Undergraduate Course: Infection and Immunity 3 (BILG09023)
Course Outline
| School | School of Biological Sciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | Infection and Immunity 3 delves into the intricate world of host-pathogen interactions. The course focuses on the fundamental biological processes that underpin these interactions, from the viewpoint of both the host and the pathogen. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how pathogens evade the immune response and the virulence factors they employ. Further, practical workshops will complement the theoretical knowledge by exploring research culture,ethics, and essential experimental techniques used in infection and immunity research. Through hands-on experience with data analysis and scientific inquiry, students will develop critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. |
| Course description |
Infection and Immunity 3 offers a rigorous exploration of host-pathogen interactions, emphasising immune evasion mechanisms and pathogen virulence factors. The course delves into the underlying biological principles that govern these interactions rather than the clinical impact of disease. In the course, students will actively engage in workshops on topics critical in biological research; such as research ethics, the Three Rs principle, and managing conflicting data. Further, students will research a range of experimental techniques commonly used in the field, creating a Techniques Poster. This knowledge will be extended by analysing primary data, formulating hypotheses, and proposing new experiments by developing a Mini-data Report. Through these, students will develop critical thinking, communication, and teamwork skills. In summary, the course will use a synoptic approach that integrates infection biology and immunology, which will allow students to explore cutting-edge research in host-pathogen interactions.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | Students MUST also take:
Immunology 3 (BILG09007) AND
Pathogen Biology 3 (BILG09022)
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| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students must PASS Immunology 3 (BILG09007) AND Pathogen Biology 3 (BILG09022) during Semester 1. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: 49 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 10,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10,
Online Activities 5,
Summative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
169 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
60 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
ICA1 Group Techniques Poster (30%)
ICA2 Individual Data Report (30%)
Examination (40%) |
| Feedback |
Students will attend interactive teaching during which they will receive feedback from staff and their peers. Written assessments will receive written feedback. A formative quiz partway through the course will provide additional feedback. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | InI3 Exam | 120 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Research, synthesise and evaluate experimental approaches used in infection and immunity research.
- Analyse, interpret and present experimental data using appropriate statistical tests and visualisation techniques.
- Discuss the biological process involved in various host pathogen interactions, with a focus on how pathogens can escape the immune response.
- Discuss conflicting scientific viewpoints and generate well sourced arguments supported by scientific literature.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Knowledge and understanding: the lectures provide the framework to develop a comprehensive knowledge of core concepts in infection and immunity with a focus on host pathogen interactions,and of the approaches to investigate it. Most of the lecturing staff on the course run active research programmes and the material covered will often be based on lecturers research activities, providing cutting edge information and ideas.
Research and Enquiry: These skills are enhanced by encouraging further reading of books, research papers and electronic materials, to deepen knowledge and understanding of core concepts. They underpin the Techniques Poster (ICA1) and the Mini Data Report (ICA2). The students will investigate various experimental techniques, interrogate datasets and visualise their findings. Using this information students will also formulate further questions that follow up on the data analysis, providing real experience in hypothesis-driven analysis.
Personal and Intellectual Autonomy: The students will autonomously formulate a follow up experiment and with aims and hypotheses as part of the mini data report (ICA2). Writing of a data report will require students to use their scientific judgement, synthesise their own views and visualise data in an appropriate manner. They will also need to develop reasoned arguments to relate the data to the wider context. The tutorial sessions also provide an opportunity to apply their knowledge in a synoptic manner, and to build upon their research readiness through discussions around research ethics.
Communication: During the course students will develop written, oral and visual communication via creating of a poster, a mini data report and a final exam with a mix of long and short answer questions. Students will be encouraged to provide peer-feedback during the creation of their posters. This will help students develop communication skills to interact constructively with others, providing feedback respectfully and being able to consider and act upon feedback received. Interactions with lecturers and tutors throughout the course will provide further opportunities to develop communication and interpersonal skills.
Personal Effectiveness: Students will work on their personal effectiveness skills when organising their time to meet the deadlines of the course and when deciding how to communicate their results and ideas in the peer feedback session and poster presentation.
Technical Skills: Students will develop numeracy and data handling skills in the data analysis assignment, contributing to graduate employability. Critical observation, careful recording, investigation and interpretation, quantification and analysis are all skills that will be helpful for the Honours year and for future employment. |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
Lectures - there will be five core lectures.
Workshops - there will be four workshops.
Information sessions for each assessment, along with peer-feedback sessions. |
| Keywords | Infection,Immunity,Immunology |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Alan Hayes
Tel: (0131 6)50 5459
Email: ahayes3@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Karen Sutherland
Tel: (0131 6)51 3404
Email: Karen.Sutherland@ed.ac.uk |
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