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LSC-30110 - Module Specification
School of Life Sciences
Faculty of Natural Sciences

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

LSC-30110 - Structural Immunology
Coordinator: Trevor Greenhough Room: HUX202 Tel: +44 1782 7 33405
Lecture Time: See Timetable...
Level: Level 6
Credits: 15
Study Hours: 150
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

Advances in biotechnology, biology and biomedicine, and their impact on the quality of life, the economy, medicine and health care increasingly depend on the application of structural biology which provides detailed three-dimensional structural information at the atomic level of the proteins and macromolecular complexes which are central to all life processes. An important aspect of health and well-being in all forms of life is the ability to prevent, resist, fight and recover from infection and disease and much of the module concentrates on the molecular mechanisms which are central to immune responses and disease through an in-depth analysis of how proteins, enzymes and viruses recognise and bind their targets, and how detailed structural information may be used to intervene in or enhance these processes.

Aims
The aims of this module are to show how our knowledge and understanding of the molecular basis of immune system function and disease are enhanced and underpinned by detailed structural information and to develop advanced skills in the evaluation of published scientific literature.

Intended Learning Outcomes

describe and critically discuss examples of the contribution of structural information to our understanding of the molecular basis of immune system function and disease: 2
analyse and discuss in detail structures involved in immune system function and disease including some or all of: recognition in innate immunity, cell signalling, virus architecture and pathogenicity, structure and function in adaptive immunity, cell cycle regulation.: 1,2
describe and critically discuss examples of the contribution of structural information to our understanding of the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions and to the structure-based design of therapeutic agents: 2
search for, select and retrieve information from the scientific literature: 1,2
abstract, synthesise, integrate and critically evaluate information from the scientific databases and literature: 1

Study hours

IN-SITU LEARNING ACTIVITIES:
14 Hours Live sessions (demonstrations, seminars, tutorials, discussions)
ASYNCHRONOUS DIRECTED LEARNING:
12 x 6 hours hours engagement with asynchronous content
INDEPENDENT STUDY and ASSESSMENT:
32 Hours research and completion of in-course report (Assessment 1)
32 Hours research and completion of Coursework assessment (Assessment 2)

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment

1: Report weighted 50%
Report 1500-2000 words
Early in the module students are given the reference of a published scientific paper in structural biology. They are expected to write a short summary of its major findings. Students then locate other published papers in the same scientific field, choose 5 of these to study, and discuss briefly how each of these relates scientifically to each other and to the original article. Based on the available objective evidence, such as the number of citations of each paper, the impact factor of the journals and other relevant data, students then estimate and discuss the relative importance and impact in the field of both the original paper and the 5 additional papers. The completed report is to be submitted via the KLE (Turnitin).

2: Essay weighted 50%
Essay - one 1500 word essay from a choice of two
Two essay titles will be released on the KLE towards the end of semester 1. Students will be required to submit one 1500 essay from the choice of two through Turnitin before 1pm on a date in the Semester 1 assessment period. The essay titles will both reflect the core module content but at a higher level which demands integration and analysis of different course topics with additional input from the literature.

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