BIOLOGY OF VIRUSES

Prerequisites & course information

Requisites: ( BIOCORE 381 and 382 ), ZOOLOGY/BIOLOGY/BOTANY 151 , M M & I 301 , or graduate/professional standing Course Designation: Core GenEd - Natural Science & Wellness Grad 50% - Counts toward 50% graduate coursework requirement Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Spring 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify and recognize fundamental members of the predominant families of RNA and DNA viruses that affect animals (humans included) by causing viral diseases, including AIDS, cancer, flu, and COVID-19 Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Describe and demonstrate the basic concepts of virus particle structure and the biochemical mechanisms for entry and multiplication of diverse RNA and DNA viruses Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Recognize and apply the basic principles of virus transmission and viral pathogenicity, combined with the factors that contribute to virus emergence and evolution, to situations involving virus outbreaks that affect global health Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Identify and evaluate individual steps in a virus' replication cycle that can be effectively targeted by anti-viral drugs for pharmaceutical intervention of virus diseases Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Design effective strategies for a) prevention of infection through development of viral vaccines and b) treatment of diverse human diseases by gene therapy through the design and administration of genetically engineered virus vectors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Use knowledge gained in lecture to critically assess primary literature and data presented in the weekly Molecular Virology Seminar Series Audience: Graduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify and recognize fundamental members of the predominant families of RNA and DNA viruses that affect animals (humans included) by causing viral diseases, including AIDS, cancer, flu, and COVID-19 Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 2. Describe and demonstrate the basic concepts of virus particle structure and the biochemical mechanisms for entry and multiplication of diverse RNA and DNA viruses Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 3. Recognize and apply the basic principles of virus transmission and viral pathogenicity, combined with the factors that contribute to virus emergence and evolution, to situations involving virus outbreaks that affect global health Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 4. Identify and evaluate individual steps in a virus' replication cycle that can be effectively targeted by anti-viral drugs for pharmaceutical intervention of virus diseases Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 5. Design effective strategies for a) prevention of infection through development of viral vaccines and b) treatment of diverse human diseases by gene therapy through the design and administration of genetically engineered virus vectors Audience: Both Grad & Undergrad 6. Use knowledge gained in lecture to critically assess primary literature and data presented in the weekly Molecular Virology Seminar Series Audience: Graduate