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 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.

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 pharmacology through the drugs people actually take. It covers medicines used in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, inflammatory disease, peptic ulcer, pain, cancer and mental health, and the mechanisms by which each produces its effect, alongside complementary, herbal and traditional medicines.

You'll also study the health risks of commonly abused drugs such as tobacco, alcohol, heroin, cocaine and hallucinogens, the controversies surrounding drug testing in animals and humans, and the use of banned substances in sport.

After completion of the module you will be able to:

• understand basic physiology and how drugs work affect this.
• understand fundamental aspects of pharmacology and how drugs are tested in experimental models and man.
• have a knowledge of drug discovery from a historical and modern perspective.
• understand how drug delivery and distribution affects the effectiveness of drugs.
• have a knowledge that drug development is not always associated with treatment of 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 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 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 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.

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.

BSc Joint Honours Degrees

• BSc Hons Biochemistry & Immunology
• BSc Hons Biochemistry & Microbiology
• BSc Hons Biochemistry & Pharmacology
• BSc Hons Immunology & Microbiology
• BSc Hons Immunology & Pharmacology
• BSc Hons Microbiology & Pharmacology

BSc Honours Degrees

• BSc Hons Biomedical Science

MSci Degrees

• MSci Biochemistry
• MSci Immunology
• MSci Microbiology
• MSci Pharmacology