PLPA 2950

Biology of Infectious Disease: From Molecules to Ecosystems

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2014-2015.

A broad integration and overview of the origins, nature, and dynamics of infectious disease in humans, plants, and animals. An examination of the historical and contemporary concepts and impacts of infectious agents on hosts at multiple spatial and temporal scales and at different levels of biological organization. The ecology and evolution of pathogens, hosts, and vectors are also discussed. Consideration of newly emerging diseases in human, plant, and animal populations and the influence of human activities on global disease spread. Current and future issues and trends in disease monitoring and mitigtion will also be addressed.

When Offered Fall.

Permission Note Enrollment limited to: sophomore standing or higher.
Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: two of the three core undergraduate biology courses or the equivalent.

• Discuss their own concept of health and disease.
• Describe how infectious diseases influence human, plant, animal and global health.
• Compare and contrast human, animal, and plant diseases.
• Explain the basic form, function, behavior, and diversity of infectious agents and their vectors.
• Identify the important details of specific diseases of humans, plants, and animals.
• Distinguish the different ways in which human, animal, and plant hosts defend themselves against infectious agents.
• Apply sound reasoning skills to identify the cause and effect in host-pathogen systems.
• Formulate good questions and have the skills to answer those questions.
• Critically analyze and interpret data sets to make logical inferences from those data.
• Utilize their understanding of disease biology to predict how new diseases might emerge.

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