This course provides an in-depth exploration of the cellular, genetic, and molecular mechanisms that regulate vascular function and contribute to vascular disease. Students will engage with current developments in cardiac and vascular anatomy, pharmacology, and molecular signalling. Topics include vascular homeostasis, insulin and blood pressure regulation, membrane microdomains, and the transition to pathology in conditions such as endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke. Students will gain critical knowledge of how vascular systems operate and fail, preparing them to interpret and understand the principles guiding research in cardiovascular science.

This course will be made up of lectures (approx. 2 x 2hr per week), and tutorials (approx. 2 x 2hr).

The courses run for 9 weeks.

None

None

1. Individual written exam, 150 minutes (50%) (i.e. Students will answer questions based on a research paper selected from a curated list during the examination) (ILO1, ILO2)

2. Individual poster and flash presentation (5 minutes (50%)) (i.e. critically review and present peer reviewed literature as a narrated PowerPoint, with a video insert of the presenter embedded as a window on the poster slide.) (ILO1, ILO3, ILO4)

The specific aims of this course are to:

■ Explore the molecular and signalling pathways involved in cardiovascular disease, from well-established mechanisms to emerging research, encouraging students to engage critically with current literature and concepts.

■ Foster understanding of experimental approaches and model systems used in basic cardiovascular research, including their applications and limitations in investigating disease processes.

■ Provide students with a comprehensive understanding of cardiovascular anatomy and physiology, establishing a basis for understanding how cellular and molecular mechanisms maintain vascular function and contribute to disease.

■ Support the development of scientific communication and analytical skills, preparing students to present complex information clearly and critically in visual, written, and oral formats; and to engage with contemporary debates in basic cardiovascular science.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Explain the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying a selected cardiovascular disease using primary literature.

■ Critically evaluate research methods and models used in basic science and applied research for investigating the cardiovascular system.

■ Contrast the causes and consequences of the pathophysiological pathways involved across a range of cardiovascular diseases.

■ Effectively communicate complex scientific concepts using appropriate visual and verbal formats for a specialist audience.