Foundations of Medical Disciplines for Information Processing Personnel

 Each course below is $480 USD

1. Introduction to Radiology and Nuclear Medicine
   Radiology is a branch of medicine that uses images to diagnose and treat disease. The medical images obtained show the anatomy and/or physiology of the internal organs and tissues of the human body. The field obtained its name because it has traditionally utilized x-rays to create these images.
   
   

   

2. Introduction to Neurology
   This course starts with the basics of neuroanatomy as a foundation to allow for an understanding of neurological diseases. The wide spectrum of neurological disorders is touched upon, from autoimmune diseases that cause nerve cells to lose their insulation, to highly preventable conditions such as stroke. Neurological disorders affect the young by causing problems in development, and the old by causing problems with cognition. Infection, cancer and injury affect all ages. This course also covers diagnostic tests, major medical treatments and the effects of neurotoxins and psychotropic drugs. Course content quizzes are used to solidify the covered knowledge. The course contains extensive number of visual aids to assist the student in grasping fundamental concepts.
   
   

   

3. Introduction to Virology
   Virology is the study of viruses. This vast definition includes several topics that will be discussed in this course:
   
   
   • What are viruses?
   • The structure of viruses
   • Genomes of the different viruses
   • Viral infection of host cells
   • Immune system response to viral infection
   • Viral diseases
   • Cancer inducing viruses
   • Anti-viral drugs and vaccinations

   
   
   
   

4. Molecular Genetics
   The information required to make an organism is safely stored in the human body. Genetics is the study of the way this information is used to build a living organism, and how it is passed on to the next generation.
   
   

   

5. Immunology
   The immune system protects the body from pathogens (agents that cause the body harm), such as toxins and disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It also defends against cancer cells, which are disease-causing cells that originate in the body itself.
   
   In this review, we'll discuss:
   
   
   • Anatomy and function of the immune system
   • How the immune system responds to infectious disease and cancer
   • Diseases caused by over-activity of the immune system
   • Diseases related to under-activity of the immune system
   • Some medical therapy topics related to the immune system
   
   

   

6. Gene Therapy
   The purpose of this course is to provide a basic understanding of gene therapy concepts. This course covers the basic gene therapy concepts. New advances and techniques in gene therapy mostly build on the basic concepts, so the understanding of this course allows the learner to understand medical papers on the subject.
   
   

   

   
   
7. Major Concepts in Pharmacology
   This course aims to familiarize the student with the basic concepts of pharmacology, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics. The processes of drug absorption, distribution and metabolism are discussed in the context of of human physiology and biochemistry. The course requires some basic knowledge of chemistry, physics and mathematics. In essence, it prepares the learner to more specific issues in the subsequent courses.
   
   

   

8. Specifics in Pharmacology, Part 1: Pharmacological effects mediated by neurotransmitters
   This course deals with the pharmacological effects and adverse reactions of different drug groups. Among them adrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, and opioid agonists and antagonists. The properties of these drugs as revealed by clinical and experimental pharmacology are discussed. Special attention is paid to molecular pharmacology and the mechanisms of drug-receptor interaction. This course incorporates major terms and concepts outlined in the previous course.
   
   

   

9. Specifics in Pharmacology, Part 2: Pharmacological effects mediated by various mechanisms
   This course speaks about the pharmacological effects and adverse reactions of different drug groups. Among them adrenergic, cholinergic, dopaminergic, and opioid agonists and antagonists. The properties of these drugs as revealed by clinical and experimental pharmacology are discussed. Special attention is paid to molecular pharmacology and the mechanisms of drug-receptor interaction. This course incorporates major terms and concepts outlined in the previous courses.
   
   

   

10. Introduction to Pharmaceutics
    This course covers the many aspects of drug discovery and development including various examples of drug formulation and delivery. Definitions and descriptions of pharmaceutical terms frequently used in the scientific literature are given. There are also essential references to the methods of experimental pharmacology outlined in the previous courses. Attention is paid to the regulatory documents and procedures, which accompany the complex process of drug development. The course includes a supplementary glossary of terms used in the current scientific literature.
    
    

    

11. Toxicology
    Any drug – even curative and helpful – becomes toxic at a certain dose. Non-drugs like food additives, pesticides, air pollutants etc may have noxious effects on the body. This course presents numerous examples of toxic agents, e.g. metals, drugs of abuse, alcohol, inhalants and others. Absorption, metabolism, genetic polymorphism and other factors affecting toxicity are discussed. Specific mechanisms underlying the effects of an agent or a group of agents are described. In addition, management of the poisoned patient, clinical approaches and major antidotes are presented. It is hoped the students who have taken the previous courses on pharmacology are prepared to successfully comprehend this advanced course.
    
    

    

12. Introduction to Enzymes and Enzyme Nomenclature   
    The course reviews structures and functions of major enzymes, principles of their catalytic action as well as consequences of inherited enzyme deficiencies. Factors essential for the enzyme activity like substrates, coenzymes, inhibitors, signaling factors etc, are discussed. The current system of enzyme classification (EC coding) is described together with useful links, which allow for enzyme identification by their EC number. The industrial applications of enzymes for food processing are also presented. The focus is made on clinical significance of enzymes as targets for chemotherapy and tools of enzyme replacement therapy.