01. Discuss key principles and give examples describing our current understanding of human infection and immunity, aging, and cancer biology.

Activities:

Quizzes are given in lectures as formative assessment of content knowledge. Case Studies (see ILO 6) Written Examination questions Practical exercises and assessments

02. Apply these principles to understand and explain new examples or clinical/research cases.

Activities:

Practical exercises will require the application of discipline specific knowledge as will the discussion of cases for the case study assesments (see ILO6). Written examination questions require some application of knowledge in some instances.

03. Recognise the importance of the scientific method and robust experimental design to critically evaluate published material and analyse data generated in practical classes.

Activities:

The "skills" series of classes will discuss these principles in regard to interpreting reliability of published data with particular emphasis on clinical trial data and issues to consider when interpreting meta-analyses when experimental design & protocol varies between studies. These principles will also be discussed with relation to the experimental exercises - in some instances students will be asked to chose appropriate controls for their experiments.

04. Conduct laboratory experiments in a safe and professional manner following written protocols and record data obtained accurately.

Activities:

Experimental exercise during practical sessions, working co-operatively in small groups in a laboratory setting.

05. Analyse, interpret and report on both published experimental data and data generated during experimental classes.

Activities:

Exercises designed to develop these skills, asking questions about published material. Written reports on experimental exercises.

06. Summarise knowledge of disease-related topics with application to a specific 'case' supported by evidence obtained from primary information sources.

Activities:

Case Study sessions are used for guided study and group discussion of the case in light of current knowledge. Students then research the topic further and write a fully referenced report on the assigned case topic.

07. Discuss ethical issue in biomedical science by evaluating their complex nature and the difference between objective and subjective reasoning.

Activities:

Current topics in the biomedical ethical literature are discussed in class as is an awareness of individual bias and subjective versus objective arguments. Students are then assigned a topic and a team to prepare a 'staged' debate where they examine both sides of the argument and present this to the class.