This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2016-2017 (archived)
Module BIOL3621: BIOLOGY OF DISEASE
Department: Biosciences
BIOL3621: BIOLOGY OF DISEASE
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tied | 3 | 20 | Available in 2016/2017 | Durham |
Tied To
- B940; B941; B942; C107: (programme not found)
Pre-requisites
- • None
Corequisites
- • At least one other Level 3 Biological Sciences Module selected from the following list: Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology BIOL3561, Conservation Biology BIOL3551, Global Change Biology BIOL3541, Advanced Topics in Development BIOL3521, Stress and Responses to the Environment BIOL3491, Crops for the Future BIOL3611, Biochemistry and Biotechnology BIOL3601, Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering BIOL3531, Ageing and Age-Related Diseases BIOL3591, Advanced Cell Biology BIOL3481.
Excluded Combinations
- • None
Aims
- To develop knowledge and understanding of the biology of disease in man.
- To integrate knowledge and skills to address the nature of selected diseases.
Content
- Advanced study in depth of selected diseases, such as: cancer, endocrine system disease, neurological disorders, genetic disease, systemic disease, degenerative disease, infectious diseases.
- Study of medical interventions which can cure or ameliorate diseases, such as regenerative medicine, cancer treatments, drug treatments, gene-based therapies.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Knowledge of selected diseases, including their symptoms, causative agents and molecular and cellular bases.
- Knowledge of potential medical interventions which can cure or ameliorate selected diseases.
- Knowledge of disease processes in general.
- Knowledge of drug therapies and drug resistance.
Subject-specific Skills
- To be able to integrate knowledge from different disciplines studied in biomedical sciences and discuss disease processes.
- To be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the pathophysiology and investigation of selected human diseases.
- To be able to critically evaluate and discuss experimental data pertaining to disease processes.
Key Skills
- Literacy, in being able to consult and extract information from printed and on-line archives.
- Data analysis, in interpretation and critical analysis of data relevant to cell architecture.
- Self-motivation, in self-guided learning.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures deliver subject-specific knowledge.
- Workshops support the development of key and subject-specific skills.
- Self-guided learning contributes to subject-specific knowledge and self-motivation.
- Reports / Data Handling Exercises are based on subject-specific knowledge.
- Unseen examinations demonstrate achievement of the appropriate level of subject-specific knowledge of development, with an emphasis on understanding and communication (essay and problem-based questions).
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 35 | Weekly | 2 hours p/w | 35 | |
| Workshops | 2 | Termly | 2 hour | 2 | Yes |
| Preparation & Reading | 163 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Examination | 80% | Unseen formal examination | 3 hours | 100% | No |
| Continuous Assessment | 20% | Analytical exercise | 100% | No |
Formative Assessment
Workshop.
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.