CPCE01120 Biology of Human Skin Course Descriptor

OVERVIEW

This part-time and wholly online webinar based Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course includes an interactive lecture schedule of 12 hours of direct teaching to provide a fundamental and comprehensive knowledge base in the biology of human skin. The lecture block will cover an introduction to the biology of the skin, and where relevant, will include variations with gender, age, and geographic ancestry. This then will be followed by a series of lectures specific to human skin (incl. epidermis, dermis, and adipose sub-cutis). While this course will not focus specifically on topics of overt clinical pathology of the skin, it will refer to common ‘physiological’ changes (e.g., dry/oily skin, blemishes etc.) that may be of interest to those in the personal care market.

When: 7pm-9pm on Tuesdays, 12 teaching weeks x 2-hour lectures
Course Duration: September 21st, 2021-November 30th 2021 (Autumn Trimester)
Location: Online via Zoom

Participants will develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of human skin. Participants will enhance their knowledge of the scientific basis of human skin function. They will also develop an understanding of the impact of the skin on our well-being.

This CPD course is suitable for a range of students (graduates and non-graduates) from biological or general life sciences backgrounds and is also open to clinicians (incl. nurses) and other professionals working in industrial (Pharma/personal Care) or academic research environments.

The lectures will be delivered by Prof. Desmond Tobin, Full Professor of Dermatological Science and an active skin and hair follicle researcher (https://people.ucd.ie/desmond.tobin). There may be occasional lectures delivered by invited specialists.

COURSE FEATURES

  • Fully-online interactive webinar course delivered over one teaching block (during the Autumn Trimester), which equips students with the knowledge and understanding of human skin.
  • Lectures are live streamed online (via the Zoom platform) with an interactive end of lecture Q & A.
  • Lectures will be on Tuesday (lectures may not be sequential in terms of weeks, as each CPD component is part of a wider program), and suitable for distance learning and part-time study, with a facility to replay the webinar if you cannot log-in during the interactive webinar in the evening.
  • Additional reading around the lecture content will be encouraged and supported via a key recent review article for each lecture.
  • Dedicated technical support as offered by educational technology consultant

All aspects of the course delivery are online, via webinars on weekday (Tuesday) evenings, see here for course schedule

As this is an interactive course with a Q & A session at the end of each live-streamed lecture, we strongly suggest that students attend the live sessions. However, webinars will also be available for limited playback unless otherwise specified.

All relevant course materials, including lecture slides in pdf format (view only), and webinars (via non-downloadable playback) will be made available on UCD’s Virtual Learning Environment (Brightspace).

This CPD course will cover many aspects of human skin biology, with a comprehensive lecture schedule delivered by a world-respected skin scientist (and occasionally others if appropriate) who is an expert in this field. Lectures will be delivered through an interactive webinar series and organised into one block over a single trimester. Content will cover the following areas.

  • Introductory Lecture: Skin Anatomy/Histology (incl. hair follicle, nail & sweat
    glands)
  • Skin Immune System
  • Skin Interaction with Light (UVR & visible light incl. blue light)
  • Skin Health & Nutrition (incl. nutraceuticals)
  • Skin Heath & Common Physiological Variants (dry/oil/sensitive skin)
  • Skin Pigmentation (in health & mild physiological variants)
  • Skin Aging - Part 1
  • Skin Aging - Part 2
  • Skin Stem Cells
  • Skin Wound Healing
  • Skin Microbiome
  • Skin in Personal Care / Cosmeceuticals

Participants will develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of human skin and will enhance their knowledge of the scientific basis of skin function. They will also develop an understanding of the impact of skin on our well-being.

On completion of this CPD course, participants should have the following competencies:

  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of the biology of human skin
  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of skin aging
  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of skin pigmentation
  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of gender and geographic ancestry-related aspects of the skin.
  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of wound healing in the skin
  • Have a comprehensive introductory knowledge of skin stem cells
  • Appreciate the basics of skin care issues

2. Applying Knowledge and understanding:

Webinars will be interactive, allowing the participants to actively engage with the lecturer and facilitating discussion by the participants with an expert in the field of skin (biological) science. There will NOT be a formal assessment at the end of the trimester.

On completion of this Continuing Professional Development course in hair follicle science we will expect the student to be able to:

  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the biology of skin.
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of how the skin varies by age, gender, and geographic ancestry.
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the skin responds in wound healing
  • Demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the basics of personal care to physiological or sub-clinical variations in the human skin.

3. Making judgements:

Throughout this lecture series there will be a significant emphasis on the need for self-directed learning and the importance of understanding skin-related research. Critical appraisal of scientific literature will be a major feature of all lectures, to be able to separate fact from fiction.

On completion of the Professional Certificate participants should have the following competencies:

  • Critically appraise the current human skin science landscape
  • Develop a structured approach to critical appraisal of the cutaneous scientific literature
  • Assess the contribution of cutaneous research to the development of personal care strategies for human skin.
  • Evaluate personal learning and develop learning skills

 

4. Communication and working skills:

On completion of this CPD Course in Human Hair Follicle Growth, we will expect the applicants to be able to:

  • Ensure that skin variations are not inappropriately dismissed as trivial or unimportant to the individual.

 

5. Learning skills:

  • Participants should further develop a multitude of learning skills. During this interactive webinar series participants will be encouraged to further explore the content of every webinar through self-directed learning and critical appraisal of current literature.
  • Participants will also be requested to reflect on their webinar-based content and apply what they have learnt to their current occupational contexts where appropriate. Interactive webinar-based question and answer sessions should further develop their ability to ask pertinent skin personal care-relevant questions.

€750 course fee

Those who complete the Continuing Professional Development course in Biology of Human Biology will be awarded a Certificate of Attendance at end of course with total CPD points stated. Please note that there is no formal assessment or UCD award at the end of course for those enrolled on this course.

dermatologyeducation.charles@ucd.ie

 

Key Information: