Human pathology

Human pathology is the study of disease processes, particularly cell death, inflammation, disorders of immunity and neoplasia. This discipline delves into how the body's response to disruption of normal tissue structure and function by injurious agents occurs. A comprehensive understanding of cell injury, inflammation, wound healing, fluid and vascular disorders, growth disorders, and immunopathology are fundamental to all clinical and research disciplines. This knowledge is then utilised to define how organ systems fail during disease and injury, critical for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic intervention. Human pathology draws upon key disciplines such as biochemistry, microbiology, immunology and developmental biology and involves the development of skills commonly used in the laboratory such as microscopy, histological staining techniques, diagnosis and problem solving.

Students majoring in Human pathology at Monash University will be exposed to the study of disease mechanisms from a clinical and research perspective. Research has always been the foundation of pathology since understanding disease mechanisms provides us with answers of how to test for a disease in the clinic or laboratory, as well as how we can prevent and treat a specific disease. Monash University has world renowned research in specific disciplines of Pathology such as the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACB(D.) at the Alfred Monash Research and Education Precinct (AMREP), the various departments at the Clinical Schools, as well as its partner institutes the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute and the Burnet Institute. Students will receive lectures from researchers and clinician-scientists working at the clinical school sites (including its partner institutes) who are at the forefront of translational medicine.

The study of Human pathology is fundamental for medical research or clinical and laboratory medicine. Graduates with a major in Human Pathology may gain employment in biomedical research, diagnostic laboratories in hospitals or private pathologies. Other career paths may include the biopharmaceutical industry, clinical crials, commercial and patent law, research and development, or health administration.

Availability

Human pathology is listed in S2000 Bachelor of Science, S3001 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Global Challenges (Honours) and S3002 Bachelor of Science Advanced - Research (Honours) at Clayton as a major.

The human pathology major is not available in the double degree course S2007 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will be able to:

• Apply terminologies applicable to pathology and describe the courses and natural progress of human disease.
• Outline the current research in disease-specific disciplines and what is currently known about treatment options for various human diseases.