Evolution and Infectious Disease

Catalog description

This course explores how evolution has enabled and impacted infectious diseases and their causative microbial agents, emphasizing outbreaks over the last 100 years. Study the basic biology of bacteria and viruses, the genetic and selective processes that drive microbial evolution, and the impact of historic and ongoing technological advances in prevention, treatment, diagnostics, and detection. Four hours of lecture and active learning per week. Recommended: Students should have completed a year of general high school biology and be comfortable applying basic knowledge about cells, molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins), and genetics. Not applicable to Biology Major or Biology Minor. May be applied to Human Biology Minor.