Summer Scholars:  The re-emerging threat of infectious disease

 

Instructors:                  Drs Timna and Peter Wyckoff

E-Mail:                        wyckofft@morris.umn.edu and wyckoffp@morris.umn.edu

 

Course Objectives

 

            “The time has come to close the book on infectious disease.”

                        -US Surgeon General William A Stewart, 1969[1]

 

Not so fast.  Decline in deaths due to infectious disease was undoubtedly a major cause of the dramatic increase in human life expectancy during the 20th century. Now in the 21st century, however, infectious agents seem poised to make a comeback.  AIDS is spreading throughout the globe, formerly controlled diseases are reappearing in new antibiotic resistant forms, and the world nervously watches Asian poultry markets for signs of the next flu pandemic.  One scientist recently commented on the state of our battle against the agents of infectious disease: “The war has been won—by the other side.” [2]

 

            In this course, we will explore the world of infectious disease from a variety of angles.  We will examine disease as a biological and ecological process.  We will learn a bit about immunology and how the human organism fights off invading pathogens.  We will explore the world of public health, and how diseases are prevented and contained.  There are a host of social and ethical issues surrounding the relationship between humans and pathogens.  Some that we will address are: the social cost of AIDS in the United States and Africa, the problem of antibiotic resistance, links between environmental degradation and the spread of disease, and the emerging threat of bioterrorism.

 

Daily schedule

 

Sunday July 13

Evening Session:  Pre-test (not graded)

            Movie: Outbreak

 

Monday, July 14

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): History of Humans and Disease (Peter)

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Continued (Peter)

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Microbiology Laboratory Training

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Public Health (Peter)

CHOOSE A DISEASE TOPIC FOR YOUR ORAL PRESENTATION

 

Evening Activity (8:00): NOVA Ebola Video

 


Tuesday, July 15

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): Central Dogma of Molecular Biology (Timna)

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Cells (Timna)  

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Bacterial Identification

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Evolution (Peter)

 

 

Wednesday, July 16

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): Evolution/ Antibiotic Resistance (Peter)

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Antibiotics-molecular level (Timna)

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Antibiotic Resistance

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Antibiotic Resistance—population level (Peter)

PAPER DRAFT DUE

 

Thursday, July 17

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): Prions (Timna)

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Viruses (Timna)

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Viruses

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Antibiotic Resistance- molecular level (Timna)

 

Friday, July 18

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): GO OVER SLIDES WITH TIMNA OR PETER

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): GO OVER SLIDES WITH TIMNA OR PETER

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Epidemiology

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): GO OVER SLIDES WITH TIMNA OR PETER

 

Saturday, July 19

Fun Saturday Activity (optional)

Cookout and Dance Party

 

Sunday, July 20

Morning (optional):  Transportation to local churches will be available

Evening (5:00):  Pizza and a Movie- And the Band Played On (1993)

 

Monday, July 21

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Identibacter

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Vaccines (Timna)


Tuesday, July 22

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Poster prep.

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Public Health Part II (Peter)

Evening Session (7:00- 9:00) ORAL PRESENTATIONS

 

FINAL PAPER DRAFT DUE (if you gave your oral presentation on Monday)

 

Wednesday, July 23

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): AIDS (Timna)

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Frontline AIDS Video

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Poster prep.

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Bioterrorism (Peter)

 

FINAL PAPER DRAFT DUE

 

Thursday, July 24

FINAL POSTER FILES DUE AT 9:00 A.M.!!

Morning Lecture 1 (9:30-10:30): Make-up Lecture

Morning Lecture 2 (11:00-12:00): Frontline AIDS Video (continued)

Afternoon Lab (1:00-3:00): Study for FINAL!!!

Afternoon Lecture (3:30-4:30): Review for Exam

Evening Session (6:30-9:30): Poster/ Sharing Practice Session with the Creative Class

 

Friday, July 25

Morning (9:30-11:00): FINAL EXAM

 

Presentation to Parents:  Poster Session

 

Assignments and Grades

 

Participation and Lab assignments                             10%

Paper                                                                           20%

Oral presentation                                                         20%

Group poster presentation                                           20%

Final Exam                                                                  30%

 

The course will be graded on a “Pass-Fail” basis, but if you are curious, we can also provide you with an approximate letter grade.

 

 



[1]Quoted in: Nesse, R. M. and Williams, G. C. 1998. Evolution and origin of disease. Sci. Am. (November issue), pages 86-93.

[2] Neese and Williams 1998.