- Student Records
Programme & Unit Catalogues


BB20203: Microbial interactions with their host and environments

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2014/5
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Biology & Biochemistry
Further information on credits Credits: 6
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period: Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 20%, EX 80%
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Coursework (CW 20%)
  • Examination (EX 80%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Further information on descriptions Description: Aims:
To provide the students with a foundation of knowledge on how diverse microbial life forms interact with their host and the environments in which they live.

Learning Outcomes:
After taking this course the student should be able to:
* Explain the human immune system and how it protects us from infection;
* Describe pathogenic strategies used by microbes to evade immunity;
* Explain symbiotic relationships between microbes and hosts;
* Understand extremophiles and the environments in which they live;
* Describe population genetics of microbes and how it helps us understand their evolution.

Skills:
Learning and studying T/F/A, Written communication T/F/A, Laboratory skills T/F, Information technology T/F, Information handling & retrieval T/F/A, Working independently T/F.

Content:
This Unit will examine the major groups of microorganisms: i.e. bacteria, viruses, yeast, fungi, archaea and protozoa. Following a general introduction to human immunity it will take a case by case study of important microbes and examine who they interact with their environments (eg Neisseria meningitidis, HIV, Influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Wolbacchia) It will examine how they interact with the world around them and will cover all aspects of these interactions: pathogenicity, immune evasion, symbiosis, endosymbionts, metagenomics and population structure.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

BB20203 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Biology & Biochemistry
  • USBB-AFB02 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry (Year 2)
  • USBB-AKB06 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry with Professional Placement (Year 2)
  • USBB-AFB03 : BSc(Hons) Biology (Year 2)
  • USBB-AKB07 : BSc(Hons) Biology with Professional Placement (Year 2)
  • RSBB-AFM16 : Integrated PhD in Postgenomic Biosciences (Molecular Microbiology)
  • USBB-AFB05 : BSc(Hons) Molecular and Cellular Biology (Year 2)
  • USBB-AKB08 : BSc(Hons) Molecular and Cellular Biology with Professional Placement (Year 2)
  • TSBB-AFM16 : MRes Molecular Microbiology
  • TSBB-AFM10 : MSc Molecular Microbiology
Programmes in Natural Sciences
  • UXXX-AFM01 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Year 3)
  • UXXX-AKM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences with Professional Placement (Year 4)
  • UXXX-AAM02 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences with Study year abroad (Year 4)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2014/15 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2015/16 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2014/15.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, in accordance with normal University procedures.
* Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.