Instructor

Nancy Hamlett

Office:

Seaver South 6A

Phone:

x73811 (office), x71697 (lab)

Email:

Nancy.Hamlett@Pomona.edu

Office Hours:

T, F 1:30-2:30 and by appointment

Meetings:

MWF 10:00-10:50, Seaver North 202

Goals:

Emerging Infectious Diseases is an advanced, literature-based course. Bio 41M is a pre-requisite. By the end of the semester, students will:

• Be familiar with a variety of pathogenic organisms and understand common mechanisms of pathogenesis.

• Understand what causes infectious diseases to emerge.

• Be aware of current research approaches to emerging infectious diseases.

• Be proficient in reading, critically evaluating, synthesizing, and presenting original research literature.

Required textbook:

The following books are required:

1. Jan A. Pechenik, A Short Guide to Writing About Biology, 5/E, Longman

   You will use this book for this class in conjunction with writing and revising your term paper, preparing your presentation for this class. It also has good information on writing lab reports, essay exams, and other types of biological writing.

2. Abigail A. Salyers and Dixie D. Whitt, Bacterial Pathogenesis: a Molecular Approach, 2^nd ed. ASM Press, Washington, DC.

Recommended book:

Highly recommended, but not required:

1. Laurie Garrett, The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in World Out of Balance, Penguin USA (Paper) or Farrar, Straus, Giroux (Hardcover)

   Highly recommended for background reading. It's very readable and treats the problem of emerging infectious diseases in a broader context.

A good virology book:

For anyone who would like to own a virology book:

1. S.J. Flint, et al. Principles of Virology: Molecular Biology, Pathogenesis, and Control of Animal Viruses, 2nd ed., ASM Press, Washington, DC

   This one is one of the best virology books for advanced undergraduates, and it's quite up to date. The book is expensive, however, and it's not necessary to purchase a copy for this course.

Structure of the course:

Part I - Background
The first part of the course will consist of lecture/discussion on basic concepts needed to understand emerging diseases, including:

• What is a pathogen? Bacteria & viruses

• Basics of immunology

• Mechanisms of pathogenicity

• Elements of microbial genetics

• Evolution of pathogens

• Principles of epidemiology

• Factors contributing to emerging diseases

Frequent assignments including problems, reading summaries, and critiques, will complement and reinforce the concepts covered in lecture.

Part I will conclude with an in-class midterm exam.

Part II - Case studies
Each student will investigate a selected emerging or re-emerging disease and prepare a case study that includes the nature of the pathogen, the molecular basis of pathogenesis, epidemiology and transmission, the factors that contributed to the emergence (or re-emergence) of the disease, and strategies for prevention, control, and/or prevention. Each student will present the case study to the class and submit it as formal written paper. Information for the case studies will be drawn from the original scientific literature.

In general we will devote two class sessions to each case study. In the first session, a student will present the overview of the disease; students who are not presenting will bring read background paper and bring to class questions for discussion. In the second class section, the class will usually read an original research paper dealing with the disease, prepare a written analysis, and discuss the paper in detail in class. The topic presenter is excused from this written assignment.

More detailed information about the presentation and paper will be provided later.

Grading:

Presentation & Paper:

More detailed information about and resources for the presentation and paper are provided in the Presentation & Paper Guidelines [MS Word] and on the Presentation and Paper pages.

Attendance Policy:

A significant portion of the course grade is based upon class participation, paper summaries, and speaker evaluations. Students will be granted one free pass for an unexcused absence during the semester.

Absences due to illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, graduate or professional school interviews, participation in college sports will be excused. To ensure that an absence is recorded as excused, students must e-mail the instructor the date of the absence and the reason for the absence; be sure to include the word "Absence" in the subject line. Students with excused absences will be excused from writing speaker evaluations, but will be expected to hand in written assignments upon their return to class.

Course web site:

http://pages.pomona.edu/~nvh04747/Bio189L/