Unit information: Neurodegeneration and Ophthalmic Disorders in 2023/24

Unit name	Neurodegeneration and Ophthalmic Disorders
Unit code	CSSBM1012
Credit points	20
Level of study	M/7
Teaching block(s)	Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52)
Unit director	Dr. Cordero Llana
Open unit status	Not open
Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units)	None
Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units)	None
Units you may not take alongside this one	none
School/department	Bristol Medical School
Faculty	Faculty of Health Sciences

Unit Information

The aim of this unit is to introduce neurodegenrative disorders and how stem cells & regenerative medicine approaches are being developed as therapies for these. Content will cover basic science, such as producing specific types of neural cell from stem cells in vitro to the endogenous response to CNS injury through to pre-clinical and clinical applications.

This unit will describe: 1) The pathology of Stroke, Parkinson's, Huntington's and degenerative eye diseases. 2) Neural differentiation of stem cells in vitro and in vivo. 3) Basic research in models of these diseases. 4) Current clinical status or these therapies.

Your learning on this unit

Students successfully completing this module will:

• Evaluate the potential of different types of stem cells in the treatment of neurodegenerative and ophthalmic disorders
• Be able to describe the endogenous brain response to neurodegeneration and evaluate how this could be harnessed towards treatments.
• Appraise current pre-clinical and clinical stem cell and regenerative therapies.
• Be able to describe common techniques to investigate gene and protein expression
• Appraise ways in which gene and protein expression can be manipulated in the central nervous system.
• Be able to integrate current understanding of cellular pathways in the central nervous system and how this may benefit the development of new treatments.
• Be able to critically analyse data and present findings

How you will learn

• Web-based audio lectures and practicals.
• Self-directed study
• Online synchronous discussions

How you will be assessed

Summative Assessment:

• 1x scientific poster contributing 25 % to Unit.
• 1x essay (1500 words) contributing 35% to the Unit
• 1x end of unit timed assessment which will occur at the end of the academic year and contribute 40% to the Unit.

Formative assessment:

• Sets of multiple choice questions (MCQs) to support students engagement with the asynchronous materials.

Online synchronous sessions will provide support through the Unit including for coursework tasks. Students will be given formative feedback on all written assessments completed during the Unit to aid their learning.

The pass-mark for the unit is 50%.

Resources

If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.

If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. CSSBM1012).

How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks, independent learning and assessment activity.

See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.

Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit. The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.