You will be assigned to groups at the beginning of the term, then working together (groups of four members) you will produce a scientific poster that compare two pathogens which infect the same tissue or organ system. Your poster should discuss the laboratory techniques used for their detection together with a description of transmission, pathogenesis, and treatments for these pathogens

You must choose two different pathogen types, for example a virus and a parasite, a fungus and a parasite, or a prion and a virus, a bacteria and a prion etc. You are not limited to these combinations.

Examples of a target tissue or organ could be the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, genito-urinary system etc.

You will be required to give an introductory background to both of the pathogens and then write in a comparative style as to how the pathogens are diagnosed in particular recent advances in molecular based diagnostic techniques. There is no word limit but you can use figures, diagrams and dot point list to keep your poster concise while still getting the main information across

In order to achieve this you will need to:

1: Identify two suitable pathogens which infect the same tissue type or organ. If you are unsure on the suitability of your choice please consult the unit coordinator for guidance. A comprehensive explanation as to how to approach this assignment will also be available through learning materials provided in week 1 during the assessment overview tutorial.

2: Research the literature on current diagnostic techniques and advances in diagnosis using molecular techniques and also provide information on the pathogenesis and treatment of the chosen pathogen.  Scientific journal articles should form the basis for this literature search 

3: Produce a scientific poster with a reference list provided (~5-6 references minimum)

• Use PowerPoint to design the Poster
• A1 (594x841mm)
• Use text boxes to help organise graphics/content
• Don’t make the background too busy
• https://guides.nyu.edu/posters

This assessment will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Content of your Poster
  • Writing/formatting
  • Visuals
• Organisation of your poster
• Visual appeal of your poster
• References

Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways: 

   - developing literature search strategies
   - compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
   - guidance for structuring the assignment

 If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre).

If students choose to use generative AI, the following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment: "I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

 As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria; citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source). Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered breach of academic integrity.

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation. 

This assessment is an opportunity to research in further detail the application of rapid diagnostic assaysassays based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) for specific bacterial pathogen detection in terms of diagnostic technology.

These two assays have revolutionized diagnositics in clinical microbiology in terms of both speed and enhanced accuracy (sensitivity and specificity). In this assessment you will choose one species of clinically significant bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalacteae, Salmonella, E. coli, Pseudomonas auruginosa (A complete list will be available on the Moodle site)) and complete a 3000 word (+/- 10%) comparative literature review on the application of PCR and MALDI-TOF technology in the detection of your chosen pathogen, with a critical analysis of their diagnostic utility alone and in comparison to each other.

You will also be required to provide a background on the pathogenicity of your chosen bacterium, the principles underpinning PCR & MALDI-TOF and on the technical developments that have improved their relevance and application in diagnostic Microbiology laboratories.

Your assignment will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Introduction
  • Pathogencity (9 marks)
  • Introduce PCR and MALDI-TOF (9 marks)
  • Advancements in PCR & MALDI-TOF (7 marks)
• Analysis of 5 papers on PCR (5 marks each)
• Analysis of 5 papers on MALDI-TOF (5 marks each)
• Conclusion (15 marks)
• Reference (5 marks)
• Layout (5 marks)

Student are permitted to use Generative AI for this assessment in the following ways: 

   - developing literature search strategies
   - compiling suitable literature sources and locating data
   - guidance for structuring the assignment

 If Generative AI is used in any way, it must be cited as per the CQU Guidelines (Academic Learning Centre).

If students choose to use generative AI, the following statement must be completed and included on the front page of the uploaded assessment: "I have used (insert technology) to (insert how you used this) in accordance with the requirements of this unit. The reason I used this was to (explain why you used it). The details of how I used it as (insert how). I hereby declare that the submission is an appropriate representation of my individual skills and abilities to meet the requirements of the task/s."

 As per academic writing requirements and assessment criteria; citations of information should be of the primary source (i.e statistics returned by AI must be fact-checked and referenced from their original source as well as the AI source). Failure to cite primary sources as well as AI sources could be considered breach of academic integrity.

Your use of Generative AI must be clearly outlined in an appendix as a separate file which includes the prompt used and Generative AI response (in line with marking rubric). Failure to include an appendix may result in academic integrity investigation. 

The laboratory practical exercise is an opportunity to learn and perform clinical diagnostic procedures for the identification of Bacteria, Viruses, Fungi and Parasites and compliment the theoretical knowledge of diagnostic microbiology that you learnt during term. The residential school
will provide valuable practical experience in techniques currently performed in diagnostic clinical microbiology laboratories.  The laboratory practical assessment will comprise of laboratory based exercises which will be completed during the Residential School period. You will be assessed for competency in Microbiological culture, staining and identification techniques during the Practical and by submission of your workbook.

You will be assessed on your competency while carrying out practical tasks during the residential school. This assessment is Pass/fail with a minimum pass mark of 50%. Students who fail the 1st attempt will be granted a second attempt. The second attempt will be conducted prior to completion of the residential school session.