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Accessibility statement
Qualification dates
StartEnd
03 Oct 2026Jun 2027
How do biomedical sciences help us understand human health and disease? In this module, you’ll explore a range of clinical specialities, from cardiology to neurogerontology, examining the anatomy, physiology, genetics and disease processes that shape prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Along the way, you’ll engage with the kinds of evidence those working in biomedical sciences use in practice, from screening and diagnostic techniques to data interpretation and clinical reasoning. By the end of the module, you’ll have built a connected understanding of health and disease, and how biomedical sciences support modern healthcare and improve lives.
Cardiology
You’ll begin with cardiology, where the module introduces its core themes through coronary heart disease. By exploring the anatomy and physiology of the heart, you’ll build an understanding of how this vital organ works, what happens when disease develops, and how to reduce risk. You’ll also examine the tests, diagnostic approaches and treatments used to prevent, identify and manage heart disease in clinical practice.
Reproductive medicine
From there, you’ll move into reproductive medicine, exploring the science that underpins human reproduction, fertility and early-life health. You’ll consider the causes of infertility and the treatments that can help, before turning to antenatal screening, diagnostic procedures and genetic testing. As the topic unfolds, you’ll also examine newborn screening for conditions such as cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease, while reflecting on the ethical questions that surround early detection and emerging technologies.
Endocrinology
In endocrinology, you’ll explore the hormones and signalling systems that help keep the body in balance, and what happens when that balance is disrupted. Through conditions such as thyroid disorders, diabetes, Addison’s disease and Cushing’s disease, you’ll examine causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, while also considering global health perspectives and innovations in monitoring and care.
Gastroenterology
The gastroenterology topic takes you into the digestive system, beginning with the structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract and the central role of the liver in health and disease. You’ll learn how diagnostic tests are used to investigate liver conditions such as hepatitis, before exploring viral hepatitis in more detail. The focus then shifts to inflammatory bowel disease, where you’ll investigate the immune and gut changes involved, alongside the clinical features, complications, diagnosis and management of these conditions.
Oncology
In oncology, you’ll explore the science of cancer and the clinical challenges it presents. Beginning with how cancers develop and how they are screened for and treated, you’ll go on to study haematological malignancies such as acute leukaemia, as well as prostate and liver cancer. Along the way, you’ll consider risk factors, molecular drivers, diagnosis, staging and treatment, while also examining the global burden of cancer, health inequalities, and the contribution of the biomedical sciences to improving outcomes.
Neurogerontology
Neurogerontology brings together the biology of ageing and the ageing of the nervous system, opening up questions that are becoming ever more important in modern healthcare. You’ll explore the hallmarks of ageing at the molecular, cellular, and organ levels, as well as wider issues such as epidemiology and multimorbidity. You’ll then focus on conditions including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and chronic pain, examining diagnosis, emerging treatments, and the role of research, data interpretation and statistical analysis in deepening our understanding.
Multidisciplinary medicine
As the module draws to a close, you’ll look beyond individual specialties to see how modern healthcare depends on collaboration. Using acute pancreatitis as an example, you’ll explore how diagnosis, monitoring and treatment often rely on multidisciplinary teams working together across areas of expertise. You’ll also consider the importance of leadership and mentoring in supporting effective practice and better patient care.
Before studying S370, you must have passed at least one of the following modules:
You’ll get help and support from an assigned tutor throughout your module.
They’ll help by:
Online tutorials run throughout the module. While they’re not compulsory, we strongly encourage you to participate. Where possible, we’ll make recordings available.
Course work includes:
We regularly review the assessments in our modules, so for future presentations, we may update the assessment method used for this module to an in-person exam or a remotely invigilated (proctored) exam. When we are making such a change, we will make it clear on this page. If we need to make a change after you have registered, we will notify you as soon as possible. If you have additional requirements, we will support you to complete your assessments.
You’ll have access to a module website, which includes:
Additionally, the website includes access to our OpenStem Labs.
The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone, and this Accessibility Statement outlines what studying S370 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.
To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our Disability support website.
Health and disease: a biomedical approach (S370) starts once a year – in October.
This page describes the module that will start in October 2026.
We expect it to start for the last time in October 2033.
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