BS978-10 Innovations to Prevent and Treat Infectious Disease
Introductory description
The primary aim of this module is to provide a knowledge base relevant to the development and exploitation of new bioproducts by the pharmaceutical industry, with specific reference to the treatment and prevention of microbial infection. The module includes lectures, group work sessions and a minisymposium of short research talks. The assessment for this module requires you to produce an information sheet about a new pharmaceutical treatment, designed to inform either patients or policymakers about the action and impact of this drug. Sessions on how to talk to these audiences, and how to design an impactful information sheet, are provided during the module.
Module aims
The primary aim of this module is to provide a knowledge base relevant to the development and exploitation of new bioproducts by the pharmaceutical industry, with specific reference to the treatment and prevention of microbial infection. It 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 bioscience 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.
Lecture: Host defences against infectious disease.
The human immune system (innate, adaptive, primary and secondary responses), defects & situations that weaken our defences (wounds, cancer etc).
Lecture: How bacteria cause disease.
Bacterial pathogenicity mechanisms, virulence factors and immune evasion.
Lecture: Antibiotics.
How antibiotics work, how they are discovered, how bacteria acquire resistance, and how recent advances in understanding bacterial physiology and bacteria-host interactions have led to innovations in antibiotic susceptibility testing.
Lecture Viral Disease.
An introduction to viral pathogenicity mechanisms, virulence factors and immune evasion.
Flipped classroom / group discussion session: Parasite biology.
This session is a mixture of group activity / discussion on the biology and control of parasites and disease vectors.
Minisymposium: New ways to treat diagnose and treat infection.
4 short, research-led talks from Warwick academics with time for Q&A. Previous topics havetypically included viral diagnostics, phage therapy, natural products antimicrobials and bacterial vaccines; exact topics determined each year by researcher availability.
Guest lecture.
Each year, a guest lecturer from industry, academia, research support or public health is invited to speak about a translational topic relevant to the module. There is time for Q&A. Previous speakers have spoken about integrating new diagnostics into public health pipelines, starting a company to deliver new antimicrobials to clinical trials, 3D printing drugs and managing a body that links academia with industry to enhance drug discovery.
Discussion session: what makes a good information sheet for patients or policymakers?
You will look at, discuss and analyse a selection of real materials published to inform different audiences about new methods of treating disease. You will discuss the aims of these materials and what makes an effective information sheet.
Lecture and discussion: talking to the public and to policymakers.
An expert-led session on the language and framing needed for effective communication to these audiences.
Independent, guided reading and reflection: design for science communication.
You will be provided with resources on effective design and layout for scientific leaflets and infographics, and given structure guidance on how to use good design principles for your assessed information sheet.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- Understand the fundamental biology behind host defences against infection; factors which weaken these defences; and how pathogenic microbes cause disease.
- Understand the mechanisms of action of key antimicrobial drugs and vaccines.
- 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.
- 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
See Tallis Aspire link
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Research element
Production of information sheet for module assessment.
Subject specific skills
Fundamental biology/chemistry knowledge
Critical analysis of research literature
Awareness of standard diagnostic methods
Awareness of key steps in drug R&D pipelines
Research communication to stakeholders
A consideration of the economics of novel drug availability
Transferable skills
An understanding of the methods and styles of communication required to successfully communicate science to non-scientists
Teaching split
| Provider | Weighting |
|---|---|
| Life Sciences | 80% |
| Warwick Medical School | 20% |
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 5 sessions of 2 hours 30 minutes (12%) |
| Seminars | 4 sessions of 2 hours 30 minutes (10%) |
| Project supervision | 2 sessions of 2 hours (4%) |
| Online learning (independent) | 2 sessions of 2 hours (4%) |
| Private study | 44 hours 30 minutes (44%) |
| Assessment | 25 hours (25%) |
| Total | 100 hours |
Private study description
Preparation for flipped classroom session, reading papers advertised as pre-reading for lectures and seminars, reading references and reviewing literature.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A3
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
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| Patient information sheet OR policy brief (student's choice), plus reflection on task. | 80% | 22 hours | Yes (extension) |
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You will research a novel pharmaceutical intervention for preventing or treating infection. You will then work individually to produce a one-page information sheet designed to inform either people with / at risk of this infection, or policymakers, about your chosen drug. You can choose the audience for your leaflet, which drug(s) you want to tell them about, and your motivation for making the leaflet. You will need to consider the science behind these molecules and their discovery, their clinical impact, the policy environment around their translation into clinical use, and the role of patient groups in affecting policy. Depending on the audience and motivation you choose for your leaflet, each student’s relative focus on these different considerations will vary. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Assessment component |
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| Reflection on information sheet or policy brief | 20% | 3 hours | No |
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You will write a short (1,000 - 1,500 word) reflection on the task explaining how you decided on the best way to present information to reach and engage your target audience. |
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Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Individual feedback via Tabula, plus cohort-level feedback on how the task was completed.
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