Course overview
This course aims to convey fundamental knowledge and understanding of Biological Psychiatry. Biological Psychiatry represents a multidisciplinary approach towards understanding psychiatric disease with input from the fields of genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and neurobiology. The course will begin with material introducing the field of Biological Psychiatry and will then go on to elucidate some of the more prevalent psychiatric disorders affecting Australia (both indigenous populations and otherwise) and the rest of the world. Subsequent material will then cover the scientific approaches and techniques commonly used in the field of Biological Psychiatry to investigate the causes, the underlying biological mechanisms, as well as potential therapeutic interventions relevant for psychiatric disorders.
Course learning outcomes
- To provide introductory material that promotes a broad knowledge and understanding of contemporary Biological Psychiatry.
- To emphasise the importance of Biological Psychiatry as an interdisciplinary approach towards understanding, and eventually treating, psychiatric disease
- To develop knowledge and understanding of some of the major psychiatric disorders affecting Australia and other Western societies
- To promote an appreciation of the complexity and heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders and how this impacts upon the diagnosis and treatment of patients
- To provide insight into some of the major research approaches and techniques currently being employed to further our understanding of Biological Psychiatry
- To emphasise the importance of research designed to obtain findings that can be translated to the clinic with the potential to make a real-world difference
- To promote an awareness of some of the ethical issues that impact upon the field of Biological Psychiatry
- To promote core attributes that facilitate high quality scientific research including the ability to find, organise, evaluate, synthesise and communicate scientific information both independently and within a team