ADVANCED MEDICAL AND VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY
MIC3AMM
2019
Credit points: 30
Subject outline
This subject deals with disease causation by viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic microbes. Each of these three components is designed to give students a better understanding of disease-causing microorganisms, their life cycles, how they 'hijack' and control their host cells in order to initiate infection, cause disease and replicate. The subject will cover a number of significant pathogens including influenza, HIV, Hepatitis, Helicobacter, Salmonella and Plasmodium spp, Trypanosome spp and Leishmania spp. as well as concepts of emerging pathogenic infections, how this occurs, and what we can do to stop them.
School: School of Life Sciences
Credit points: 30
Subject Co-ordinator: Steve Petrovski
Available to Study Abroad Students: Yes
Subject year level: Year Level 3 - UG
Exchange Students: Yes
Subject particulars
Subject rules
Prerequisites: (MIC2MI or AGR3AH) and MIC2MMV. Students admitted into SBMS must complete MIC2MMV.
Co-requisites: N/A
Incompatible subjects: N/A
Equivalent subjects: N/A
Special conditions: N/A
Graduate capabilities & intended learning outcomes
01. Apply concepts of molecular virology and bacterial pathogenesis to analyse and solve real world scenarios.
- Activities:
- Lectures provide details on molecular virology and bacterial pathogenesis concepts and a concurrent block of laboratory classes expose students to the structure and function of viruses and bacteria and methods of detection. Laboratory classes are specifically designed to give all students "hands on" experience at the bench as could be expected of working microbiologists. A final exam (3hrs) requires students to write short answer/essay style answers to scenario style questions involving viral and bacterial infections.
02. Apply concepts of molecular parasitology to analyse and solve real world scenarios.
- Activities:
- Lectures provide details on molecular pathogenesis concepts and concurrent blocks of laboratory classes expose students to features of disease causing parasites. A final exam (2hrs) requires students to write short answer/essay style answers to scenario style questions related to the cellular basis of human disease caused by key pathogenic parasites.
03. Use key microbiological techniques to manipulate microorganisims for experiments in the laboratory and record data and interpretation of the results.
- Activities:
- Students are instructed on new techniques in the laboratory setting and concepts from lectures are reinforced. Laboratory classes are specifically designed to give all students "hands on" experience at the bench as could be expected of working microbiologists. Early in semester (Microbiology fundamentals) provide students with practical experience in working in a microbiology laboratory. Analysis of the results in the molecular virology experiments is assessed by an online assessment task. After the completion of the bacterial pathogenesis section students will be assessed by a short answer test. The molecular parasitology section is assessed by group oral presentations to the practical class upon its completion.
04. Analyse and appraise related scientific manuscripts on a set microbiological topic with respect to the experimental approach, research data, and conclusions.
- Activities:
- At the beginning of semester students are given scientific articles and are provided with information on how to interpret the data. An online comprehension exercise is conducted early in the semester.
Melbourne, 2019, Semester 1, Day
Overview
Online enrolment: Yes
Maximum enrolment size: 150
Enrolment information: Quota due to limited lab space. Merit based quota an academic performance in first and second year.
Subject Instance Co-ordinator: Steve Petrovski
Class requirements
LectureWeek: 10 - 22
Four 1.0 hours lecture per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.
Laboratory ClassWeek: 10 - 22
Two 3.0 hours laboratory class per week on weekdays during the day from week 10 to week 22 and delivered via face-to-face.
Assessments
| Assessment element | Comments | % | ILO* |
|---|---|---|---|
| One 2-hour written examination (end of semester) (2,000-words equivalency) | 20 | 01, 02 | |
| One 3-hour written examination (end of semester) (3,000-words equivalency) | 40 | 01, 02 | |
| Scientific online comprehension exercise (1,000-words equivalency) | 10 | 04 | |
| Molecular virology - Online assessment quiz (500-words equivalency) | 10 | 01, 03 | |
| Workbook (500-words equivalency) | 10 | 01, 03 | |
| Group oral presentations (500-words) | 10 | 02, 03 |