Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Spring 2025  - DIS Stockholm
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Core Course Study Tours:	Lund, The Netherlands
Major Disciplines:	Biology, Biomedicine / Biotechnology, Pre-Medicine / Health Science
Prerequisites:	One year of biology, including one course in either molecular biology or genetics, and one chemistry course, all at university level.
Faculty Member:	Benedek Bozoky (Current students please use the Canvas Inbox for contact)
Program Contact:	Science & Health Department shsupport@dis.dk
Program Director:	Susana Dietrich
Time & Place:	Meeting time is at 3:45-5:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and some Fridays. Classroom: 1D-508

Course Description

Standard clinical care is shifting its focus towards precision medicine, where the choice for treatment relies on the specific physiological characteristics of a given patient. The rapid development of ‘omics’, including genomics, epigenomics, and proteomics, is currently adding a new dimension to the advancement of precision medicine and clinical care.

This course covers current clinical practices of precision medicine in disease prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, with a special focus on precision molecular therapeutics in cancer. The course also introduces several major human organ systems in a peer teaching approach. In addition, you study patient cases and address diagnosis and treatment by using the precision medicine approach.

Note: Please be aware that the course does not provide regular medical training corresponding to that of medical students and does not include shadowing of doctors or physical examination of patients. But field studies are included, which is to to visit relevant clinicians or researchers and their work environment.

 

Learning Objectives

After the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Describe and illustrate knowledge of human anatomy and physiology in respect of some major organ systems.
• Understand the knowledge of human pathophysiology (basic underlying mechanisms) with regard to specific diseases.
• Understand the technologies of modern “omics", and know their current and potential use in modern disease diagnostics, treatment and prognosis of cancer and non-neoplastic diseases.
• Discuss the pros & cons of medical health care systems in different countries
• Identify and summarize the relevant positive and negative findings in case studies
• Suggest and rationalize the diagnostic tests and assays, including conventional techniques (eg. microscopy, blood tests) with modern molecular tests (eg. PCR, NGS, etc.)
• Suggest the tentative diagnosis and differential diagnosis with the aid of reliable source of information
• Suggest and rationalize treatments in an evidence-based approach

 

Faculty

Benedek Bozoky M.D. ,Ph.D. With DIS since 2025.

 

Approach to Teaching

The course will include both faculty seminars, with a focus on interactive teaching with discussion of theoretical and clinical cases. Students are expected to actively participate in class discussions and in their group work.  

Expectations of the Students

• Active participation during seminars and study tours. 
• Active participation in group work and presentations. 
• Some seminars will require preparation before the class, to be answered before the class before the due date and revision of relevant reading materials. 
• Students should bring a smartphone / tablet / laptop to class to answer in class questions. 
• Laptops may be used for note‐taking, fact‐checking, or assignment in the classroom. 
• Lecture materials, like presentations and lecture notes will be provided after the class. 
• You are expected to communicate if there is a part of the course that you find challenging and need additional support to learn it. 
• Students need to be present and participating to receive full credit. The final grade will be affected by unexcused absences and lack of participation or preparation. The participation grade will be reduced by 10 points (over 100) for every unexcused absence. It's important to be in class on time or communicate with the teacher when you can not. 
• Classroom etiquette includes being respectful towards everyone (the other students and the teachers) in the class and of their opinions, listening to others and entering a dialogue in a constructive manner.

Group work

• During the course you will be expected to participate in two group assignments, including a Final Case study and present it to the class.
• Everyone is expected to actively participate in the group work and presentations .
• Communicate to the faculty in time if you have problems in the group.

Study Tour

The study tours are an integral part of the core course. The classroom is “on the road” and theory presented in the classroom is applied in the field. Students will travel with classmates and DIS faculty/staff. Students are expected to:

• Participate in all activities.
• Engage in discussions, ask questions, and contribute to achieving the learning objectives.
• Be respectful to the destination/location, the speakers, DIS staff, and fellow classmates.
• Represent self, home university and DIS in a positive light!

While on a program study tour, DIS will provide hostel/hotel accommodation, transportation to/from the destination(s), approx. 2 meals per day (except day one) and entrances, guides, and visits relevant to your area of study or the destination. You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure.

Travel policies: You are required to travel with your group to the destination. If you have to deviate from the group travel plans, you need approval from the program director and the study tours office.     

Evaluation and Grading

The factors influencing the final grade and the weight of each factor is detailed below: 

Component	Weight
Class participation	15%
Class preparation	15%
Quizzes	10%
Group Project I.	15%
Study tour assignment	15%
Final Quiz	15%
GroupProject II. Clinical Case	15%

Students are expected to turn in all the assignments on the due date. If an assignment is turned in after the due date, the grade of the assignment will be reduced by 10 points (over 100) for each day the submission is late.

Participation covers the following areas:

1. Compulsory attendance to both scheduled classes and field studies (You will get 1% deducted from the final grade for each unexcused absence)
2. Active engagement and contribution to class discussions and field studies

Class preparation:

For certain classes you are expected to answer some questions before the class. 

Quizzes:

After certain classes we will have online quizzes that you are expected to answer before the due date. 

Group project I: 

For the first group projects you will be assigned to a group and a topic. You will have to prepare a PowerPoint presentation in front of the class and providing a written study note summary of the topic.  

Group project II: Case study: 

For the second group project you will be assigned to a group and a clinical case with questions that you should answer and present in front of the class. 

Final Quiz:

Towards the end of the semester you will have a final comprehensive quiz of the material we've covered during the course.

Any activity violating the intention or spirit of the DIS Academic Honor Code (see below) may lead to 0 point for the specific test or assignment.

 

Academic Regulations  

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org