BIOMS 4090

Principles of Virology

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2024-2025.

Principles of Virology is a course designed to convey the basic principles of virus biology, to illustrate the key concepts of virus-host interactions and their consequences for virus replication and pathogenesis of viral disease. The course focuses on identifying unifying principles underlying virus biology and highlighting important differences between viruses. Viruses infecting plants, animals, and bacteria will be discussed. A graduate level component of this course will further focus on seminal virology research findings and the cutting-edge technologies used in modern experimental virology through primary literature reading assignments provided in addition to the lecture material.

When Offered Fall.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: BIOMI 2900 or permission of instructor.

Distribution Category (BIO-AS) (OPHLS-AG)

Comments Recommended prerequisite: BIOMG 3300-BIOMG 3320, BIOMG 4320.

• Identify, describe, and discuss the basic concepts of virus particle structure (including enveloped and non-enveloped viruses) and the biochemical and cell biological bases for virus entry, multiplication, and egress of different families of RNA, double-stranded RNA, and DNA viruses.
• Explain the basic principles of virus transmission in different phyla and recognize the features of viral pathogenesis and the role of host defenses in combatting viral infection.
• Understand the factors that contribute to virus evolution and emergence, and be able to apply that understanding to situations involving virus outbreaks that affect global health.
• Identify and recognize selected disease-causing viruses of animals (humans included), including COVID19, cancer, and flu.
• Identify and evaluate individual steps in a virus' replication cycle that can be effectively targeted by anti-viral drugs for pharmaceutical intervention of virus diseases.
• Discuss effective strategies for a) prevention of infection through development of viral vaccines and b) treatment of diverse human diseases by gene therapy through the design and administration of genetically engineered virus vectors.
• Be able to read about any virus and understand its replication and pathogenic strategies based on common principles of viral replication and pathogenesis.
• Identify, describe, and choose appropriate experimental approaches to address questions about virus entry, replication, and egress in cell culture.
• Identify, describe, and choose appropriate experimental approaches to address questions about viral pathogenesis and the use of animal models.

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