Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Sasha Tetu sasha.tetu@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 10
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 130cp at 1000 level or above including BMOL2401 or CBMS215 or CBMS202
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description Applied and Medical Microbiology examines the microbial world and how it interacts with our own. A key focus will be the role of microorganisms in human health and disease, covering topics ranging from the role of the human microbiome and the body's natural defences in protecting against microbial disease to epidemiology and the pathogenesis of infectious microorganisms. This unit covers medically important bacteria, fungi and viruses as well as antimicrobial agents, microbial resistance and susceptibility testing. Topics in applied microbiology include biotechnology, synthetic biology, food and water microbiology. In the hands-on laboratory sessions students gain skills in the current tools and techniques used in medical and applied microbiology laboratories. This unit is especially valuable for students majoring in biomolecular sciences, biology, and medical sciences.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

ULO1: Explain principles of how microorganisms colonise different niches, and how they respond to their chemical, physiological and physical environment, in complex communities.
ULO2: Demonstrate key practical skills in working with microorganisms, including being able to apply and adapt methods to identify microorganisms and the use of good microbiological practices.
ULO3: Integrate ideas, discuss and communicate results effectively for verbal and written presentation including sourcing appropriate microbiology literature to support scientific data.
ULO4: Work cooperatively in a team through engagement, exercising initiative, and with accountability in order to maximise the achievement of goals.
ULO5: Aquire knowledge and understanding of how microbiology concepts apply to diverse areas such as medicine and health, industry, agriculture and biotechnology.

General Assessment Information

General Faculty Policy on assessment submission deadlines and late submissions:

Online quizzes, in-class activities, or scheduled tests and exam must be undertaken at the time indicated in the unit guide. Should these activities be missed due to illness or misadventure, students may apply for Special Consideration.

All other assessments must be submitted by 5:00 pm on their due date. Should these assessments be missed due to illness or misadventure, students should apply for Special Consideration.

Assessments not submitted by the due date will receive a mark of zero unless late submissions are specifically allowed as indicated in the unit guide or on iLearn.

If late submissions are permitted as indicated in the unit guide or on iLearn a consistent penalty will be applied for late submissions as follows:

A 12-hour grace period will be given after which the following deductions will be applied to the awarded assessment mark: 12 to 24 hours late = 10% deduction; for each day thereafter, an additional 10% per day or part thereof will be applied until five days beyond the due date. After this time, a mark of zero (0) will be given. For example, an assessment worth 20% is due 5 pm on 1 January. Student A submits the assessment at 1 pm, 3 January. The assessment received a mark of 15/20. A 20% deduction is then applied to the mark of 15, resulting in the loss of three (3) marks. Student A is then awarded a final mark of 12/20.

Late submissions will only be accepted for the 'Practical and tutorial work (lab book)' assessment task for this unit.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Hurdle	Due
Practical attendance	0%	Yes	Week 1-12
Mid Semester Test	15%	No	Week 7
Practical and tutorial work	20%	No	Week 12
Microbe presentation	10%	No	Week 8
Lecture content-based questions	5%	No	Week 2-13
Final Examination	50%	No	Examination period

Practical attendance

Assessment Type ¹: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task ²: 0 hours
Due: Week 1-12
Weighting: 0%
This is a hurdle assessment task (see assessment policy for more information on hurdle assessment tasks)

You are expected to attend and participate in at least 80% of the practical laboratory classes to pass this unit. This is a hurdle requirement.