Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- Dutton Park
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Dutton Park
- Coordinating unit
- Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences School
Pharmaceutical microbiology relating to the principles and practice of pharmacy. Drug design and structure activity relationships of drugs used for the treatment or prophylaxis of infections. Anticancer drug discovery.
This course consists of a combination of lectures, self-directed learning (SDL) modules and practical classes. It aims to provide knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of medical and pharmaceutical microbiology, especially those relating to pharmaceutical sterilisation, disinfection and pharmacy practice. The course will also summarise design strategies and structure-activity relationships of drugs used in the treatment of infection, and principles of anticancer drug discovery.
Course requirements
Assumed background
Students should have studied Drug Discovery B1
Restrictions
Only available to students enrolled in the Bachelor of Pharmacy
Course contact
Course staff
Lecturer
Tutor
Ms Louise Friberg
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
For scheduled times and venues, please refer to mySI-net timetable.
Please see Blackboard for lecture, SDL and practical timetables.
Aims and outcomes
The course aims are to provide knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of medical and pharmaceutical microbiology, infection prevention and control, sterilisation and disinfection strategies relevant to pharmacy practice; and to provide knowledge of drug design strategies and structure-activity relationships of drugs used for the treatment of infection, and principles of anticancer drug discovery.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
List and summarise the basic properties of a selection of clinically relevant microorganisms, and explain how these affect dosage form design and development of drugs used in the treatment or prophylaxis of infection
LO2.
Identify the properties of infectious agents of relevance to the pharmaceutical industry and pharmacy practice, and apply this knowledge to the selection of antibiotics, disinfectants and sterilisation practices.
LO3.
Apply knowledge relating to the fundamentals of the production of antibiotic and non-antibiotic antimicrobial products as well as sterile pharmaceutical products.
LO4.
Outline the properties and processes involved in sterilisation and disinfection methods for pharmaceutical and medical products
LO5.
List and summarise the principles involved in the design and manufacture of vaccines as well as other pharmaceutical products involving the use of microbes
LO6.
Apply knowledge of microbes, transmission methods and infectious diseases to the design and implementation of policies and procedures relating to Occupational Health and Safety as well as Public Health.
LO7.
Recognise and evaluate key structure activity relationships for selected drugs used in the treatment or prophylaxis of infections
LO8.
Identify important aspects of drug development for drugs used in the treatment or prophylaxis of infections and cancer
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz |
Quiz series
|
30% |
Quiz 1: 11/08/2025 1:00 pm Quiz 2: 25/08/2025 1:00 pm Quiz 3: 8/09/2025 1:00 pm
Complete the quiz during the 5 days prior to each deadline |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Assignment - SDL session 2 | 20% |
14/10/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
On campus-invigilated digital examination
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Quiz series
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
Quiz 1: 11/08/2025 1:00 pm
Quiz 2: 25/08/2025 1:00 pm
Quiz 3: 8/09/2025 1:00 pm
Complete the quiz during the 5 days prior to each deadline
- Other conditions
- Time limited.
Task description
Three quizzes examine knowledge of the material covered in the first self-directed learning (SDL) module and in the practical classes. Each quiz consists of 10 automatically marked questions. The questions will be randomly drawn from a pool of questions for each quiz, so each quiz attempt may contain questions different from those used in a previous attempt. Two attempts per quiz are permitted, with higher mark used for grade calculations.
QUIZ 1 will be based on the self-directed learning (SDL1) occurring in Week 1 to test knowledge gained from completing the UQ extend module and self-directed learning.
QUIZ 2 will be based on Practical Schedule 1 (i.e. 1a and 1 b) and comprises 10 automatically marked questions (e.g. MCQ, drag and drop, etc.) to test the knowledge gained from the practicals and as part of self-directed learning.
QUIZ 3 will be based on Practical Schedule 2 (i.e. 2a and 2b) and comprises 10 automatically marked questions (e.g. MCQ, drag and drop, etc.) to test the knowledge gained from the practicals and as part of self-directed learning.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
Submission guidelines
Online quizzes will be available on the PHRM3042 Learn.UQ (Blackboard) site
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assignment - SDL session 2
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 20%
- Due date
14/10/2025 2:00 pm
Task description
This take-home assignment will examine understanding and application of the knowledge of microorganisms to the design of procedures to prevent their transmission.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of the assessment will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which AI will provide only limited support and guidance. Students are advised to refer to the task description on Learn.UQ (Blackboard).
Submission guidelines
Submission: The Assignment should be submitted in Microsoft Word (.docx) format via the link in Blackboard’. Referencing should strictly follow the APA 7th referencing style: https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/apa7/webpage
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 28 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
On campus-invigilated digital examination
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 50%
- Due date
End of Semester Exam Period
8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025
Task description
The end-of-semester written examination will be based on all aspects of the course, including material covered in practical classes, lectures and self-directed learning (SDL) modules. You will be required to bring a laptop to use for the examination.
The exam will be undertaken via the Inspera eAssessment platform (as will any deferred or supplementary written exams). Go to the Inspera Assessment Information page link to navigate to the Library Services web page which provides further information on: how to access Inspera, on-campus invigilated exams in Inspera, device requirements, familiarisation opportunities, submitting assessment and access to the Student Laptop Scheme and short-term laptop-loans.
This assessment task is an in-person, invigilated Inspera examination. The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct
Hurdle requirements
To pass the course you must achieve 50% or more in the end of semester examination.Exam details
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Inspera |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 1 - 29 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Other course materials
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Personal protective equipment | Laboratory coat, closed-in shoes and safety glasses | own item needed |
| Laptop for EoS exam | You can borrow a laptop from the Library if you do not have a suitable device for your exam. Loans are for 24 hours or 28 days and stocks are limited. | own item needed |
Additional learning resources information
Laboratory entry will be denied to students without PPE as per OH&S regulations
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Tutorial |
Pharmaceutical Discovery & Microbiology Topic videos and tutorials: A series of weekly videos and 1-hour zoom workshops cover basic pharmaceutical microbiology relating to principles and practice of pharmacy, and design strategies and structure activity relationships of drugs used in treatment or prophylaxis of infection and cancer. Students are expected to watch the topic videos before attending the tutorial. See Learn.UQ (Blackboard) for the schedule and videos. |
Week 1 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Not Timetabled |
SDL1 (UQ Extend content) Complete the self-directed learning in UQ Extend, accessible via the link in Learn.UQ (Blackboard). |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 3 |
Practical |
Microbiology Practical 1 Wet laboratory practicals (2 x 2 hours) illustrate and enhance understanding of basic medical and pharmaceutical microbiology. Attendance is not mandatory, but registration is required by emailing the course coordinator one week ahead of time. |
Multiple weeks From Week 4 To Week 5 |
Practical |
Microbiology Practical 2 Wet laboratory practicals (2 x 2 hours) to illustrate and enhance understanding of basic medical and pharmaceutical microbiology. Attendance is not mandatory, but registration is required by emailing the course coordinator one week ahead of time. |
Multiple weeks From Week 7 To Week 10 |
Not Timetabled |
SDL2 Identify and peruse resources and guidelines for the design of measures to prevent and control infection in the community pharmacy setting. |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.
You'll also need to be aware of the following policies and procedures while completing this course:
- Laboratory Occupational Health and Safety