Pathogenic Mechanisms

26 MG 649
3 graduate credits

Course Director: Dr. Alison Weiss

Pathogenic Mechanisms is a 3-credit graduate level course addressing the strategies employed by pathogenic bacteria, fungi, and viruses to subvert the human immune defenses and cause disease. Teaching techniques include lecture format and problem based learning. Exams are take-home essay style, with a strong emphasis on preparing student to write grant proposals.

Representative examples of intracellular bacterial pathogens, extracellular bacteria pathogens, fungal pathogens, and viral pathogens are discussed in detail. Other topics include:

Epidemiology and Disease

Innate Defenses and Normal Flora

Host/Parasite Interactions

Bacterial virulence factors

Vaccines