HUMAN MICROBIAL DISEASES - 2022/3

Module Overview

The module will explore the mechanism by which human pathogens interact with their host to cause a disease and this will relate and deepen the knowledge acquired at level 4 and 5 on general microbiology and virology. In addition at Level 6 this module will form part of a more global overview of human-pathogen interactions explored within the Immunology and Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases modules. 

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

MALUQUER DE MOTES Carlos (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 1

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Prerequisite: BMS2037 Cellular Microbiology and Virology

Module content

Module introduction

Block 1.

Intracellular survival of bacterial pathogens

Bacterial toxins

Type III secretion systems in bacteria

Host-pathogens interactions in Neisseria

Host-pathogens interactions in Streptococci

Host-pathogens interactions in mycobacteria

Host-pathogens interactions in protozoa

Revision tutorial for topics covered in Block 1.

Block 2.

Pathogenesis of acute and persisten infections

Immune sensing of viruses

Immunopathogenesis of flaviviruses

Retroviruses

Viruses and oncogenesis

Human papillomavirus and vaccine development

Pathogenesis of herpesviruses

Revision tutorial for topics covered in Block 2.

 

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate that they have obtained a deep understanding of the human diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa and their pathogenesis.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

100-min in-class test with 12 Extended-matched multiple choice questions (EMQ) and 2 essay questions to pick from a choice of 3, assessing students understanding of the first semester block on bacterial and protozoal pathogenesis

100-min final examination with 12 Extended-matched multiple choice questions (EMQ) and 2 essay questions to pick from a choice of 3, assessing students understanding of the second semester block on viral pathogenesis

Formative assessment and feedback

The students will receive timely feedback during the course of the semester by engaging in interactive teaching activities that will allow them to monitor their progress.

The module coordinator will discuss assessment strategy during the initial tutorial and teaching staff will highlight during the two pre-exam tutorial general points that are key for succeeding in the tests. These tutorials will also address questions from students about past exam questions and collectively students will attempt to answer some of them, which will also involve peer-marking. 

Importantly, a week without lectures ahead of the interim in-class test is always timetabled to aid with revision.

Module aims

• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including virulence mechanisms
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including toxins
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including secretion systems
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including intracellular survival
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including host-pathogen interactions
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including host immune responses
• To use specific examples of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses and protozoa to illustrate and explore aspects of microbial disease pathogenesis including pathology

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to ensure a broad and deep understanding of the different learning outcomes. This will be achieved by using different teaching methods implementing constructivist approaches and interactive learning methods (interactive inquiry; problem based learning).  The lecture topics are diverse, but build on the same themes of bacterial and viral pathogenesis of human disease, so the students will progressively build on their previous knowledge and increase their understanding as the module advances. This allows breadth and depth of understanding.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• 15h of lectures over 11 weeks with between 1 to 4h per week


• 4h of tutorials to support student understanding of the topics and provide feed-back. The first one takes place in the first session and involves module introduction and feed-back on assessment strategy. The other tutorials are held at the end of each teaching block to revise, address questions and go through past exam questions.


• All the sessions above are captured and made available for the students via SurreyLearn.


• The module also implies indirect learning (116h) using external resources, most of which highlighted by the academics during their lectures.


• Of critical importance, post exams, ALL students can book 15min 1-2-1 with the MO to go through their exam papers. 

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMS3079

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2022/3 academic year.