Course unit details:
Molecular Diagnostics
| Unit code | MEDN68631 |
|---|---|
| Credit rating | 15 |
| Unit level | FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree |
| Teaching period(s) | Semester 2 |
| Offered by | |
| Available as a free choice unit? | No |
Overview
The Molecular Diagnostics Unit is designed to introduce students to the range of molecular technologies available for laboratory diagnosis and management of infections. The unit will be delivered as a continuous three-week block.
Subjects covered will include:
- Amplification-based techniques; design, practice and application
- Traditional and developing sequencing technology
- Molecular typing
- Bioinformatics
- Molecular approaches to diagnosis and management of infection
Aims
- To enable understanding of the principles of a range of molecular techniques as applied to medical microbiology and learn to apply this methodology for diagnostic and research purposes.
- To introduce students to some of the recent advances in molecular diagnostics including real-time PCR and nucelic acid sequence based approaches.
- To enable the student to have an understanding of the impact of molecular techniques in the clinical diagnostic laboratory, the range of techniques available, how they are effectively implemented and how they are applied to inform on clinical management.
- To help students to become more familiar with some of the core techniques used in bioinformatics analyses including data retrieval from web resources, sequence alignment, phylogenetic analyses and other DNA and protein sequence analyses.
Teaching and learning methods
Assessment methods
| Method | Weight |
|---|---|
| Other | 40% |
| Written assignment (inc essay) | 60% |
In-unit assessment
Feedback methods
- Feedback on assignments will be given in accordance with University guidelines.
- Informal feedback on a one-one basis in practical sessions.
- Verbal feedback in seminar/tutorial sessions.
- Formal feedback at the end of the unit from students.
Study hours
| Scheduled activity hours | |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 10 |
| Practical classes & workshops | 38 |
| Seminars | 4 |
| Independent study hours | |
|---|---|
| Independent study | 98 |
Teaching staff
| Staff member | Role |
|---|---|
| Moustafa Alissa Alkhalaf | Unit coordinator |
Additional notes
These figures are for guidance only and the number of hours may vary. Independent study may include among others: directed learning, group work, preparation for sessions, follow-up work, PBL and completion of assessment tasks.