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What will I study?
Overview
You’ll leave this major with a detailed understanding of microbiology – the study of microorganisms – and how it applies to a range of areas in the biomedical sciences.
You’ll cover how infectious microorganisms are studied, the diseases they cause and their possible prevention or treatment.
The major also covers the human immune system, how it responds to protect us during infection, and how vaccination works.
Your major structure
You can study this major in the Bachelor of Biomedicine or Bachelor of Science.
Bachelor of Biomedicine
You will take 8 core subjects (125 points) across your degree that will build an understanding of the structure and function of the body and consideration of the determinants of health and disease, including genetic and environmental influences (4 in first year, 2 in second year and 2 in third year).
In your third year, you will complete 50 points (four subjects) of deep and specialised study in biochemistry and molecular biology.
Throughout your degree you will also take elective and breadth (non-science) subjects.
Bachelor of Science
In your first and second years you will complete subjects that are prerequisites for your major, including biology and foundational microbiology and immunology subjects.
In your third year, you will complete 50 points (four subjects) of deep and specialised study in microbiology.
Throughout your degree you will also take science elective subjects and breadth (non-science) subjects, in addition to your major subjects and prerequisites.
Sample course plan
View some sample course plans to help you select subjects that will meet the requirements for this major.
If you did not achieve a study score of at least 25 in year 12 Biology, you will need to enrol in the relevant introductory first year biology subjects: BIOL10008 Introductory Biology: Life’s Machinery and BIOL10010 Introductory Biology: Life’s Complexity instead of BIOL10009 Biology: Life’s Machinery and BIOL10011 Biology: Life’s Complexity.
Year 1
100 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth/science elective
12.5 pts
Year 2
100 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
Year 3
100 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
If you did not achieve a study score of at least 25 in year 12 Biology, you will need to enrol in the relevant introductory first year biology subjects: BIOL10008 Introductory Biology: Life’s Machinery and BIOL10010 Introductory Biology: Life’s Complexity instead of BIOL10009 Biology: Life’s Machinery and BIOL10011 Biology: Life’s Complexity.
Year 1
100 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
Year 2
100 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
science elective
12.5 pts
breadth
12.5 pts
Year 3
100 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
Year 1
100 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
Year 2
100 pts
Year 3
100 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
Year 1
100 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
Year 2
100 pts
Year 3
100 pts
- Semester 2 50 pts
- Semester 1 50 pts
Explore this major
Explore the subjects you could choose as part of this major.
- 12.5 pts
This subject describes how bacteria have evolved specialized structures and proteins that allow them to adapt and survive in a range of environments. In particular this subject will examine the contribution of processes such as protein secretion and gene regulation to bacterial survival during infection of humans (i.e. pathogenesis). From an understanding of the molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions, students will be able to understand the diverse mechanisms bacteria use to cause disease, and how infectious diseases are spread. A range of medically important bacteria will be discussed, with an emphasis on their ecology, pathogenesis and the pathobiology of the disease. The subject will also describe techniques and strategies such as mutant construction and molecular cloning that are used to dissect microbial function, and cover applied aspects of medical microbiology, such as the diagnosis of infections, the mechanisms of action of antimicrobial agents, as well as resistance to these agents. Students should be able to apply this knowledge to the determination of strategies for prevention, control and recognition of disease, including the design of vaccines and other therapeutics.
- 12.5 pts
This subject describes how medically important viruses interact with their hosts to cause infection.
The subject will cover the strategies that different groups of viruses employ to replicate in host cells, and their mechanisms for manipulating cellular biochemistry for their own ends. The different outcomes possible for both the virus and the host cell, including clearance, persistence, carcinogenesis and immunodeficiency will be discussed. Also covered will be how viruses may be transmitted and detected, and the pathogenic process. The host immune response to infection and the various mechanisms used by viruses to evade the host’s defences will also be explored. Chemotherapeutic and vaccine strategies to control viral infection, as well as the exploitation of viruses as vectors for vaccine and gene therapy applications, will also be examined. These topics will be further illustrated by discussing the features of a range of medically important viruses.
- 12.5 pts
Parasites, and the infections they cause, are a major cause of global health and socio-economic burden. They cause substantial morbidity and mortality in humans and animals worldwide, and major losses to global food production. This subject focuses on medically-important parasites, how they interact with their hosts and cause disease, and how these infections impact on human health and populations globally.
This subject takes a broad, multi-disciplinary approach to introduce students to the excitingly complex and diverse world of medically important parasites. Aspects of host-parasite interactions and disease pathogenesis (including immune evasion mechanisms and relevant host defences), as well as parasite life-cycles, transmission, diagnosis, prevention (including vaccine and drug development), treatment, control and impact on human health locally and globally will be covered. Topics will be addressed from the disciplinary perspectives of microbiology, immunology, biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology, genomics, physiology and epidemiology. Examples of medically-important protists (unicellular eukaryotes), helminths (worms) and arthropods (including insects) will be studied.
This subject consists of lectures and active-learning sessions, including practicals. It is delivered by internationally renowned parasitologists and global health researchers.
- 12.5 pts
This subject provides an overview of:
- methods used to identify and characterise infectious microbial agents;
- methods for studying the replication, gene function and evolution of pathogenic microbes and the interactions between infectious agents and their mammalian hosts;
- strategies used in constructing and presenting scientific reports, both oral and written.
Laboratory techniques covered include molecular methods and functional assays used for the identification and characterisation of bacteria and viruses, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), gene expression following DNA transfection, flow cytometry, enzyme immunoassays, protein electrophoresis, western blotting, bioinformatics and immunofluorescence assays. Non-Laboratory sessions will be used for the introduction of practical topics, data analysis, critical discussion of scientific research publications and discussion of strategies used in constructing and presenting scientific reports, both oral and written.
Upon completion of the subject students will have:
- used molecular methods and functional assays to identify important characteristics of microbial agents;
- used common bioinformatics methods to analyse DNA and protein sequence data;
- experience in numerous methodologies used to understand host-pathogen interactions;
- developed skills in constructing and presenting scientific reports, both oral and written;
- participated in group work activities, both within and outside the Laboratory; and
- developed safe scientific work practices.