BIOL 347 Virology Course Information
Instructor:Marie Pizzorno Department of Biology Bucknell University Office: BB205 Phone: (570) 577-3084 email	Required Textbook: The Biology of Viruses by Bruce A. Voyles, 1993

Course Description:

Simply put, virology is the study of viruses. Every living creature on the planet probably has at least one, if not several, viruses which can infect it. Many of these infections result in no pathogenic consequences for the host, but viral infections can cause sever disease in plants, animals, and humans. In addition, viruses can alter the evolutionary history of their hosts by depositing their genomes into cells, which may integrate into the host genome, or by bringing in genomic sequences from other hosts. In this way, viruses can be both beneficial and detrimental to populations of organisms. With modern technology in molecular and cellular biology, we know more about a few select viruses than ever before. Finally the molecular mechansims of infection and pathogenesis are becoming clear. This has alwo allowed for more advanced treatments and vaccines to prevent viral infections. In this course we will concentrate on the molecular aspecsts of virology by studying how various viruses replicate and infect their hosts.

Lectures and Readings:

Most of the class material will be presented through lecture and discussion, either during lecture or seminar. For this reason, attendance in class and seminar is very important and repeated absences will adversely effect your grade. Since the text readings are fairly short, you will find it most useful to read the text prior to lecture. I may not present all of the information in the text or I may supplement it with additional information and readings.

Exams:

There will be 2 one-hour exams given during seminar session (W, 7-9pm). These exams will primarily be problem based and will require more than just rote memorization of the material. The final exam, administered on the scheduled date, will emphasize the last section of the course (150 pts), but will also contain questions that will require you to integrate material from the entire semester (100 pts).

Seminar:

Writing Assignment:

There will be one required writing assignment during the course of the semester. This will be an 8-12 page summary paper on any topic in virology that you choose. You may use secondary sources (textbooks and review articles) to gather background information, but you should also cite and discuss at least 4 primary sources (those that contain new scientific data) within the body of your paper. A topic and tentative literature review (list of both primary and secondary sources that you will use for this paper) should be turned in on Feb. 12 (worth 25 pts). A 1-2 page outline or summary of what you are going to cover in your paper should be turned in on March 19 (worth 25 pts). In addition, you should briefly summarize and discuss 2 of the primary articles that you are going to use in your final paper (2-4 pages total, worth 50 pts). This will also be due on March 19. The final draft of your paper is due on April 16 (worth 150 pts) and there will be 5 pts/day deducted for late papers. A few sample topics include: canine parvovirus, Mad Cow Disease, neurotropic viruses, AIDS and its treatment, vaccine development, viruses and cancer, and viruses used in gene therapy. If you are having difficulty with choosing a topic or on the form of this paper, please consult with me at the earliest possible point. You may cite popular literature and Web pages, where appropriate, as secondary sources, but over use of these non "peer-reviewed" sources may detract from the scholarly nature of your paper. A word of caution about using the Internet, while it is a fascinating place to learn about viruses, if you find something on a site that you would like to use in your paper, try to find another source (newspaper, magazine, textbook or journal article) that supports this information. If absolutely necessary, you may cite the Web page (give the http address).

Grading:

I do not grade on a curve. You will earn points for each exam and assignment and a final grade will be based on total points earned.

Assignment	Points Possible
Hour Exams (150 pts/each) x2	=300
Final Exam	=250
Summary Paper	=250
Seminar Presentation	=100
Seminar Participation	=100
Total Points	= 1000