CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY AND HAEMATOLOGY MEDICINE - 2026/7

Module Overview

The initial purpose of this module is to provide a conceptual understanding of the key principles of human immunology, including the immune response to infection and foreign antigens.  Leading to a series of lectures covering the immunopathology, symptoms, treatment and diagnostic tests for range of clinically relevant diseases in the area of immunology and immunohaematology will be delivered by internal and external experts in the field thus aligning with the United Nation¿s sustainability goal 3 -Health and wellbeing. This will include clinical immunology consultants, Biomedical Scientists and research active experts with the chance for students to interact with active practitioners highlighting the employability in this field. The focus of the coursework is on clinical case studies and is undertaken primarily as group work with a proportion of the marks based on individual and group work contribution assessment thus building resourcefulness and resilience.  The coursework culminates in an oral presentation which builds on several employability skills.

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

TRINDER Sarah (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 30

ECTS Credits: 15

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

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

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

• Introduction to the module aims and coursework assessment.

• Immune responses in infectious diseases.

• Mucosal immunity.

• Atherosclerosis.

• Hypersensitivity/Allergy.

• Autoimmune disease and Diabetes.

• Immunodeficiency.

• NHSBT, transfusion screening and reactions Haemoglobinopathies.

• Histocompatability antigens, tissue typing and transplantation Haemopoetic cell transplantation.

• Cancer immunology.

• Coursework (case study) presentations.

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

None

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

• Integration of knowledge of molecular mechanisms of the immune system in a range of clinically relevant diseases by studying (in detail) case studies. Upon presentation of this work, the students have the opportunity to compare their findings with those of other case studies/diseases.

• Integration of knowledge of molecular mechanisms of the immune system with the pathogenesis of a range of clinically relevant immune and immunohaematological diseases/disorders through critical discussion of these in an extended essay in the exam.

• Group work contribution forms part of coursework mark and allows students to reflect on their individual contribution and that of others to the case study presentation.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

• A study of a clinically relevant case study with the assessment based on a presentation.

• Examination in which students write an extended essay from a choice.

Formative assessment and feedback

• Formative feedback is given on preparation of the coursework presentation tutorials.

• Formative feedback on examination style essay structure and content includes class discussion of past examination questions during revision week.

Module aims

• Develop their understanding of how immunity works by starting from the fundamental components of the reactions involved and building on these to describe the cellular and biochemical events which protect an organism against disease - thus mapping to the United Nation's Sustainability Goal 2 - 'Health and wellbeing'.
• Provide students with more in depth understanding of the principles of cellular and molecular immunology by examining the immunopathology of a range of diseases of current clinical importance.
• Provide students with a deeper appreciation of the immunopathology of immunohaematology and transplantation.

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Provide lectures delivered by experts in the field of immunology and immunohematology (clinical immunology consultants, Biomedical Scientists, research active immunologists/haematologists) across a range of clinically relevant immunological and immunohamatological diseases/disorders.

• Allow integration of knowledge of molecular mechanisms of the immune system with disease pathogenesis of a range of immunological and haematological diseases/disorders.

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Recorded lecture bites.

• Weekly tutorials to support the lecture bites.

• Coursework feedback/feedforward sessions/tutorials.

• Case study coursework presentations.

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: BMS3118

Other information

The School of Biosciences is committed to developing graduates with strengths in Employability, Digital Capabilities, Global and Cultural Capabilities, Sustainability, and Resourcefulness and Resilience. This module is designed to allow students to develop knowledge, skills and capabilities in the following areas:
Resourcefulness and Resilience
Literature searching to answer coursework clinical case studies and background research for exam preparation. Students will build on their teamwork, leadership and time management skills for preparation of the coursework.
Global and Cultural Capabilities
Lecture content covers a wide variety of diseases with differences in aetiology/incidence depending on ethnic groups/global location.
Sustainability
In line with the School's One Health approach the module works towards relevant UN Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) like SDG3 (health and wellbeing).
Digital Capabilities
Use of literature searching and database to resource material for each topic, various programmes such as Zoom and Panopto for online interaction and review of content. High content of digital external resources to support lectures.  Use of powerpoint for coursework preparation.
Employability
The module will enhance scientific communication skills, particularly via the group presentation.  As there is a group element students will have opportunity to enhance their teamwork, leadership, collaboration, time management and general communication skills.

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 2026/7 academic year.