 1x short answer question contributing 20% to the Unit
• 1x end of unit timed assessment which will occur at the end of the academic year and contribute 40% to the Unit.

Sets of multiple choice questions will help to support student engagement with the asynchronous material. Online synchronous sessions will provide support through the Unit including for coursework tasks. Students will be given formative feedback on all written assessments to aid their learning.

The pass-mark for the unit will be 50%

Resources

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. CSSBM0001).

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 Faculty workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
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. If you have self-certificated your absence from an assessment, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (this is usually in the next assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any extenuating circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.