Unit information: Disease and Defence in 2020/21

Unit name	Disease and Defence
Unit code	PANM10002
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director	Dr. Kafienah
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

Basic principles of pathogenesis and how these relate to the development of specific human diseases. Use of gross pathology and histopathology in the investigation of human disease.

The unit demonstrates the basic principles of pathogenesis and how studies of gross pathology and histopathology are used in the investigation of human disease. It will give practical experience of some experimental approaches to understanding pathological processes and provide a foundation for higher level studies of disease processes. The unit introduces how the body defends against disease, describing the components of the immune system and how the immune response works. It is delivered using a series of integrated lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions supported by on line resources.

Unit aims:

To provide students with information about:

1. The basic principles of pathogenesis and how these relate to the development of specific human diseases.
2. How experimental studies have defined the mechanisms underlying pathological processes.
3. The structure and function of the immune system.
4. How studies of gross pathology and histopathology are used in the investigation of human disease.

To teach students skills including:

1. Experimental techniques in immunology.
2. Data interpretation.
3. The ability to recognise pathological processes at the gross and cellular level.
4. Written and oral presentation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

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

1. Define classes of disease.
2. Describe the structure and function of the immune system.
3. Define genetic disease.
4. Recognise environmental disease.
5. Describe cell damage.
6. Describe inflammation and repair.
7. Describe thrombosis and blood coagulation.
8. List examples of how these processes relate to specific human diseases.
9. Recognise pathological processes at the gross and cellular level.
10. Explain how these processes relate to the development of specific human diseases.
11. Understand and describe experimental methods in immunology.
12. Interpret data.
13. Present scientific information and arguments in written and oral form.
14. Undertake the further study of disease processes at Level 5 and 6.

Teaching Information

Online delivery of Lectures and exercises

Tutorials

Practicals and/or online practicals supported by eBiolabs

Assessment Information

Oral presentation (20%)

eBiolabs pre­lab quizzes, post­lab assignments and completed practical sheets (20%)

Examination (summer) (60%)

The examinations will cover learning outcomes 1-­10, 12­-13.

The assessment via eBiolabs and the practical book will assess learning outcomes 9-­13.

The oral presentation will cover learning outcome 13 and any from 1­-10.

Formative assessment:

For formative purposes students will receive feedback as follows:

Oral presentations will be marked and subject to verbal feedback during the tutorial and a written feedback sheet provided.

Electronic feedback will be provided for the pre­lab and postlab work via eBiolabs.

Feedback during practical classes will be provided by staff and demonstrators.

Unit assessment marks will be provided and feedback session will be given by the Unit Director.

A breakdown of marks for the summer exams will be provided and additional feedback will be provided by the Unit Director on request.

Reading and References

Recommended reading

Cell, tissue and disease: the basis of pathology by N Woolf, 3rd edn. (2000)

or

An introduction to general pathology by TD Spector and JS Axford, 4th edn (1999)

or

Underwood's Pathology by Simon Cross 7th Edn (2018)

For immunology, good smaller books are:

Basic Immunology: Functions and Disorders of the Immune System by

AK Abbas & AH Lichtman, 4th edn, (2012)

or

Roitt's Essential Immunology by P Delves et al, 13th edn. (2017).

Further reading

Janeway's Immunobiology, by K Murphy & C Weaver, 9th edn. (2016)

or

The Immune System by P Parham, 4th, (2014).

If students have problems with medical terminology then they can read a small medical dictionary (one for nurses is fine) or consult the following web site: Multilingual Glossary of technical and popular medical terms in nine European Languages: http://users.ugent.be/~rvdstich/eugloss/welcome.html

All textbooks are available in the Medical Sciences library.