Molecules in Medical Science

The Structure of the MIMS Course

The understanding, diagnosis and treatment of disease is increasingly grounded in the molecular biosciences. Genome sequencing projects are but the beginning - the challenge for the future, the post-genomic era, is to make biological sense and medical practice from the galaxy of data acquired. Your Molecules in Medical Science (MIMS) course aims to establish the principles and knowledge base of biochemistry and medical genetics - to give you the means to build your understanding of living things at the molecular level as both you and medical science progress. We want to convey how molecules, large and small, cooperate so that our cells are able to utilise food as fuel, to produce and respond to messengers that enable communication and coordination between different tissues, and to replicate their genomes faithfully and express them selectively. We also discuss how natural genetic variation can give rise to mutant genes, how this can cause both single gene and multifactorial diseases, how the natural transmission of genes occurs and what can go wrong and when, and how these errors are inherited by individuals and in populations.

MIMS is taught by means of lectures, laboratory-based exercises with linked discussions, and presentations and problem-based learning organised by the Biochemistry Department, as outlined on the 'Course Overview' tab.

The MIMS Moodle Site

The MIMS course is supported by a comprehensive Moodle site that contains key teaching materials, such as lecture handouts, links to lecture recordings, and practical notes. The course handbook can also be downloaded from the Moodle site.

The MIMS Moodle site contains a range of materials that aim to support a variety of learning styles. These materials include short videos describing various experimental techniques, quizzes based on past exam questions or techniques, techniques posters, interactive practical resources, lecture recordings etc. Other key materials, such as safety information, past exam papers, and more, are also available on Moodle. 

Students enrolled on the MIMS course at the start of Michaelmas Term are automatically subscribed to the MIMS Moodle site. Students joining the MIMS course after the start of term may be added to the Moodle site by contacting the Teaching Administrator.