The Biology of Viral Infections

Programme details

This course begins on the 14 Apr 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 21 Apr 2027, 15:30-16:30pm (UK time).

1. Human cells
2. Human biology
3. The role of cellular processes in diseases
4. What are viruses?
5. Viral infections and disease modelling
6. Human genes and anti-viral defence mechanisms
7. Viral diseases, COVID-19 example
8. Virus’s infectious abilities
9. How our immune system and our fights viruses: molecular overview
10. Viral infection therapeutic approaches

Level and demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements

Course aims

• Explain the basis of how genes and molecules may contribute to disease development
• Explain how genes contribute to causing the disease
• Demonstrate how genes studies may be used to develop vaccines and discover therapies

IT requirements

Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. To access the virtual learning environment you will be required to verify your identity using an authenticator app on a mobile device or laptop in addition to your username and password. Full instructions will be sent to you on the start date of the course. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.

Programme details

This course begins on the 14 Apr 2027 which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 21 Apr 2027, 15:30-16:30pm (UK time).

1. Human cells
2. Human biology
3. The role of cellular processes in diseases
4. What are viruses?
5. Viral infections and disease modelling
6. Human genes and anti-viral defence mechanisms
7. Viral diseases, COVID-19 example
8. Virus’s infectious abilities
9. How our immune system and our fights viruses: molecular overview
10. Viral infection therapeutic approaches

Teaching methods

This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Any standard web browser can be used to access these materials, but we recommend Google Chrome. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.

All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

1. Have established a basic understanding of how viruses infect humans and how the human immune system fights viruses
2. Have developed aptitude in understanding how scientific evidence is produced and used, acquiring a degree of independent ability to understand relevant new scientific findings
3. Developed foundational skills in how scientific findings are discussed and analysed, useful for the critical evaluation of scientific literature

Assessment methods

You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Dr Amr Abdelgany

Amr is a Departmental Lecturer at the Department who has worked on gene therapy since his DPhil at Oxford. He then continued his research at Oxford exploring novel genetic methods for discovery of new therapies. Amr has taught for the Department since 2012.

Assessment methods

You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

Level and demands

This course is open to all and no prior knowledge is required.

This course is offered at FHEQ Level 4 (i.e. first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments and for the weekly webinar. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours, including those spent in live webinars.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements

Fees

Module code: O25P746BIZ

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