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Module

BMD2022 : Respiration and Digestion: Global challenges in Health and Disease. (Inactive)

  • Inactive for Year: 2025/26
  • Module Leader(s): Professor Christopher Ward
  • Co-Module Leader: Dr Alison Howard
  • Lecturer: Miss Catherine Sykes, Professor David Thwaites, Professor Jeffrey Pearson, Dr Michael Gray, Mr Amaran Krishnan, Dr Malcolm Brodlie, Professor Christopher Eggett, Mrs Helen Banks, Professor Robert Hirt
  • Visiting Lecturer: Dr Matthew Wilcox, Dr Peter Chater
  • Owning School: Biomedical, Nutritional and Sports Scien
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 2 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The aim of this module are to inform understanding of the integrated nature of the respiratory and digestive systems in human life including:

Healthy function

Adaptations in response to the environment and everyday challenges

What goes wrong in common and rare disease states

Outline Of Syllabus

Topics covered by this module include:

Normal anatomy, form and function of the gastrointestinal and respiratory (‘aerodigestive’) systems.

The integrated nature of the aerodigestive system including how these interact with other physiological systems (e.g. cardiovascular and neurological systems).

The role of the aerodigestive system in globally significant and rare diseases such as asthma, COPD, cystic fibrosis, lung transplant, Barret’s oesophagus and oesophagitis.

Research informed examples of how the above has driven revolutionary change in the development of new treatments and guidelines for human health.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture201:0020:00Mixture of didactic and flip classroom sessions
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical17:007:00Practical linked to part 1: students utilise protocols developed in part 1.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical13:003:00Practical part 1. Protocol development in student teams. Linked to practical part 2.
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesSmall group teaching31:003:00Discussion based seminar sessions
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops21:002:00Revision and preparation of assessment sessions
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study1651:00165:00Assessment preparation and completion, directed research and reading, reflective learning.
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures will form the basis of a student’s understanding of human respiratory and gastrointestinal systems and the significance of aerodigestive disease in human morbidity and mortality.



Seminars / Small group teaching will encourage contextualisation of taught material through discussion, Q&As, data interpretation and problem-solving.



Independent study will allow students to extend their knowledge and prepare for assessments through consolidation of module content, reading of books, journal articles and other recommended references.



Laboratory-based practicals will provide hands-on experience of principles of experimental design in human subjects including safe laboratory practice. Practical classes will enable students to consolidate knowledge and develop laboratory skills including recording and analysing biological data and performing scientific calculations.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Digital Examination1202A60Closed book Inspera invigilated exam of two parts (i) Digital invigilated MCQ, maximum 50 questions), (ii) Written. Two essays (30’ each), two titles to be chosen from four
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Practical/lab report2M40Group lab (n=3) report comprised of two sections. 1 x 800-word protocol ; 1 x 2000-word report on practical
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The two-part lab report will assess the student’s ability to design and plan experimental investigations, their understanding of the scientific process and ability to analyse and interpret experimental data. It will encourage learning of course materials, discussion and debate in the student teams and demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively. The lab report will demonstrate information literacy, the ability to write clearly and concisely, and skills in data presentation.



The end of module summative exam will promote revision of course material and assess student knowledge and understanding of the course material.

Reading Lists

Timetable