Mechanisms of Human Disease 531-301
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Coordinators
Dr Margaret Ayers - m.ayers@unimelb.edu.au
Dr John Underwood - johnru@unimelb.edu.au
Credit Points: 12.5
Description
This subject extends the concepts and examination of disease commenced in the second year subject ‘Exploring Human Disease’, with a focus on the following areas: cellular and molecular aspects of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, a detailed analysis of the linkage between the acute inflammatory response and the innate and adaptive immune systems using immunodeficiency diseases as a model, immune-mediated disease, the effect of injury on the gastro-intestinal, renal and central nervous systems, genetic disorders, developmental and degenerative diseases and cancer.
Subect Objectives
On completion of this subject students should have:
- extended and deepened their understanding of the fundamental concepts involved in Pathology, begun in second year.
- developed an understanding of the cellular and molecular bases of a variety of disease processes and their relationship to normal cellular and molecular structure and function.
- considered both theoretical and practical ways in which research questions about these disease processes are formulated and investigated.
Generic Skills
At the end of this subject students should have developed the following skills:
- the ability to understand and link complex overlapping and related ideas
- the ability to source, organise, read and understand reference material which covers a wide range of related and diverse topics about disease
- the ability to ask questions about complex processes which are currently under active investigation.
Contact Hours
Contact hours: 36 hours (3 lectures per week)
Estimated total time commitment: 120 hours (10 hours per week)Assessment
Two multiple choice question tests (20%) each
One 3 hour written examination (60%).
Recommended Texts
Kumar V. et. al., Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, latest edition, Saunders Elsevier.