BMD3027 : Therapeutic Applications of Cell Signalling (Inactive)
- Inactive for Year: 2025/26
- Module Leader(s): Dr Christina Elliott
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Catherine Meplan, Professor Neil Perkins
- Lecturer: Professor Craig Robson
- 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 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The aims of this module are to:
Provide students with a thorough understanding of the molecular mechanisms underpinning key cell signalling pathways and how these contribute to both normal and pathological cell function.
Develop students’ understanding of how cell signalling pathways are studied both experimentally in the laboratory and through computer-based data analysis.
Demonstrate how the understanding of cell signalling can be leveraged in the development of novel therapies and clinical strategies in a wide range of disease contexts.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics covered by this module include:
1) The connection between cell signalling and disease and how scientists can leverage this knowledge for drug discovery/ repurposing.
2) Mechanisms of drug resistance, synthetic lethality, and signal pathway profiling.
3) Novel therapeutic modalities such as gene editing, tissue targeting using nanobodies and modulating protein turnover.
4) In silico analysis of cell signalling pathway data for target identification/ validation.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 70 | 1:00 | 70:00 | Assessment preparation and completion, including revision and extra reading for assessment. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 20 | 1:00 | 20:00 | Mix of interactive and didactic lectures |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 3 | 1:00 | 3:00 | Seminars on emerging technologies |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | Workshops to support lab session and assessment preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Computational lab session |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 50 | 1:00 | 50:00 | Updating lecture notes, with additional knowledge from wider reading and external sources. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 50 | 1:00 | 50:00 | Reflective learning. Writing up lecture notes and understanding core material provided. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures will provide students with core knowledge, relating to knowledge outcomes (K1-4). The seminars will encourage critical appraisal and application of core knowledge through discussion (S1). The in silico practical workshop will provide hands-on experience of a range of computational techniques (K5, S4-5). Independent study will allow students to extend their knowledge through reading of journal articles and other recommended references (K1-5, S3). Preparation for the assessments will be supported through a combination of taught workshops and guided independent study (K1-5, S1-5).
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | 40 | Individual report from the in-silico lab (1000 words) |
| Research proposal | 1 | M | 60 | Individual grant proposal (2000 words) |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The computational laboratory report will assess students’ writing and information literacy skills, as well as their ability to interpret and analyse experimental data. The grant proposal assessment is an authentic assessment that tests students’ ability to consolidate their understanding of a subject area, demonstrate critical thinking and reading in the subject area. The overall assessment strategy will provide evidence that all intended knowledge and skills learning outcomes have been met (K1-5, S1-5)
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- BMD3027's Timetable