A two-semester practical module that underpins the content of the lecture modules Cells & their Molecules and Organisms & Disease in Semesters 1 and 2 by practical experience, lectures and workshops.

In laboratory sessions you'll learn generic laboratory skills to help build core skills in biological chemistry (biochemistry, immunology, pharmacology), microscopy, microbiology and physiology.

Workshops and lectures also cover the statistics and calculations that underpin biomedical research, and you'll learn to write abstracts and design a research poster using your own findings.

This module introduces the cell as the basic unit of life. It covers the structure and function of cells, both generic and specialised, and the molecules inside them that drive their activity and their dysfunction. You will study how DNA carries coding information, how cells generate and distribute energy, how protein regulation governs cellular activity, how signals pass from the membrane to the nucleus when a cell responds to an external stimulus, and how the control of cell division underpins health and disease.

This module will strengthen the awareness of nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates and natural products at the molecular level, with special emphasis on demonstrating how fundamentals of organic chemistry lead to a precise understanding of the origins of biomolecular shapes, interactivity and mechanism. By the end of the module, it is intended that, for example, students will be able to associate names of amino acids with their molecular structures, functional group chemistry and stereochemical impact on protein shape.

This module introduces the biology of whole organisms. It covers evolution and the diversity of life, how organisms develop from a single fertilised cell, and how they interact with and respond to their environment. You will study the main types of infectious agent, how they invade the body and how the immune system responds, and the organisation of mammalian organ systems and how their dysfunction leads to disease.

A year-long practical module that develops laboratory, analytical and professional skills required by each discipline. You’ll gain hands-on experience in biochemistry, immunology, microbiology and pharmacology, supported by practical competency checks. Workshops cover statistics, ethics, data analysis and presentation skills, alongside student-led sessions exploring science in the media, technology and society.

This module introduces the fundamental concepts of immunology. You will study the anatomy of the immune system and the cells within it, the difference between innate and adaptive immunity, and how immune cells recognise antigens. You will look at humoral and cell-mediated responses, how the body responds to bacteria, parasites and viruses, and how B and T cells are activated. The module also covers immune tolerance, and what happens when responses become harmful, in autoimmunity, immunodeficiency, allergy and hypersensitivity.

This module covers the fundamentals of biochemistry and cell biology across five themes. You will study how genes are expressed and how that control fails in disease, and how human genetic variation is used in medicine and forensics. You will look at the structure and function of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates and how proteins work as enzymes, how cells obtain energy and how metabolic pathways are regulated in health and disease, and the pathways that control cell growth and death.

This module introduces how drugs act on the body and what the body does to drugs. You will study the principles of drug and receptor interaction and four main targets drugs act on: receptors, enzymes, ion channels and transporter proteins. You will cover introductory principles of toxicology, including exposure, dose and mechanisms of toxicity; the pharmacology of the autonomic nervous system and the heart; and of the central nervous system. The module ends with pharmacokinetics, how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and eliminated, and the role of the pharmacologist in developing new medicines.

This module introduces the fundamental concepts of microbiology and the ways microorganisms shape human, animal and planetary health. You will study how microbes are classified and how they differ from one another, their roles in health and disease, and how infection is controlled at both individual and population level. The module also covers the part microorganisms play in climate regulation and ecosystem function, how they adapt to hostile environments, and how they can be harnessed for biotechnology in medicine, industry and sustainable manufacturing.

A year-long practical module that develops your technique in the subjects you've chosen. You'll take the laboratory blocks matching your degree (biochemistry, biomedical science, immunology, microbiology or pharmacology) across twenty three-hour sessions, each with a competency check. Workshops prepare you for the laboratory work and take you through the analysis afterwards, alongside sessions on skills that apply across every discipline.

This module covers the biochemical processes that underlie disease. You'll study the cellular signalling pathways that convert a stimulus into a cellular response, and how proteins, membranes and organelles are trafficked and secreted. The module covers molecular processes that underpin health and disease, including ageing and cellular toxicity, and the genomic basis of human disorders and how genetic testing is used. You'll also learn about the part biochemistry plays in drug discovery and development, and the effects of drugs and pollutants in the environment.

This module introduces the fundamental principles of immunology, exploring how the immune system recognises, responds to, and remembers pathogens. Students will develop an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying innate and adaptive immune responses, immune regulation, and host defence. The module also introduces experimental approaches used to investigate immune function and incorporates skills workshops to develop scientific communication, critical analysis, and data interpretation, preparing students for further study and careers in the biological and biomedical sciences.

This module covers the major macromolecules of the cell, with an emphasis on proteins. You'll study how proteins are purified, detected and analysed, how they fold, how they are modified and broken down, and how they work as enzymes, including catalysis, kinetics and regulation. The module also covers protein structure analysis and the relationship between a protein's structure and its function, protein-protein interactions and their interaction with DNA, lipids and carbohydrates.

This module covers the molecular and cellular processes that govern how microorganisms grow, evolve, and behave, in processes fundamental to human health and wellbeing. You will study microbial genomics and how genomic technologies reveal microbial function, adaptation and diversity, and the mechanisms driving microbial evolution and antimicrobial resistance. The module covers microbial growth, survival and control, including how growth and killing are modelled and predicted in clinical, industrial and environmental settings. You will also study how gene regulation and metabolism integrate environmental signals with cellular form and function, and how microorganisms interact with one another in communities.

This module covers how microbial pathogens cause disease in humans, and how they can be identified and controlled. You will study the classification and identification of clinically important bacteria, viruses and fungi, their structure and growth, the molecular mechanisms by which they cause disease, and their epidemiology, treatment and control. Pathogens are grouped by the site of infection, so you can compare how very different organisms establish disease.

The module is intended to integrate various molecular and cellular interactions of the immune system into an understanding of how the processes relate to clinical immunology.

This module covers how drugs how drugs produce effects in the body, from their interaction with biological targets to the responses they generate in cells, tissues and organ systems. You'll study how drug action is measured and quantified, how different signalling mechanisms shape a response, and how factors such as potency, efficacy and selectivity influence therapeutic and unwanted effects.

The module also introduces the major classes of drug targets, including receptors, enzymes, ion channels and transporters, together with examples of the medicines that act on them. Tutorials develop the scientific writing and data interpretation skills used throughout the rest of the degree.

This module covers the pathophysiology of major human diseases and the drugs used to treat them. You will study the mechanisms of the principal drug classes, how the underlying biology of a disease determines the molecular targets a treatment exploits, and how novel and targeted therapies compare with established ones. Workshops develop your ability to evaluate pharmacological evidence and reasoning in a clinical context.

The aims of this module are to:

• introduce haematology & immunohaematology
• familiarise you with the intermediate concepts of the immune system & aspects of clinical & laboratory practice
• this will include material delivered by the Scottish Blood Transfusion service

This class will explore the theoretical underpinnings of education: its nature and purpose, its ethical and political significance in terms of social justice, equality and the environment, and the expression of these ideas in policy and legislation.

Professional Learning through Enquiry aims to develop students as enquiring, self-reflective practitioners who are able to work collaboratively to develop skills, knowledge and expertise in an area of professional practice that will benefit children and young people throughout Scotland and beyond.

The class will provide active and collaborative opportunities for students to explore how to plan discrete, integrated, and interdisciplinary curricular learning with a particular focus on the teaching of biology and general science.

This module aims to provide you an opportunity to engage with your peers and learners of STEM in a variety of situations on and off campus. This will give you a real-life context in which you can relate your ideas learned in your biology curriculum and pedagogy classes.

This module aims to provide opportunities to engage with issues related to teaching and learning in a STEM context. Placement in a community or educational environment will run concurrently with on campus seminars focused on the your subject speciality. Your experiences will include lesson planning, creating appropriate materials, differentiation and assessment procedures.