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PM-138
Skills for being a Medical Scientist
The aim of this module is to provide students with an initial experience of what it is to be a modern medical scientist, from the initial experimental planning, to performing experiments within the laboratory with data acquisition and analysis and finally to the communication of scientific findings to a wider audience.
Students will develop basic skill sets in the four most important research skill areas of practical laboratory skills, data analysis, collaboration and communication. The module will be both theoretical and applied, where the student will be instructed in methods essential for data acquisition and data analyses but will also actively participate in the laboratory, using broadly applicable experimental techniques. In addition, students will learn about health and safety within a laboratory environment and the current ethics regulations surrounding the use of humans, human tissue and animals within medical research.
Furthermore, students will develop their communication skill sets not only through essay writing but also will develop their oral presentation skill set and their collaboration skills through a group presentation and tutorial classes.
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PM-148
Foundations of Community Medicine
Communities now play a key role in improving and sustaining good health and the delivery of care. Community Medicine is often considered synonymous with Preventative and Social Medicine (PSM), Public Health, and Community Health because of a shared concern with the prevention of disease and promotion of health and wellbeing. This module introduces students to the wide range of approaches encompassed within Community Medicine. These include preventative, promotive, curative and rehabilitative approaches aimed at improving population health through community-based health and care.
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PM-164
Genetics, Genomics & Evolution
The module will provide a foundation in genetics and evolution. Concepts such as DNA discovery, structure and replication, gene transcription and translation, mechanisms of gene transmission, genome organisation, epigenetic modifications and mutations will be covered with an appreciation of how these mechanisms have an impact on human disease and antibiotic resistance. The latter part of the module will start with the work of Plato, Cuvier, Lamarck, Wallace and Darwin and how they (and others) influenced the development of an evolutionary theory framework. Using this knowledge the module will then look at the processes involved in speciation and how they can be applied at both the gene and whole organismal level.
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PM-292
Molecular Evolution
The module aims to critically evaluate concepts and apply scientific methods pertaining to the study of molecular evolution, in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms.
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PM-292C
Esblygiad Moleciwlaidd
Mae'r modiwl yn anelu at werthuso'n feirniadol y cysyniadau a chymhwyso dulliau gwyddonol sy'n ymwneud â'r astudiaeth o esblygiad moleciwlaidd , mewn organebau procaryotig ac ewcaryotig.
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PM-317
Genetics of Cancer
This module extensively explores the molecular and genetic foundations underlying key aspects of cancer, including angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell signalling, DNA damage, molecular pathology, invasion and metastasis, inflammation, and the Warburg effect. Expert insights will be shared by a consultant gastroenterologist and a consultant pathologist during select lectures. This approach aims to offer students a well-rounded understanding that integrates academic knowledge, research insights, and practical clinical expertise.
Additionally, the module seeks to broaden students' perspectives by dedicating a final lecture to an individual who shares firsthand experiences of living with cancer. This unique session provides students with valuable insights into the human aspect of the disease, fostering empathy and a deeper appreciation of the patient's journey.
An appreciation for the way in which an individual¿s own genome can influence diagnosis, prognosis and treatment is also included.
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PM-344
Capstone Project
The aim of this module is to provide a capstone experience to students¿ learning, through participating in their own enquiry-based research project, with guidance from an academic supervisor. The project may be laboratory or non-laboratory based, but it will always involve a research question that is drawn from the literature, and focused on a topic relevant to the life sciences. It will ask a research question and involve the critical analysis of research findings. Students will refine their oral and written communication skills to a graduate level through an oral presentation and dissertation on their research findings and conclusions.
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PM-354
Cancer Pharmacology
Cancer remains a significant cause of mortality in the modern world. Current and emerging chemotherapies, and the rationale, experimental, and clinical evidence of the pathways or molecules targeted will be explored. Causes of treatment-related side effects, and the therapies used to address these, will be discussed along with the mechanisms that lead to anti-cancer drug resistance.
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PMGM16
Genomics of Common and Rare Inherited Disease
This module examines the clinical features and presentations of both common and rare inherited diseases, emphasising the transformative role of genomics in their understanding and management. It considers perspectives from researchers, clinicians, patients, and families to provide a comprehensive view of the impact of genetic insights. The module also examines traditional and modern approaches to gene discovery, highlighting key techniques and strategies used in the genetic analysis of inherited conditions.
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PMGM17
Research Dissertation
This module provides students with the opportunity to undertake an independent, substantive research project in a topic relevant to genomics. Working under the guidance of an academic supervisor, students will design and conduct a laboratory-based, computational, clinical, or literature-based study. The project will enable students to critically evaluate scientific literature, formulate a research question, develop and apply appropriate methodologies, and analyse and interpret findings. Outcomes will be communicated through a literature review, a research paper prepared in the style of a scientific journal article, and an oral presentation. The dissertation serves as the capstone of the MSc Genomic Medicine, allowing students to demonstrate advanced research competence, critical thinking, and professional skills in preparation for future academic or professional practice.
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PMGM23
Cancer Genomics
Through the lens of genomics, this module covers the molecular mechanisms that underlie cancer development, growth and metastasis, and the differences between different cancers. It will explore the different molecular and cellular actions of anti-cancer treatments, the genomic factors affecting response and resistance to treatment, and the research approaches to anti-cancer drug design and development. Broad situations which confer a high cancer risk to a person and/or to other members of the same family will be discussed in the context of how genomic information may be integrated into cancer screening programs. This module will also prepare the students to interrogate and interpret various cancer data sets.¿
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PMGM24
Application of Genomics in Infectious Disease
In this module the student will learn about the genomic structure of infectious agents, implication of acquisition or loss of nucleotides, genes and plasmids on pathogenicity, sensitivity of a pathogen to drug treatment and outbreak control. Students will learn about infection as a cause of national and global morbidity and mortality, transmission of human infections: person to person, food and water-borne, sexually transmitted, vector-borne, prokaryotes, their genome, replication and population genetics, genomic characterisation of viruses :DNA and RNA genomes, single- stranded, double stranded, segmented, genomic comparisons of microbial strains in the context of outbreaks and transmissions in hospitals and the community, laboratory diagnosis, including genomic techniques and technologies, and appropriate sample type, analysis and interpretation of genomic data, and the role of bioinformatics, anti-infective drug action, mutation rate and drug resistance, genomic evidence of individual susceptibility to specific infection and the role of genomics in: infectious disease diagnosis, drug selection, resistance, monitoring and epidemic control. The students will also learn how to perform aspects of in-silico analyses on microbial gene sequences, in a workshop setting.¿
