Postgraduate Course: Host-pathogen arms race (VESC11134)
Course Outline
School | Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
Summary | This course is designed to cover the complex concepts that define the host-pathogen interactions. |
Course description |
This course is designed to cover the complex concepts that define the host-pathogen interactions. It will cover the abilities of hosts to combat pathogens as well as abilities of the pathogens to persist. It will illustrate key principles that underpin the biology across species, but it will also offer species specific examples that derive from SRUC/R(D)SVS research. It will provide an in depth understanding of the concepts of host fitness, tolerance and resistance to pathogens and how these are affected by genetic and environmental drivers. It will also consider how these drive phenotypic and evolutionary plasticity in the host. Pathogen fitness and virulence will be discussed in relation to commensalism, colonisation, establishment, pathogenicity and host responses; the drivers of phenotypic plasticity in the pathogens will also be covered.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- To understand the complexities of host-pathogen interactions and the arms race between the two
- To learn the principles of livestock immunity and genetic variation to disease resistance
- To understand the principles of pathogen virulence
- To investigate how host x pathogen interactions influence transmission (site of colonisation, shedding routes, shedding levels)
- To understand how host responses to infection have been exploited to create diagnostics
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Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
Keywords | Evolution,Immunity,Behaviour,Virulence,Host-pathogen interaction,genetic variance |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Spiridoula Athanasiadou
Tel: (0131 6)51 9355
Email: sathanas@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mrs Angela Harding
Tel: (0131 6)51 7363
Email: Angela.Harding@ed.ac.uk |
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