ENT-51306 Frontiers in Medical and Veterinary Biology

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

2nd year BSc curricula Biology, Animal Sciences and Plant Sciences prepares for this course

Continuation courses:

Thesis in Entomology, Nematology, Virology or Phytopathology

Contents:

Human and animal health is at a constant threat of e.g. viruses, protozoa, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes, flatworms, nematodes, mites, ticks and insects. These organisms may be the direct cause of a disease, or they may be act as disease vector. The diseases comprise e.g. malaria, West Nile virus, influenza, avian flu, Lyme disease, sleeping sickness, filariasis, shigellosis, salmonellosis, aspergillosis, shigellosis, athlete's foot, etc. Microorganisms, nematodes or insects can also provide a solution to human or animal health problems.
To contribute to solutions to combat diseases caused by pathogens and parasites it is important to have a profound insight into the biology of host-pathogen, host-parasite, or host-pathogen-vector interactions.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of the course the student is expected to be able to:
- demonstrate insight into ecological, physiological and molecular biological aspects of biointeractions in relation to medical and veterinary biology;
- clarify how fundamental aspects of these interactions can be used both to (a) understand the ingenious strategies pathogenic organisms use to exploit their hosts and to (b) develop novel strategies for improvement of human and animal health;
- recognize state-of-the-art scientific advances in disease control (vaccines, drugs, pest control);
- integrate scientific information from different disciplines such as phytopathology, nematology, virology and entomology in the context of infectious diseases of animals and humans.

Activities:

(1) Lectures (2) Practicals on the ecology, physiology and molecular biology of infectious diseases and their vectors. (3) writing of report that incorporates knowledge from recent literature in the field of medical and veterinary.

Examination:

Written examination on the contents of the handouts, and evaluation of practical report.

Literature:

Handouts of the lectures will be provided during the course. A reader for the laboratory practicals will also be available for each specific practical subject.
Additional literature (recommended):
Peters, W. & Pasvol, G. (2002) Tropical Medicine and Parasitology (5th ed). Mosby, London.
Shakespeare, M. (2002) Zoonoses. PhP Pharmaceutical Press, London.