BI2BCB5: Clinical Biomedicine

Module code: BI2BCB5

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Professor David Leake, email: d.s.leake@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Natasha Barrett, email: n.e.barrett@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE BI1BEC1 (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 5 August 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

The Clinical Biomedicine module describes what happens to your blood or tissue sample when it is taken to the Pathology laboratories in a hospital. The role of haematology laboratories in investigating the various types of blood cells, leukaemias, lymphomas, myelomas, blood groups and haemostasis is described.  The techniques used in cellular pathology laboratories are covered, including histopathology, immunochemistry, cytology, cervical screening and auto-immunity. The types of assays used in clinical biochemistry laboratories are described and their roles in diagnosing liver, renal, endocrine and heart disease and inborn errors of metabolism. The use of tumour markers in cancer patients is discussed, as is the detection and measurement of drugs, both therapeutic and illegal, and poisons. You will carry out a practical in which you diagnose someone’s disease by determining their haematocrit, haemoglobin concentration, blood type and full blood count. There is also a practical on the different types of blood coagulation assays and one in which you stain a cervical biopsy and carry out a Papanicolaou stain of cells. There is a talk from a hospital scientist on careers in hospital laboratories. 

In this module students will develop a detailed understanding of three critically important areas of biomedical sciences and clinical investigation – haematology, cellular pathology and clinical biochemistry. Specifically, this will involve the development of an understanding of: (1) normal and abnormal cells and molecules in blood cells and a range of other tissues; (2) the techniques used within the haematology, cellular pathology and clinical biochemistry laboratories to investigate and diagnose disease; (3) the treatment and assessment of treatment of disease; (4) the roles of these laboratories within a hospital setting. The importance of strict quality control is stressed. The use of large, automated machines using dry reagent chemistry and the use of point of care testing in clinical biochemistry are described. There is also a talk on careers in hospital laboratories. Some lectures will build on more basic introductions in Part 1, although many new areas of interest will be introduced for the first time. Practical sessions and seminars will enable the application of the theoretical information gained in the lectures and provide experience of investigative biomedical science, the techniques used and safety and ethical issues within the working clinical laboratory environment. This module will be taught by biomedical scientists and clinicians at the Royal Berkshire Hospital and academic members of the School of Biological Sciences. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe the basic organisation of the blood system and other tissues and the molecular and physiological basis of haematological diseases and diseases of other tissues that may be diagnosed through histology techniques
2. Explain how haematological and histopathological principles are applied to the diagnosis of specific disease and understand the technical basis of diagnostic techniques of fundamental importance in the haematology and cellular pathology laboratories
3. Describe the theoretical and practical applications of biochemical principles to medicine in hospital laboratories
4. Explain how clinical biochemistry laboratories investigate and assist in the diagnosis, screening and treatment of a range of diseases
5. Describe the role of the hospital in monitoring therapeutic drugs and screening for drugs of abuse
6. Describe the organisation and processes within these laboratories, the importance of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP), internal and external quality control, safety procedures, ethical considerations and patient confidentiality

Module content

The lectures cover:

• Blood cell morphology and identification
• Haematopoiesis
• Red blood cells - structure and function
• Anaemia and haemoglobinopathy
• Transfusion science
• White blood cells (granulocytes, monocytes)
• White blood cells (lymphocytes)
• Leukaemias, lymphomas and myelomas
• The full blood count, blood cell counting and automated identification
• Haemostasis (platelets, coagulation and fibrinolysis)
• Laboratory techniques
• Platelet pathologies including thrombocytopenia, platelet function disorders and thrombosis
• Coagulation disorders including haemophilia and thrombophilia
• Histopathology: tissue labelling, fixation, sectioning, staining and observation
• Cytopathology: sample preparation, staining and observation
• Autoimmunity and histopathology
• Automation of analyses
• Quality control
• Population screening
• Tests of endocrine, liver and renal function
• Tests for diabetes
• Control of calcium and magnesium metabolism
• Inborn errors of metabolism
• Markers of heart disease
• Tumour markers
• Therapeutic drug monitoring
• Toxicology/drugs of abuse
• Point of care testing
• The career of a Biomedical Scientist

Practical sessions cover

• Blood cell morphology, identification and counting; blood transfusion serology
• Haemostasis: platelet function and coagulation assays
• Histological and cytological techniques
• Staining and observation of tissues/cells

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching will be delivered through formal lectures and seminars. The clinical investigation of haematology and cellular pathology will be reinforced through three practical sessions that will introduce students to fundamentally important assays of cells, cell function and coagulation. Students will also gain insight to work within a clinical laboratory environment and will gain from meeting with, and teaching from, practicing biomedical scientists and clinicians. 

Study hours

At least 49 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Case studies are carried out during seminar sessions. Students work independently, or in groups, to complete case study worksheets during the session. Guidance (where necessary) and verbal feedback will be provided during each session, followed by a review of the answers and discussion at the end of the session. 

Formative assessment and verbal feedback of practical laboratory skills will be given continuously during all practical sessions. 

Practice examination questions (both MCQ and essay), with answers for self-assessment, are made available on blackboard and/or in a revision session.  

Reassessment

Additional costs