Advanced Medical Microbiology

Course manual 2017/2018

Course content

The course will be divided in periods with separate themes covered, usually with lectures grouped around a theme on one or several days. Themes include essential elements of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, with subjects such as virulence mechanisms, regulation of gene expression, immune escape, antibiotic resistance, novel antimicrobials, infections of biomedical devices, microbiomics in health and disease, viral infections including emerging virusses, Ebola, Dengue, Chikungunya, and HIV, host response-prevention-treatment, and parasitic infections-global health.The lectures will be supported by recent reviews or key publications selected by the teachers.

The purpose of the course Advanced Medical Microbiology is to provide the student with detailed insight into pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of important infectious diseases, and contemporary issues and novel developments in the field of Medical Microbiology. As the (re-)emergence of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance development are a global problem, the course will also address the Global Health aspects of infectious diseases. The knowledge acquired during the lectures will be essential in performing the assignments at a satisfactory level, in which the students will show their advancements in presentations, writing, and discussion.

Study materials

Literature

• Handouts of articles, pdfs on Blackboard

Other

• Presentations on Blackboard

Objectives

After the course, the student should be able to:

• memorize, summarize and interpret knowledge on pathogenesis, prevention and treatment of microbial infections, and the host response (lecture; progress exams).
• summarize, analyse, and compose a critical written editorial/position paper on a virology subject (Assignment 1).
• identify important elements in vaccine development, to combine arguments pro-and con, and to defend a position in the vaccine discussion (Assignment 2).
• summarize literature on a subject of current interest in medical microbiology, and to write a report and a present orally,  in a group assignment (Assignment 3).

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Writing of Editorial/Perspective paper 17%
• Presentation/symposium
• Self-study
• Working independently on e.g. a project or thesis
• Seminar
• Team Based Learning
• Supervision/feedback meeting

• Lecture sessions 33%
• Reading Articles, preparing presentation 25%
• Presentations by students + discussion 8%
• Writing of Editorial/Perspective paper 17%
• Study time / exam 17%

Learning activities

Attendance

The programme does not have requirements concerning attendance (OER-B).

Additional requirements for this course:

Attendance is strongly recommended for all course elements. Particularly team-based learning (Assignment 2) and group presentations (Assignment 3) require students to be present.

Assessment

Inspection of assessed work

The date, time and location of the inspection moment are in the DataNose timetable.

The correct answers to the progress exams are discussed plenarily directly after the exams or on one of the following days.
For inspection of other assignments, please contact coordinator.

Assignments

Presentation and report (3)

• A group review of literature on a "State of the Art" subject in Medical Microbiology, resulting in a presentation and a report.

Perspective Paper (1)

• A critical opinion paper on a contemporary virology subject.

Team-based Learning assignment (2)

• A team-based learning assignment on the subject of vaccin-development involving opinions and debate on vaccine quality, cost-benefit, industrial involvement, societal acceptance in view of costs and risk/benefit considerations.

Onderstaande opdrachten komen aan bod in deze cursus:

•    Naam opdracht 1 : beschrijving 2
•    Naam opdracht 2 : beschrijving 1
•    ....

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.uva.nl/plagiarism

Course structure

Timetable

The schedule for this course is published on DataNose.

Additional information

Location: AMC

A basic knowledge of Medical Microbiology such as taught in the course "Medische Microbiology" of the Bachelor Biomedische Wetenschappen of the FNWI, or similar course elsewhere is required.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. S.A.J. Zaat