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BIO2218 Concepts in Endocrinology

Semester 2, 2020 External
Short Description: Concepts in Endocrinology
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Health and Wellbeing
Student contribution band : Band 2
ASCED code : 010900 - Biological Sciences
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: BIO2118

Rationale

Endocrinology is the study of the structure and function of hormones and their mode of action in the body. The endocrine system has a role in regulating all of the body's organ systems and an understanding of the nature of this system as well as how it is targeted by pharmacological interventions is key to the study of biomedical science.

Synopsis

The course will explore the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract and the endocrine system in greater depth than BIO1203 and BIO1206 and build upon the pharmacology introduced in BIO2118 by explaining the mechanisms of action of common pharmacological agents on the endocrine system and in the gastrointestinal tract.

This course contains a highly recommended residential school for both external and on-campus students.

Objectives

On completion of this course students will be able to:

  1. Explain the function of the endocrine system;
  2. Explain the mechanisms by which hormones influence the processes of individual cells and whole body systems;
  3. Describe the mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses and major adverse effects for drugs used in the treatment of relevant disease states such as gastrointestinal disease and hormonal imbalance;
  4. Perform physiological and hormone-based assays on biological samples and analyse the data generated.
  5. Work in teams in the biomedical science laboratory to generate solutions to authentic clinical problems.

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Physiological actions of major hormones including Thyroid, Gastrointestinal, Bone and Reproductive, together with relevant pharmacological interventions. 80.00
2. Quantitative skills. 10.00
3. Literature retrieval and written communication skills. 10.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=02&subject1=BIO2218)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

There are no texts or materials required for this course.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Hall, H.E 2016, Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology, 13th edn, Saunders/Elsevier, Philadelphia PA.
(• This textbook is freely available online through the Library for students with their USQ Connect username and password • www.clinicalkey.com.au/#!/browse/book/3-s2.0-C20120065131.)
Melmed, S., Polonsky, K.S., Larsen, P.R., Kronenberg, H.M 2016, Williams Textbook of Endocrinology, 9th edn, Elsevier Health Sciences, Sydney.
(• This textbook is freely available online through the Library for students with their USQ Connect username and password • .)
Nelson, DL & Cox, MM 2017, Lehninger principles of biochemistry, 7th edn, WH Freeman, New York.
Ritter, JM, Flower, R; Henderson, G, Loke, YK; MacEwan, D, Rang, HP 2019, Rang and Dale's Pharmacology, 9th edn, Elsevier Health Sciences, Sydney.
(• This textbook is freely available online through the Library for students with their USQ Connect username and password • .)
Silverthorn, DU 2018, Human Physiology, an integrated approach, 8th edn, Pearson, Boston.

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Assessments 20.00
Online Lectures 13.00
Online Tutorials 26.00
Private ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 90.00
Residential Schools 16.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Notes
Online Module Quizzes 80 20 16 Aug 2020 (see note 1)
Assessment 1 100 20 19 Aug 2020
Laboratory Report 100 20 16 Sep 2020
Online Exam 100 40 End S2 (see note 2)

Notes
  1. The assignment date or written assessment will be available via UConnect when the Alternative Assessment Schedule has been released. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the assignment by their course examiner via ¾«¶«´«Ã½appDesk.
  2. This will be an open examination. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their course examiner via ¾«¶«´«Ã½appDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the official Alternate Assessment Schedule has been released.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    Students are highly recommended to attend the residential school as the residential school is linked to an assessment or an element of assessment preparation. It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures, tutorials, laboratories and practical work) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. To maximise their chances of satisfying the objectives of the practical component of the course, external and on-campus students should attend and actively participate in the highly recommended residential school as the residential school is linked to an assessment

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    To satisfactorily complete an assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks or a grade of at least C-. Students do not have to satisfactorily complete each assessment item to be awarded a passing grade in this course. Refer to Statement 4 below for the requirements to receive a passing grade in this course.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), i.e. the end of semester examination by achieving at least 40% of the weighted marks available for that assessment item.

    Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.

    To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2).

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.

  6. Examination information:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    An Open Examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    Candidates are allowed access only to specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are: writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination); calculators which cannot hold textual information (students must indicate on their examination paper the make and model of any calculator(s) they use during the examination). Students whose first language is not English, may take an appropriate unmarked nonelectronic translation dictionary (but not technical dictionary) into the examination. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage.

  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    The details regarding deferred/supplementary examinations will be communicated at a later date

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.

  8. ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. Students should be aware that the originality of any submitted assignment will be checked by the USQ service, "Turnitin". An originality index must be generated and will be checked - an acceptable Turnitin similarity index is <15%.

  2. Harvard (AGPS) is the referencing system required in this course. Students should use Harvard (AGPS) style in their assignments to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (AGPS) style to be used is defined by the USQ Library's referencing guide.

Date printed 6 November 2020