Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Microbiology
Teaching staff
Students may ask lecturers questions at the end of each class. For enquiries outside of class time, students must make an appointment by email:
Professors:
Responsible: Javier Jimenez (jjimenez@uic.es)
Others:
Núria Prim: nprim@uic.es
Joan Marc Martínez: mlainez@uic.es
Carmen Muñoz Almagro : cmunoza@uic.es
Jordi Rello: jrello@uic.es
Contact for the students: jjimenez@uic.es
Introduction
Microbiology is the science dedicated to the study of a broad set of organisms with which we coexist and establish different kinds of relationships. Many of them are able to produce diseases in humans; some others are able to synthetize a big variety of economically relevant products, and even, they provide a good field for the science progress. The approach of this subject is to provide to the medicine students with a basic and general knowledge of the microorganisms such as living beings with which we display a close interaction. We will focus our interest is the capacity of some of the microorganism in producing different diseases in humans, how to identify them, ovoid, and eventually treat the disease. Additionally we will provide knowledge on the other capabilities of the microorganisms such us the knowledge in biology basic processes, biotechnology, and industrial with an important economical incidence.
Pre-course requirements
We consider indispensable to have a previous knowledge in biochemistry, human genetics, molecular biology, cellular biology. All these subjects has been scheduled before in the medicine studies.
Objectives
The main goal of this subject is to provide the students with knowledge about the microorganism, their characteristic and peculiarities of an enormous variety of organisms with which the display a steady relationship, as well as the profits and damages that can be produced by them.
Particular objectives:
-Classification and localization of the microorganism into the living kingdom
-Description and characterization of the different types of microorganisms
-Description of the microorganism as pathogen agents
-Evaluation of the different therapeutic tools for the treatment of the infections
-Knowledge of the microbiology basic techniques.
Competences/Learning outcomes of the degree programme
.
- 06 - Develop professional practice with other health professionals, acquiring teamwork skills.
- 09 - Understand and recognize the effects, mechanisms and manifestations of disease on the structure and function of the human body.
- 10 - To understand and recognise the agents and risk factors which determine health status, and learn how they determine the symptoms and natural development of acute or chronic diseases in individuals and populations.
- 12 - Understanding the foundations for action, the indications and efficacy of therapeutic interventions, based on available scientific evidence.
- 19 - Propose preventive measures appropriate to each clinical situation.
- 23 - Communicate effectively and clearly, both orally and in writing with patients, family members, media and other professionals.
- 24 - Establish good interpersonal communication skills that enables efficient and empathetic communication with patients, relatives, media and other professionals.
- 25 - Recognize the determinants of public health; genetic and sex-dependent lifestyle, demographic, environmental, social, economic, psychological and cultural determinants.
- 26 - Assume role in the prevention and protection from diseases, injuries or accidents and maintenance and promotion of health, both individual and at the community level.
- 28 - Obtaining and using epidemiological data and assess trends and risks in health related decision-making.
- 31 - Understand, critically evaluate and know how to use sources of clinical and biomedical information to obtain, organize, interpret and communicate scientific and health care information.
- 35 - Understand the importance and limitations of scientific thinking in the study, prevention and treatment of disease.
- 36 - Be able to formulate hypotheses, collect and critically evaluate information for problem solving using the scientific method.
- CB-5 - To transmit in a clear and unambiguous way to a specialised or non-specialised audience, the results of scientific and technological research projects and innovation from the field of the most advanced innovation, as well as the most important concepts which they are based on.
- CTS-2 - To demonstrate sensitivity to environmental issues and act accordingly.
Learning outcomes of the subject
Knowledge of the microbiological world, regarding its existence, history, diversity and characteristics.
Knowledge of the more common infectious-diseases determined by the different types of microorganisms
Knowledge of the different tools for controlling the growth of the microorganisms and the infections determined by them
Knowledge of the economical and scientific relevance of the microorganisms
Knowledge of the basic technique for the handle and interpretation of microbiological tests
Syllabus
Theme 1. Introduction to Microbiology: Definition and overview, brief history, key figures, microbiology today.
Theme 2. Microbial diversity: Characteristics of virus
Theme 3. Microbial diversity: Virus DNA. Virus RNA.
Theme 4. Microbial diversity: Characteristics of bacteria.
Theme 5. Microbial diversity: Gram-positive cocci. Gram negative.
Theme 6. Microbial diversity: Gram positive
Theme 7. Microbial diversity: Gram negative
Theme 8. Microbial diversity: Mycobacteria.
Theme 9. Microbial diversity: Mushrooms
Theme 10. Microbial diversity: Protozoa
Theme 11. Microbial diversity: Helminths
Theme 12. I Analysis and microbiological diagnosis (laboratory techniques): standard microbiological practices, antigen detection, identification of microorganisms, microbial growth control, sterilization
Theme 13. II Analysis and microbiological diagnosis (laboratory techniques): technical-omics (genomics, proteomics ...)
Clinical cases
Doctor I have a few bumps ...
Patient with cough and breathlessness
My head hurts and I have a fever
Patient with diarrhea
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The docent resources that will be used in the present subject are
Problems based Learning: We will provide the student with a real or imaginary situation microbiology related. This will be followed by a group discussion with the rest of the students giving answers to all the eventually questions that may appear. Finally, a general discussion will be held.
Practical learning: The students will be used to the basic microbiologic techniques in a lab. We will provide backup for some of the aspects treated during the lectures. And provide evidence of some of the theoretical treated information.
Online information: Some contents, either because of the impossibility to be treated by another mean or because laid in a basically electronic format will be provided in a place accessible to all the students from any computer.
Lecture: Exposition for two hours (10 min rest) of a theoretical topic by the professor supported by multi-media technology. The student will have the contents in advance by means of an inner informatics network.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
The final grade for the course is calculated by adding the following marks:
-A multiple-choice mid-term exam that will account for 20% of the final grade and the contents are not released from the final-term exam
-Practical course grade: 10% (compulsory assistance to pass the subject). Test at the end of the practical course.
-The clinical cases will be evaluated in the final exam and will constitute approximately 20% of the value of the course.
-A multiple-choice final-term exam that will determine 50% of the total grade. We require a minimum of 5 (out of 10) points on the final-term exam to pass the course.The pass is with 5.0 or higher.
-The teacher reserves 10% of the total grade to consider contributions and participation.
The exam will be a multi-response with 4 possible answers and only one will be right. The non-answered questions will not add or deduct, every wrong answer will deduct the equivalent to 30% of the value of a rightly answered question.
The final exam will include one or several short questions that will only be evaluated in students who obtain a grade higher than 7.5. Its purpose is to provide information when awarding outstanding grades (without prejudice to those who have already achieved it through the ordinary exam and evaluation) and honors.
The following activities of the course (practicals and midterm exam) will be considered in the second call but the final exam grade will not be saved
The different grades from the different activities from a course will not be considered in subsequent years.
Bibliography and resources
Brock. Microbiología de los microorganismos. M.T. Madigan, J.M. Martinko y J. Parker. 10ª Ed. Prentice Hall.1999.
Microbiología. Prescott, Harley y Klein. McGraw-Hill 7ª Ed, 2014.
Microbiología Médica. P.R. Murray, K.S. Rosenthal y M.A. Pfaller. 7ª Ed. Elsevier Science. 2013.
Sherris. Microbiología Médica. Una introducción a las Enfermedades Infecciosas. K.J. Ryan y C.G. Ray editores. 4ª Ed. McGraw-Hill Interamericana. 2004.
Microbiología y Parasitología Médicas. Guillem Prats Pastor, Tomás Pumarola Suné, Beatriz Mirelies. Editorial Medica Panamericana 2ª ed. 2023
Evaluation period
- E1 01/06/2023 11:30h