BIOEE 4000

Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

This course introduces students to the field of infectious disease ecology, an area of study that has developed rapidly over the past three decades and addresses some of the most significant challenges to human health and conservation. Students will learn about the incredible diversity of parasitic organisms, arguably the most abundant life forms on the planet, and examine how pathogens invade and spread through host populations. Throughout the course, an emphasis will be placed on understanding of infectious diseases dynamics at the population level, and on quantitative approaches for studying pathogen spread and impacts. Specific topics include types of pathogens and their ecological properties, epidemiology and impacts on host populations, types of transmission, evolution of resistance and virulence, drivers of the emergence of new diseases, parasites in the context of ecological communities, strategies for controlling outbreaks, and the role of parasites in biodiversity and conservation.

Enrollment Priority Recommended prerequisite: BIOEE 1610, MATH 1106, MATH 1110, MATH 1120, MATH 2210, MATH 1710, or STSCI 2150; or equivalencies; or by instructor permission.

Distribution Requirements (BSC-AG, DLG-AG, OPHLS-AG)

Last 4 Terms Offered 2024SP

Learning Outcomes

• Apply an understanding of ecological and evolutionary interactions between hosts and their microbes/parasites across multiple scales of biological organization.
• Utilize quantitative approaches for studying infectious disease spread.
• Critically review current research and case studies in the field of infectious disease ecology and evolution.
• Contextualize an understanding of the diversity of parasitic organisms and their importance in conservation and human health.
• Predict pathogen emergence and develop responses to epidemics based on ecological and evolutionary principles.

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