Course Syllabus

 

 

Semester & Location:	Summer 2024, Session 2 - DIS Stockholm
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Core Course Study Tours:	Dublin
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:	Chenhong Lin (Current students please use the Canvas Inbox for contact)
Academic support:	academics@disstockholm.se
Program Director:	Susana Dietrich
Time & Place:	12-4pm, Classroom: 1D-509 and two field studies (check schedule posted on Canvas)

 

Course Description

Standard clinical care is shifting its focus towards precision medicine, where individual and patients can benefit greatly from personalized treatments, tailored for their specific molecular disposition. This rapidly emerging field is data-driven and relies on the rapid development of ‘omics’, including genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenetics, etc.

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 and rare diseases. 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

Chenhong Lin M.D. (Jilin University, 2008-2015). Ph.D. (Karolinska Institutet, 2016-2021). With DIS since 2022.

 

Required Readings

• Clancy J, McVicar: Physiology and Anatomy for Nurses and Health Practitioners: A Homeostatic Approach (e-textbook under Modules)

• Chapters from "Clinical Precision Medicine : A Primer" Judy S. Crabtree.

• Relevant articles and videos will be uploaded on Canvas.

All necessary reading material will be posted on Canvas latest two day prior to the class. Notice that the anatomy and physiology part of the class will be conducted in a peer-teaching approach, which makes it prominent to do the self-learning prior to the class in order to participate and do the peer-review!

There will be questions posted together with the carefully chosen reading materials, to guide the self-learning process. Students do not need to go through the materials word by word but they need to be able to answer the questions and illustrate the knowledge to the others after the self-learning. 

These preparation work will be evaluated by submitting written material or doing a presentation in the class. You have an obligation to your fellow classmates and yourself to come prepared to class.  

If you have questions or need clarification about a reading or lecture material do not hesitate to speak up and/or contact the faculty (see contact information above). In the case that a meeting is needed, please feel free to set up appointments with them via email.  

 

Approach to Teaching

The course will include both faculty lecturing and peer teaching, together with interactive teaching with discussion of theoretical and clinical cases and diagnostic algorithms.

 

Expectations of the Students

• Students should do prepare before each class with the guidance posted on Canvas. Students should find the answer to the questions by browsing the reading material and be able to illustrate the knowledge by writing, drawing, or presenting. 
• Each student will get one turn to share their learning experience and results with others in the class and learn from each other. They also need to do a peer-review for the student's presentation.
• Students will be encouraged to work together to conduct survey and the final project.
• Students are expected to actively participate in the class by ask relevant questions, interacting with the lecturer and the peer when being asked.
• Laptops may be used for note‐taking, fact‐checking, or assignment in the classroom. Using laptops or other electronic devices for activities not related to the class will be forbidden. 
• 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. 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.

 

Field Studies

Students will participate in field studies: 

• Visiting oncologist Dr. Benedek Bozoky at Karolinska Hospital Solna to learn about oncology care in the Swedish health care system.
• Visiting Dr. Weiyingqi Cui at SciLife Lab in Karolinska Institutet, Solna to learn about pharmacogenomic facility.

 

Study Tour

The study tours is 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
• take notes!
• 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
Participation	10%
Reading and Quiz + Peer-review	10%
Peer-teaching	10%
After-class quizes	20%
Patient Case	15%
Study Tour Assignment	15%
Final Project	20%

Late assignments may be accepted, but the grade for the assignment will be reduced by 10% of the final points per day. 

Participation covers the following areas:

1. Attendance to both scheduled classes and field studies
2. Contribution to class discussions and field studies
3. Participation in peer review process

Study Tour Assignment:

Students will be expected to conduct a survey and read relevant literature in order to do a poster presentation. The objectives of the assignment is to summarize and discuss the pros & cons of the health care systems of two (or more) countries. A more thorough description will be given at the study tour orientation.

Patient cases:

During the semester, you will be presented with 1 patient cases in class to submit as an individual assignment.

Everyone will be introduced to the cases and we will discuss in groups during the class. Each student will be required to hand in a written assignment detailing the process of finding the proper diagnosis and/or treatment in an evidence-based approach, as well as suggesting and rationalizing possible application of omics or other precision medicine approaches.

This assignment will be graded. If fail to attend the class connected to a patient case, the result for this section will be failed. 

Final Project:

A description of the project will be given to the students at the first day of class together with the study tour orientation.

 

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

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