Aims

To provide an understanding at the molecular level of (1) aspects of the normal physiology and diseases of the aerodigestive tract and (2) connective tissue and proteoglycans in health and disease.

To provide a knowledge of how reflux of gastric juice, a normal physiological event can under certain conditions lead to damage of the aerodigestive tract.

This strand will also aim to give you an excellent understanding at a molecular level of structure function relationships involving proteoglycans e.g. connective tissue function and how this changes in disease.

Students will learn about: the relationships between acid and pepsin production by the stomach, reflux and diseases of the aerodigestive tract, such as GORD, LPR, sinusitis, rhinitis, asthma and OME. In addition the will see and discuss the experimental evidence for a link between the reflux of gastric juice and lung transplant rejection and the molecular mechanisms for the development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome. As a second molecular theme the students will learn about structure and functions of cartilage and the proteoglycans there contained and the changes that occur in osteoarthritis. They will also learn about the cellular functions of proteoglycans in other tissues. A mixture of formal lectures, seminars and laboratory practical sessions, study group sessions, and student-led study groups will be used.

Outline Of Syllabus

Themes:
Pepsin isoenzymes and acid as inflammatory mediators, mucosal protection of different mucosal types.
Human diseases related to reflux.
Connective tissues/proteoglycans
Osteoarthritis
Functions of proteoglycans and related diseases

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures convey the core scientific material. Practicals provide laboratory experience and practical demonstrations to support the core material, provide experience in computer-based presentation skills, and support the core material by placing basic scientific knowledge in a clinical context. Seminars provide opportunity for discussion and aid the development of critical skills and problem solving. Individual study topic encourages use of the scientific literature at a deeper level than that presented in lectures, promotes individual creative work, provides an opportunity to teach and learn through collective study, and promotes scientific discrimination of the literature.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The examination is appropriate way of testing core knowledge and understanding of the subject under time-constraint conditions. The practice essay promotes revision and provides an opportunity to consolidate knowledge and identify areas of weakness in learning and teaching. The practical report and abstract analysis exercise test critical skills, problem solving and data interpretation. The group study topic assesses a range of skills including teaching, data interpretation, computer-based presentational skills, written communication skills, and promotes deeper learning, and scientific discrimination of the literature, and encourages group discussion and constructive criticism of scientific work.