FARMBIOS4860 – Advanced molecular and pharmaceutical microbiology
Course description
Course content
This is an advanced course which gives insight into selected topics in molecular and pharmaceutical microbiology with emphasis on molecular interactions. Topics include interactions between infectious agents and host cells, and infectious agents and antimicrobials, focusing on their impact and importance to human health. A theory-based course in microbial aspects of control of vaccines is included.?The course includes elements of infectious disease, infection epidemiology and antibiotic use in a One Health perspective. i.e. interaction between animals, humans and the environment.
Learning outcome
After completing the course you have:
- advanced knowledge about structure, pathogenesis, virulence factors, virulence mechanisms, and host-parasite interactions for a set of model pathogenic bacteria, virus and eukaryote microorganisms.
- advanced understanding of the mechanism of action of antibacterial and antiviral agents.
- advanced knowledge on the genetic factors that determine the virulence and resistance of microorganisms toward antimicrobial agents.
- advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms and cell biology related processes of infection.
- advanced skills in the critical evaluation of research publications (methods, interpretation of results, conclusions), achieved through the parts of the curriculum consisting of review- and original research articles.
- the?ability to communicate and argue around scientific questions, analyses and conclusions pertaining to the science within the field of infection biology, antimicrobial therapy and antimicrobial resistance, and the importance of these topics to human health, to specialists within the field.
Admission to the course
The course is primarily open to students who have been admitted to the Master`s Degree Programme in Pharmacy at the Department?of Pharmacy, and who have passed all courses up to and including FARM3130 – Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) and have all the compulsory parts?of FARM4100 – Personalised Drug Therapy, FARM4110 – Comprehensive Biopharmacy and Formulation Technology and FARM4120 – Drug Development approved or students who have been admitted to the Master`s Degree Programme in Bioscience at the Department?of Biosciences at UiO.
Students admitted at UiO must?apply for courses?in Studentweb.?
Pharmacy students need to contact the?study administration?at the Department of Pharmacy to apply for admittance to the course and exam.
If there is space available then others may also apply to take the course as long as their academic background is adequate. For more information on the procedure contact the?study administration?at the Department of Pharmacy.
For students with a pharmacy backround: Passed all courses up to and including FARM3130 – Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) and approved all compulsory parts of FARM4100 – Personalised Drug Therapy, FARM4110 – Comprehensive Biopharmacy and Formulation Technology and FARM4120 – Drug Development or equivalent academic background.
For students with a life science background: Completed a Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences or equivalent. Access to the course may be granted to other students (eg students from Erasmus or other exchange programs) upon personal application, by documented theoretical background in microbiology or molecular biology corresponding to the courses BIOS2900 – Molecular Biology (continued) and?BIOS3910 – Microbiology.
Nordic citizens and applicants residing in the Nordic countries may?apply to take this course as a single course student.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about?admission requirements and procedures for international applicants..
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with FRM-MBV4860 – Molecular and Pharmaceutical Microbiology (continued).
- 10 credits overlap with FRM-MBV9060 – Molecular and Pharmaceutical Microbiology (discontinued).
- 10 credits overlap with FRM-MBV5060 – Molecular and pharmaceutical microbiology (continued).
- 5 credits overlap with FRM5810 – Pharmaceutical microbiology (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with FRM9810 – Pharmaceutical microbiology (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with MBV4130 – The biology of the prokaryotes (discontinued).
- 5 credits overlap with MBV9130 – The biology of the prokaryotes (discontinued).
Teaching
- 20 - 21 lectures
- Compulsory course (one day) about vaccines
- 1 mandatory assignment involving accessing and evaluating scientific literature, and culminating in student group work to make a scientific poster to be presented to the other students, and to be evaluated by course instructors and/or other experts within the field of microbiology. ?
Compulsory participation in the course must be completed and compulsory submissions must be approved to pass the exam.
Read more about what applies in the event of absence from compulsory activities.
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Compulsory participation and approved assignments are valid for 3 years.
The course may be cancelled, if the number of enrolled students are low.
Examination
Final written exam, 4 hours, or oral exam depending on the number of students. Final exam?counts?100?% towards the finale grade.?The decisions on the form of the exam will be made around the middle of the semester.
This course has compulsory exercises that must be approved before you can sit the finale exam.
It will also be counted as one of the three attempts to sit the exam for this course, if you sit the exam for one of the following courses:
- FRM-MBV4860 – Molecular and Pharmaceutical Microbiology (continued)
- FRM-MBV9060 – Molecular and Pharmaceutical Microbiology (discontinued)
- FRM-MBV5060 – Molecular and pharmaceutical microbiology (continued)
Examination support material
You will be able to use the calculator in Inspera if the exam is written.
Casio FX-991EX calculators are handed out to all exam candidates at the beginning of the exam if the exam is oral.
Language of examination
The exam is given in English. You may write your examination paper in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F?is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
This course offers both postponed and resit of examination. Read more:
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.