01071 - Virology

Learning outcomes

Be able to answer basic questions about Virology: Why are viruses organized as they are? How do viruses replicate? How do viruses cause disease? What are the interactions between viruses and the host immune system? How to prevent/treat/cure viral infections? How can viruses be used as tools to study biological processes and for gene transfer? How can an understanding of viruses help you in your future career?

Understand tools used to study and detect viruses (these are broadly applicable to molecular biology, cell biology, and microbiology) and be able to develop strategies to design diagnostic reagents in virology.

Understand how to reach for reliable scientific information about viruses and viral disease online. 

Acquire basic skills in bioinformatics and data bank mining.

Course contents

Structure and chemical composition of viruses.

Virus classification. Viral replicative strategies. Virus genetics. Viruses and Molecular Biology. Virus culture and titration. DNA virus families, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Hepadnaviridae. RNA virus families, Flaviviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Retroviridae.

Viral pathogenesis. Viral oncogenesis. Interferons and antiviral compounds. Serums and vaccines.

Diagnostic methods in virology.

Students will be exposed to several approaches in the development of diagnostic (serology, molecular methods) and preventive (vaccines) tools by means of bioinformatic tools. Online tools from worldwide biotechnology centers will be used to implement data mining on banked sequence (DNA and proteins).

Students will learn how to critically discriminate for reliable Web based scientific information on virology. 

Finally students will learn how to store, analyze and manipulate DNA sequence by means of dedicated software (Oligo, ApE, FinchTV and the like). Detailed work will be addressed to the engineering of oligomers devoted to the identification, sequencing or modification of DNA sequence with diagnostic applications in mind.

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

Desk Encyclopedia of General Virology 1st Edition

Editors: Marc van Regenmortel Brian Mahy eBook ISBN: 9780123751621 Hardcover ISBN: 9780123751461 Imprint: Academic Press

 

Fields Virology

Fields, Bernard N; Knipe, David M; Howley, Peter M.

6th ed.
Philadelphia : Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, c2013.

NLM ID: 101601028 [Book]

ISBN:9781451105636
1451105630

Teaching methods

Lessons will be given in a computer lab with online access to centers for biotechnology information. Sequence manipulation simulations will be performed with dedicated software, online and offline.

 

Assessment methods

Learning outcomes will be assessed by a final written test including theoretical and practical quizzes.

Teaching tools

Power Point and Acrobat presentations.

One computer will be available for each student in the computer lab, with Web access.

DNA and protein equence analysis and manipulation dedicated software.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandro Ripalti