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LSC-20111 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

For academic year: 2025/26 Last Updated: 04 December 2025

LSC-20111 - Defence and Disease
Coordinator: Douglas Fraser-Pitt
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 5
Credits: 30
Study Hours: 300
School Office: 01782 734414

Programme/Approved Electives for 2025/26

None

Available as a Free Standing Elective

No

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

None

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2025/26

In this module, you will study how the immune system works under physiological and pathological conditions, including infectious disease, vaccination, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune and inflammatory pathologies, including current and proposed treatment strategies.
Tutorials and workshops will include active group discussion sessions using case studies and real-world scenarios to support the core module content, with guided private study. The laboratory report in the module will be based on sessions delivered in LSC-20107 (Practical Skills in Bioscience) and supporting tutorials in this module, where you will develop a more independent, enquiry-based approach, developing skills in experimental design in the form of a mini-project, and further developing skills in the evaluation of primary scientific literature.

Aims
To understand how defects in the immune system can lead to disease.
To understand the role and mechanism of action of a range of anti-infectives, vaccinations and immunosuppressants in the treatment and control of infections and diseases of the immune system.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Evaluate, interpret and communicate laboratory-specific scientific data relating to identifying and quantifying antibacterial activity: 1
Describe complex interactions between microbes and the immune system: 2,3
Explain immunopathology and immunodeficiency including the effects on human health and disease: 3
Describe the mode of action and treatment regimen for a range of anti-infectives: 1,2,3
Discuss the role of vaccines in the prevention and control of disease: 3
Compare the mode of action of drugs that target the immune system: 2
Acquire, analyse, appraise, summarise and present information from a range of scientific sources: 1,3

Study hours

1 x 1 hour introduction to the module
1 x 2 hour tutorial for the case study assessment
1 x 2 hour mock class test
4 x 2 hours of IT workshops and tutorial content related to the report assessment
8 x 2 hour tutorials/workshops applying the asynchronous content to case studies and real-world scenarios
8 x 5 hours engagement with asynchronous content preparing for tutorials
2 hours examination
85 hours of independent study; preparation for in-course assessment (case studies)
84 hours of independent study; examination preparation/revision and engaging with directed reading
60 hours of independent study; writing the lab report

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Laboratory Report weighted 30%
Laboratory report (2000 words)
2000 word laboratory report, written on an individual basis, based on experimental data collected in laboratory sessions associated with LSC-20107, supported by tutorial sessions for data analysis.

2: Exam weighted 30%
Exam (1 hour active working with a 2 hour assessment window).
The unseen exam will consist of multiple-choice and short-answer questions assessing lecture-based material. While the exam is designed to take approximately 1 hour, all students will be allocated 2 hours to ensure an inclusive and accessible assessment experience. Students will be permitted to take a double-sided A4 memory prompt of notes with them to the exam.

3: Report weighted 40%
Case studies in medicine and research
Students will be given a choice of four case studies related to either medical microbiology or microbiology research related to health and disease. They may be required to write a detailed account of the immunopathology of infection with a specific pathogen or describe anti-infective treatment options for an individual with an infection. They may also have to address specific research questions related to the study of disease-causing microorganisms. They may be asked to discuss preventative treatment, medical interventions/drugs, contraindications, side effects and monitoring required. This assessment has a word limit of 2500 not including figures and tables.

The University undertakes a continuous review of its teaching and research provision to ensure programmes are of a high quality and changes may be made to modules where it is necessary and reasonable to do so. Please be aware that minor changes to modules, such as a change to an individual assessment, can occur up until enrolment, although we endeavour to give you as much notice as possible of any changes. Details about the circumstance in which changes are made to programmes can be found in the Student Agreement, available at: https://www.keele.ac.uk/legalgovernancecompliance/governance/actcharterstatutesordinancesandregulations/studenttermsconditions/

Last Updated: 04 December 2025