| Unit name | Molecular and Cellular Bacteriology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | PANM33007 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Blocker |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
PANM22041 Infection and Immunity, PANM22042 Cellular & Molecular Pathology, MOLG22100 Recombinant DNA Technology MOLG22200 Gene Expression and Rearrangement. |
| Co-requisites |
3 from level 6/H lecture units and Research Skills unit. |
| School/department | School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine |
| Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
The increasing realisation that many species of bacteria are becoming resistant to all known antibiotics has fuelled considerable interest in the mechanisms of bacterial infections. Recent studies on bacterial pathogenesis have used the enormous advances made in the disciplines of molecular and eukaryotic cellular biology. As a result, a new discipline known as Cellular Bacteriology has emerged, which dissects how bacteria and eukaryotic cells interact during the process of infection and during colonisation by normal microflora.
The topic will introduce general concepts and illustrate the information by the use of selected examples of bacteria that have special niches (intracellular / extracellular) and that colonise distinct tissues (e.g. respiratory, enteric). The topic will also introduce new techniques that are being used to probe the interactions that occur between bacteria and their eukaryotic hosts. Finally, how the knowledge of cellular bacteriology together with advances in bacterial and human genome sequencing is being used in development of new anti-bacterial strategies will be discussed.
Lectures will be in weeks 5-8.
Aims:
The unit aims to explore a) the microbial strategies to colonise distinct niches of their host and the evolutionary counter-strategies of the host to confine the bacteria to places where they are least harmful; b) how some bacteria have evolved to overcome the widespread immune responses of the host and their ability to hijack molecular functions of eukaryotic cells to enter such cells during infection and perhaps also during colonisation; c) bacterial endo- and exo-toxins that have specific and profound effects on eukaryotic cells.
Knowledge and Understanding of the general conecpts of pathogen - host interactions. In particular the scientific literature pertaining to microbial strategies to colonise and infect the host, and to evade the immune response will be studied. Students will gain an ability to evaluate this literature critically.
Lectures, Data Handling Session.
Independent study: Students are expected to study the recommended literature.
Summative 3 hour written exam, to include 3 essays chose from 6.
Reviews and primary articles from the current scientific literature.
