BS978-10 Innovations to Prevent and Treat Infectious Disease

Department: Life Sciences
Level: Taught Postgraduate Level
Module leader: Freya Harrison
Credit value: 10
Module duration: 2 weeks
Assessment: 100% coursework
Study location: University of Warwick main campus, Coventry

Introductory description

The primary aim of this module is to provide a knowledge base relevant to the development and exploitation of new bio-products by the pharmaceutical industry.

Module web page

Module aims

The module will seek to ensure integration of the information presented with the core ethos of the programme by addressing issues concerned with the conversion of an idea in bio-science into commercial reality.

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Host defences and how they can be weakened.
Viruses
How bacteria cause disease
Antibiotics
Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing
Alternatives to antibiotics
Eukaryotic pathogens
To include: one guest lecture on translational work by an external lecturer who is either (a) an academic with a significant, successful industrial or clinical project; or (b) a researcher or manager at a company, IKC or similar.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

To achieve an understanding of the fundamental biology behind host defences against infection; factors which weaken these defences; and how pathogenic microbes cause disease.
To understand the mechanisms of action of key antimicrobial drugs and vaccines.
To be aware of a variety of synthetic and natural products currently being researched / developed for use in infection prevention and treatment, and the scientific, financial and ethical considerations involved in product R&D.
To understand the limitations of traditional antibiotic susceptibility testing in diagnostic and R&D pipelines, and current approaches to improving susceptibility testing.
To reflect on the methods and styles of communication required to successfully interact with different stakeholders in pharmaceutical development (scientists, policymakers and patients).

Indicative reading list

Hugo and Russell' Pharmaceutical Microbiology (7th edition) Eds:S. P. Denyer, N. A. Hodges, and S. P. Gorman. 2004, Wiley-Blackwell.
Introduction to Modern Virology (6th Edition) N.J. Dimmock, A.J. Easton, & K.N. Leppard. 2007 Wiley-Blackwell.
Textbook of Drug Design and Discovery (4th Edition) Eds: P. Krogsgaard-Larsen, U. Madsen, and K. Stromgaard. 2009 CRC Press.

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Subject specific skills

Understand and explain key aspects of host & pathogen biology that underpin microbial pathogenesis and the mechanisms of action of key antimicrobial drugs / vaccines

Understand and explain the mechanisms of action of key antimicrobial drugs / vaccines and antimicrobial products in development

Understand and explain the limitations of traditional antibiotic susceptibility testing in diagnostic and R&D pipelines, and critically appraise current approaches to improving susceptibility testing

Transferable skills

Demonstrate an awareness of the scientific, financial and ethical considerations involved in product R&D, and the styles of communication required to successfully interact with different stakeholders in pharmaceutical development (scientists, policymakers and patients).

Study time

Type	Required
Lectures	7 sessions of 2 hours (14%)
Seminars	1 session of 4 hours (4%)
Project supervision	2 sessions of 2 hours (4%)
Other activity	2 hours (2%)
Private study	76 hours (76%)
Total	100 hours

Private study description

2 half-days timetabled for independent coursework preparation.

Other activity description

Journal club (group presentation / discussion) – 1 x 2h

Project supervision- 2 x 2h contact time for initial preparation for coursework

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Assessment group A1

	Weighting	Eligible for self-certification
Assessment component
Information Sheet (one page)	40%	No
Individual work: one-page information sheet on a new drug to reduce infection risk in a high-risk group, targeted at either policymakers or patient groups
Reassessment component is the same
Assessment component
Research Poster & Reflective Paragraph on Poster	60%	No
Small group work: research poster + 200-word reflective paragraph on poster following peer group interaction.
Reassessment component is the same

Feedback on assessment

Individual work: written feedback on work returned to student, plus ¿office hours¿ made available by module leader for verbal feedback if required by student.\r\n\r\nGroup work: verbal feedback from peers (Q&A) during poster presentation session, verbal feedback also available from module leader during presentation at students¿ discretion. Written feedback (incorporating anonymised peer feedback as appropriate) supplied to student by module leader.\r\n

Courses

This module is Core optional for:

Year 1 of TLFS-J7N2 Postgraduate Medical Biotechnology and Business Management

This module is Optional for:

Year 1 of TBSS-C5N2 Postgraduate Taught Biotechnology, Bioprocessing and Business Management

This module is Unusual option for:

Year 1 of TCHA-F1PE Postgraduate Taught Scientific Research and Communication