Syllabus OverviewMedicine

Immerse Education aims to challenge participants with interesting academic concepts in an environment where tutors are welcoming and supportive. Our philosophy is that students should thrive in their academic endeavours, not merely survive.

This syllabus has been carefully designed by Immerse Education tutors with the mission to provide all participants with a taster of what it’s like to study a chosen course at an advanced level. During your summer programme with Immerse, participants will explore a wide range of themes and concepts that are not typically explored at school level, enabling students to explore their passion for a subject beyond the confines of a school curriculum.

Our tutors take great care in designing and delivering a syllabus that is academically challenging to all participants while simultanously building each individual’s confidence in their own ability. Tutors are therefore able to tailor their teaching according to the interests and abilities of the students in their class.

This syllabus overview is designed to give a sense of the topics you will be engaging with in Cambridge this summer. These topics are carefully chosen to reflect current areas of academic research, the individual specialisms of our tutors and content that students may encounter should they decide to pursue their subject at a higher level.

Sean StevensProgramme Director

Immerse Education’s Academic Sessions

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The Level of Academic Difficulty

As all of our programmes are designed to provide a unique introduction to advanced material, the syllabus will be academically challenging at times.

This is something to be excited about and all of our tutors will encourage and support participants throughout the programme. Immerse Education aims to develop every participant regardless of ability, and our tutors will adapt their teaching to individual needs.

The Modular System Explained

The modular system of teaching practiced during the Immerse programme enables participants to explore a variety of different topics. The aim is to provide exposure to different topics within the same discipline, each of which is challenging and interesting.

Each syllabus contains a number of different topics and most days of the programme will introduce a new topic which will build upon knowledge gained so far.

Preparatory Materials

Not all programmes have preparatory material, but if yours does, it will be at the end of this Syllabus Overview document. This is to be completed before attending Immerse Education as it ensures that all participants begin their summer programme with the same foundation of knowledge and understanding, ready to explore ideas at a deeper level. Tutors will discuss the preparatory materials during the first academic session.

The preparatory material should take no more than 10 hours to complete.

Tutors and the Syllabus

Throughout the academic sessions, participants will be taught by a dedicated and passionate subject tutor. As a tutor of undergraduate students, our tutors have a wealth of experience in guiding students to academic success.

The Immerse tutors are experts in their field and are on hand to support students’ learning by imparting their enthusiasm for exploring academic concepts in depth.

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Top tips for succeeding

Have fun.

The Immerse syllabus is meant to be challenging but don’t forget, there is a joy to learning and we want you to find it!

Get involved.

Immerse isn’t just about being taught, it is about challenging yourself. Voice your opinion, then question it! Engage in debates in class, carry on those debates outside of class. Try a new activity that you haven’t tried before! Immerse offers participants a whole range of exciting opportunities – seize the opportunity and get involved.

Ask lots of questions

If you don’t understand something, ask! If you do and want to explore something more, ask! You have access to some of the top minds in the entire world, so feel free to pick their brains while you have the chance.

Complete the ‘learning how to learn’ course

This free course gives you easy access to the invaluable learning techniques used by experts in art, music, literature, math, science, sports, and many other disciplines. You’ll learn about the how the brain uses two very different learning modes and how it encapsulates (“chunks”) information. You’ll also cover illusions of learning, memory techniques, dealing with procrastination, and best practices shown by research to be most effective in helping you master tough subjects.

https://www.coursera.org/learn/learning-how-to-learn

“It was an amazing experience, worth every single minute. You

meet so many different people, and leave with wonderful memories

that you will never forget.”

- Rebecca, 2017

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TOPIC 1:

Medical Research: “From Bench to Bedside”-Although not often awarded until decades after the initial discovery, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine recognizes some of the world’s most important scientific breakthroughs to have revolutionised patient care and our understanding of life. But how are these discoveries made, and more importantly who makes them? While the Nobel is typically awarded to individuals (max of 3 can be jointly named in any one year), very few major advances are made alone, other than the rare serendipitous discovery. Scientific research is an incremental process occurring over years or decades, costing millions, and requiring pain-staking work be undertaken by vast teams of scientists and clinicians spanning various fundamental, translational and clinical research disciplines. In this session we will reaffirm the principles of the scientific method, delve into the various stages of medical research and the growing necessity for interdisciplinary approaches and international collaboration. In particular we will focus on the journey of lab bench discoveries to patient bedside, clinical trials and careers in medical research.

TOPIC 2:

Functional Genomics & Epigenetics: “Nature versus Nurture”-In the 60+ years after the discovery of DNA’s structure there has been astonishing progress in our understanding of heritability, gene function and variability. Since the completion of the Human Genome project, considerable attention has been given to the emerging field of epigenetics, an area of research that focuses on the modifiers of gene expression. In class we will extract and isolate DNA, and learn about the influences of parents on children in the womb, transgenerational epigenetics and evidence for inherited memories. We will also cover the most recent breakthrough in genetics has been the development of CRISPR-Cas9, a tool which allows virtually unlimited editing of the genome of any species! While this technology holds great potential for creating new animal disease models, exploring gene function and advancing gene therapy, it also is subject to great controversy and has the potential for abuse or weaponisation.

Topics

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TOPIC 3:

Anatomy & Histology: “Form Follows Function”-The human body, its structures and composition have long fascinated scholars and artists alike. The study of anatomy can trace its roots as far back as the embalming of the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt and physicians tending the wounded gladiators of Ancient Greece. Yet it wasn’t until the invention of the microscope a few centuries ago that we discovered the building blocks of life – Cells, and thus the field of histology was born. Today we know our cells make up four basic tissue types which together form organs that carry out specific functions and work in concert with one another to comprise the 11 systems of the human body. During this session students will become familiar with the anatomical locations, characteristics and microanatomical features of several vital organs through dissections and microscopy analysis so as to better understand their structure-function relationships.

TOPIC 4:

Cardiovascular & Respiratory Physiology: “Rhythm of Life”-Tireless breathing keeps our blood oxygenated, while 2-3 billion heartbeats a lifetime transport it around the body. While the rhythms of our hearts and lungs may seem mundane, it would be a mistake to view these organs as simple pumps. Humans have evolved complex physiological adaptations to low oxygen environments and can accommodate increased oxygen demand during exercise, but how and why? During this session, we will probe these scientific questions and consider current and emerging therapies to fight cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Specific attention will be given to high blood pressure, a mysterious disease with no clear cause or cure that affects 2-in-5 people over the age of 25 years, resulting in a staggering 13% of all global deaths. Students will have an opportunity to investigate cardio-respiratory functions and perform a series of mini-experiments to investigate the regulation of breathing and heart rate. By the end, you will have developed a deeper understanding of the roles of CPR and AED in the emergency treatment of heart attacks and addressed questions such as: ‘Why do some people get mountain sickness?’, ‘Is snoring bad for you?’ and ‘What does an asthma inhaler do?’

TOPIC 5:

Musculoskeletal & Endocrine Physiology: “Emotions in Motion”-There are some 640 muscles and 206 bones in the human body. They give you structure, protect vital organs, and allow us to move about and explore our world, but do they serve other functions? During puberty hormones have a dramatic impact on our bodies, instructing bones and muscles to grow, affecting mood, metabolism, and how we react to the world around us. These chemical messengers are one of the main ways different parts of the body communicate with one another. In this class we will look at new treatments in the fight against the best-known of all hormone disorders, diabetes mellitus, which results from a deficiency in the production of or response to insulin in the face of rising blood sugar levels. We will also discuss the relationship of bone marrow and blood, what happens to our bodies in space, and look at some exciting new discoveries and controversies in sports and exercise physiology.

TOPIC 6:

Neuroscience & Neuropsychology: “I Think, Therefore I Am”-In the first half of the day we will overview the basic microanatomy and physiology of neurons, analyse how these cells produce electrical signals (action potentials) and discuss how the 37 trillion cells of your body can communicate and coordinate with one another. This will include a brief review of disorders of the nervous system such as dementia, epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. In particular, we will study the various senses and how specialised neurons convert stimuli into electrical signals to rapidly communicate information to the brain for processing, interpretation and response. A running theme throughout the latter half of the day will be reality vs perception, in which we’ll explore the power of the placebo effect, and challenge our preconceived notions using a variety of optical, auditory and tactile sensory illusions (e.g. After-imaging, shepard tone, body ownership).

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TOPIC 7:

Pharmacology: “Pills, Potions and Poisons”-From the ancient use of willow tree bark (containing the precursor to aspirin) to ease pain and reduce fever, to the discovery of a blue-green mould (producing penicillin) that had antibiotic properties, to advanced chemotherapy regimens that treat once incurable cancers, drugs are now an intrinsic part of modern medicine. Although do you understand exactly what a drug is doing to your body, and also what is your body doing to that drug? Why do we get side effects? How do we determine drug safety and when does a drug become a poison? Here we will learn about the world of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and toxicology. We will also debate the changes humanity must make to stave the antibiotic resistance crisis, where we might find potential sources of novel drugs and if society should reconsider its handling of the substance abuse and addiction pandemic.

TOPIC 8:

Emergency Medicine: “Now, I Know My ABC’s. Next Time Won’t You Sing with Me?”-This session will introduce the DR. ABCDEFG protocol [Danger Response Airway Breathing Circulation Disability Exposure Fluids Glucose] used by the full spectrum of healthcare professionals during medical emergencies. From the first aider to the physician, we will explore the applied anatomical and physiological knowledge that underpins our understanding mechanism of injury, diagnosis and treatment in the pre-hospital emergency care setting. Emphasis will be placed on the chain of survival and the role of pre-hospital first responders in the continuum of care. In the second half of the day students will learn about the techniques and use of various devices in patient assessment and clinical intervention. Through patient simulation clinical scenarios we will put this knowledge into practice for both medical and trauma case studies.

TOPIC 9:

Experimental Medicine: “Will There Ever Be a Magic Pill?”-We live in exciting times! Leaps and bounds in technology combined with a flood of new thinking has led to a new renaissance in medicine. Although many novel therapies are still in their infancy, we will touch upon some of the new strategies that hold great promise for becoming the medicines of tomorrow, including stem cell therapies for incurable diseases, ‘poop pills’ for treating the microbiome and mental health, reanimating organs from the dead for transplant, bionic eyes for the blind and human augmentation, using 3D printed body parts in surgery, and the possibility of three parent or same-sex parent assisted reproduction. Discussions will also centre on the recent scientific breakthrough with great potential to revolutionise our understanding of human biology such as controlling the brain with light (optogenetics) to manipulate memory, making tissues transparent for intact whole-organ image analysis (CLARITY and light-sheet microscopy) and young blood transfusions to reverse ageing.

TOPIC 10:

Science Communication: “Truth is Stranger than Fiction”-It is an imperative of researchers to disseminate new findings to the greater scientific and medical communities. It is only by doing this that results can be replicated, validated and by growing consensus come to be accepted as correct and incorporated into best practice. The principle means of scholarly communication are through journal articles or ‘papers’, conference abstracts, presentations and posters. In this session students will discuss the pros and cons of each medium of communication and consider how scientists might better communicate and educate the general public. In the second half of the day, students will partake in a mini-science conference where they present a research topic assigned earlier in the week. Students will be encouraged to view each other’s work critically, ask follow-up questions and engage with the subject matter.

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Preparatory Materials:-

MEDICAL RESEARCH

• History of the Nobel Prize - http://bit.ly/1sHC9kJ

• Announcement of 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine - http://bit.ly/2pbKjv7

• Medical Science Careers - http://bit.ly/2pSkvTw

FUNCTIONAL GENOMICS AND EPIGENETICS

• Human Genome Project - http://bit.ly/1PpRzbv• Common Misconceptions About Evolution -

http://bit.ly/2qgkqdF• Epigenetics - http://bit.ly/1QEi3ak

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

• Introduction to Anatomy & Physiology - http://bit.ly/1KENiOy

• Biological Molecules - http://bit.ly/1AbTZzZ• Cell Biology - http://bit.ly/1ENkmRF• Membranes & Transport - http://bit.ly/1c5j9tX• ATP & Respiration - http://bit.ly/11WaRA0

NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROPSYCHOLOGY • Science & Practice of Neuropsychology - http://

bit.ly/2pq5Qw3

PHARMACOLOGY

• Drug Discovery & Development Process - http://bit.ly/1vGmx7X

• Everything you think you know about addiction is wrong - http://bit.ly/1Ja6TSV

EMERGENCY MEDICINE

• Ireland’s Paramedics - http://bit.ly/2qglAWz

EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE

• PhD as a platform - http://bit.ly/2pStPGT• Personalised Medicine - http://bit.ly/2pSAWPz

SCIENCE COMMUNICATION

• How to read a research paper - http://huff.to/1nsy7Jr

• How to give a good scientific talk - http://bit.ly/2pSBxRj

www.immerse.education