Microbiology in Relation to Medicine

Covering a broad range of topics including bacteriology, virology and immunology, Microbiology provides a strong basis for almost any career in Medicine.

This course provides you with an opportunity to improve your scientific understanding and technical skills in relation to Microbiology, and to obtain an honours degree in a subject of relevance to your career in Medicine.

In addition to an individual research project on a Microbiological topic, you'll be given an introduction to Microbiology with the benefits of microorganisms being highlighted along with the problems that they cause. For example, the role of microorganisms in food production as well as food spoilage and food poisoning is explored. Emphasis is placed on acquisition of practical skills.

In the first semester, you'll be taught how to handle microorganisms and how to dispose of them safely. We then explore microorganisms in the natural environment, clinical samples and food. In the second semester, emphasis is on separating microorganisms from mixtures and identifying the isolates.

The material covered in the course will include coverage of topics in bacteriology, virology, and immunology.

The course provides:

• an opportunity for you to take a year out of your medical course for in-depth study of the medical aspects of Medical Microbiology, one of the key biosciences upon which medical science is based;
• a working knowledge of good microbiological practice;
• training in critical and practical skills (such as observation, analysis design, presentation, team co-operation);
• experience of a variety of teaching methods (lectures, laboratory practicals and computer-assisted learning packages);
• personal tutoring throughout the programme;
• individual supervised research projects;
• teaching that draws on the combined expertise of a large and highly rated research-active department and aims to take you to the 'cutting edge' of research developments and subject applications in medical areas of microbiology.

Research Project

A medical research project will be undertaken under the direct supervision of a member of the Academic Staff of the Faculty, and may involve guidance offered by post-doctoral scientists, graduate students and technicians as appropriate. Example topics include:

• Are bacteria suitable vectors for anti-cancer therapies?
• Is bacteriophage therapy a viable alternative to antibiotic therapy?
• Does the gut microbiota influence the development of disease and pre-disease states?
• The future of successful hepatitis C virus therapy requires direct acting antiviral regimens which do not include Telaprevir and Boceprevir
• Gonorrhoea with no cure
• Are men the forgotten victims of STIs.

Course structure

These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

Modules Year 1

Compulsory modules

• Cell Biology of Disease 10 credits
• Molecular Virology 10 credits
• Medical Microbiology Research Project 40 credits
• Advanced Topics in Microbiology 2 20 credits
• Skills for Microbiology in Relation to Medicine 40 credits

For more information on typical modules, read Microbiology in Relation to Medicine BSc in the course catalogue

Assessment

Teaching will be through lectures, practical classes, seminars, small group teaching, tutorials and a research project. Assessment is similarly varied, including in-course assessment (formative and summative) and written examinations. The in-course assessment exercises include tests of practical skills, essay writing, data manipulation and problem solving. The research project will be assessed throughout the project and on the final written report. Degree classifications will be based upon the marks obtained in each of the component modules, with the appropriate credit weighting applied.