BIOMI 2600 - Microbiology of Human Contagious Diseases

(PBS-AS, BIO-AS)

Fall, Spring, Summer. 3 credits. Student option grading.

Prerequisite: one semester of introductory biology or equivalent.

S.C. Winans.

This course provides an introduction to the microbiology of microbial diseases. The primary focus is on molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis, including detection of the host environment, binding of pathogenic microbes to host cell surfaces and their invasion of host cells and tissues, and the delivery and functions of microbial toxins. It will include host defenses and microbial countermeasures against these defenses. We will also study the evolution of pathogens and the co-evolution of their hosts.

Outcome 1: After this class, students will be able to:
- Explain fundamental aspects of molecular microbiology as they apply to pathogenic microorganisms,
- Explain how host defenses work against infection and microbial countermeasures to evade host defenses,
- Describe a variety of medical interventions used to fight infectious diseases,
- Instruct one another in various aspects of infectious disease, in small discussion groups and in poster sessions,
- Communicate scientific arguments and ideas verbally and in writing,
- Explain, evaluate, and effectively interpret claims, theories, and assumptions in medical microbiology, including those presented in the current scientific literature.