Course Syllabus

Course Description

This course will introduce students to the microbial species that cause human disease. We will cover bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, and discuss current topics including antibiotic resistance, public health threats, and global health. There is no laboratory component to this course. The course meets in Science Center Hall D, 5:30 - 7:30 pm on Thursdays.

For graduate credit, students will meet with instructors an additional hour per week for journal club. Students will read and lead discussions on scientific articles on microbiology topics. The graduate seminar will meet immediately following the lecture (i.e. 7:30 – 8:30 pm on Thursdays; in Science Center Rm 116).

 

Prerequisites

No strict prerequisites. However, a basic understanding of molecular and cellular biology will be helpful.

 

Course Goals

Upon completion of this course students will be able to describe: the biological differences between bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa; how the biology of these organisms leads to human disease; and how humans try to prevent or treat these diseases. Students will be able to explain the tests used by microbiologists to identify and characterize organisms. Students in the graduate section will be able to analyze a scientific article and present a critique to their peers.

 

Instructors

Laura Certain, MD, PhD (lcertain@mgh.harvard.edu); Prerna Bhargava, PhD (bhargava@broadinstitute.org); Rebecca Shapiro, PhD (rshapiro@broadinstitute.org)

TA: Adam Frange (afrange@g.harvard.edu)

 

Reading Materials

No textbook is required for the course. The textbook listed below is an option if you would like a resource for further reading or for reference. However, the exam questions will be based on the material presented in lecture or covered in take-home assignments. 

 

Suggested reading:

Murray PR, Rosenthal KS, Pfaller MA

Medical Microbiology, 7^th Edition

Elsevier (2013)

 

Grading

Grades will be based on in-class and take-home short assignments (20%), an in-class mid-term exam in week 7 (40%), and an in-class final exam in week 15 (40%). For the students taking the course for graduate credit, grades will be based on in-class and take-home short assignments (10%), an in-class mid-term exam in week 7 (30%), an in-class final exam in week 15 (30%), presentation of one or more articles during the graduate session (10%), a "news and views" write-up of the article (10%), and active participation in the graduate session (10%).

 

Course Policies

We expect students to come on time and prepared to learn. Please do not use your personal electronic devices during class unless you are using them to take lecture notes.

For take-home assignments you may work together and consult expert sources. However, we expect the wording of the answers to reflect your own reasoning and understanding. You may be called upon in class to explain your answers. Exams are closed-book and will be proctored.

Attendance is not mandatory. However, you will not get credit for an in-class assignment or exam if you are absent on the day it is given. Take-home assignments will be due in class the following week; if you will be absent on the due date it is your responsibility to get your assignment to us on time.

 

Plagiarism and Cheating

Any written work that you submit for a grade must be your own. You may not copy or use information from textbooks, journals, or other sources without proper citations. You should review the Extension School’s guidelines about academic integrity, which can be found at:

http://www.extension.harvard.edu/exams-grades-policies/student-responsibilities

Anyone caught plagiarizing or cheating on written assignments or exams may be subject to a grade penalty and/or sent before the Administration Board for additional sanctions.

 

Schedule

 

Week 1 – Introduction to medical microbiology

• What is medical microbiology? (Certain)
• Historical perspectives (Shapiro)

 

Week 2 – The battle between host and pathogen

• Pathogens: bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi (Shapiro)
• The human immune system (Guest Lecturer)

 

Week 3 – Infections and treatments

• Treating infections: antibiotics, vaccines, and anti-toxins (Certain)
• Streptococcus and Enterococcus (Bhargava)

 

Week 4 – Common bacterial infections

• Staphylococcus aureus (Certain)
• Enteric bacteria (Guest Lecturer)

 

Week 5 – Sexually transmitted infections

• Spirochete bacteria (Certain)
• Other STIs (Certain)

 

Week 6 – Drug resistant infections

• Pseudomonas and other resilient pathogens (Shapiro)
• Antimicrobial drug resistance (Shapiro)

 

Week 7 – Midterm Exam

  

Week 8 – Mycobacteria

• Tuberculosis (Bhargava)
• Leprosy and others (Shapiro)
• Midterm Review

 

Week 9 – Viruses

• Cold and flu (Certain)
• Pandemics! (Shapiro)

 

Week 10 – Viruses 2.0

• HIV (Certain)
• Brain-eating viruses (Bhargava)

 

Week 11 – Viruses and chronic disease

• Hepatitis, mono and others (Bhargava)
• Viruses that cause cancer (Bhargava)

 

Week 12 – Tropical diseases

• Malaria and related infections (Certain)
• Trypanosomes and other tropical diseases (Bhargava)

 

Week 13 – Other infections

• Fungal infections: from dandruff to toxic mold (Shapiro)
• Infections from animals (Bhargava)

 

Week 14 – Current topics in microbiology

• The microbiome: the millions of microbes that live in and on us (Shapiro)
• Bioterrorism (Bhargava)

 

Week 15 – Final Exam