Graduate Courses in Microbiology

503 Epidemiology.  Three credits.  Three hours of lecture weekly. An intensive course in the principles and methods of epidemiology with special reference to the determination of community needs.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200 and a course in statistical methods.  Offered spring semester of even-numbered years.

512 Applied, Food, and Industrial Microbiology.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  This course includes bacteriological studies of water, sewage, milk, and food.  In this course emphasis is also placed on microbiological assays, toxicology studies, and purposes and procedures involved in the standardization of antibiotics, germicides, preservatives, and disinfectants.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200, Biology 221, Chemistry 112.  Offered spring semesters.*

513 Pathogenic Fungi.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly. A study of the morphology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of pathogenic fungi and the pathology of mycological diseases in animals, including humans.  The isolation, identification, and study of fungi for purposes of classification, physiology, ecology, and genetics.  Prerequisite: Microbiology 200.  Offered fall semester of odd-numbered years.*

517 Electron Microscopy.  Four credits.  Six hours of combined lecture and laboratory weekly.  The principles and use of the transmission and scanning electron microscopes are covered.  Students learn the basic techniques of electron microscopic tissue processing and microphotography.  Each student must prepare a final technical report including examples of their own microphotographs.  Prerequisites: Microbiology 212 or Biology 213; CH 111, 112.  Not open to students completing MI 615.  Offered as required.*

521 Immunology and Serology.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  The principles of immunology including the immune response, immunoglobulin production theories, standard serological methods, and serodiagnostic procedures.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200; Chemistry 211, 212; and eight additional credits in biology or microbiology.  The course is closed to graduate students who have taken an upper level undergraduate or graduate immunology course.  Offered fall semester of even-numbered years.*

522 Microbial Genetics.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  The genetics of bacteria, fungi, bacteriophages, and other viruses.  Particular emphasis is placed on the experimental use of microorganisms in the study of molecular events in genetics, including DNA replication, macromolecular synthesis and regulation, mutation, recombination, and DNA repair.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200; Chemistry 211.  Closed to graduate students who have had a course in microbial genetics.  Offered spring semester of odd-numbered years.*

523 Microbial Ecology.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  This course is an introduction to the ecology of microorganisms. Involvement of microorganisms in nutrient cycles is emphasized.  Applications in the areas of deterioration of products and disposal of wastes are addressed.  Prerequisites: CH 112 and eight credits of laboratory courses in microbiology.  Offered as needed.*

524 Molecular Biotechnology.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and three hours of laboratory weekly.  A course on the application of molecular knowledge to the problems of genetic engineering.  A comparison between the genetic systems of prokaryotes and eukaryotes and their role in molecular genetic techniques used in the fields of molecular biology and microbiology are explored.  The development of current concepts and methods in molecular genetics as they apply to research, agriculture, industries, pharmaceutical companies and medicine is studied.  The laboratory explores the current techniques used in recombinant DNA technology as they relate to the course material.   Prerequisite:  A previous course in genetics or microbial genetics.  Offered as needed.*

525 Microbial Physiology.  Four credits.  Three hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  Students study the structure, function, and assembly of microbial cells and analyze products of their metabolism.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200; Chemistry 211, 212.  Offered fall semesters.*

591 Special Topics in Microbiology.  One-to-four credits.  Weekly lecture(s).  Discussion and analysis of problems in microbiology that are not covered in regular course work.  The specific content of the course remains flexible in response to student and departmental interest.  Special topics may be taken more than once with differing subject matter.  Offered periodically; consult the director of the microbiology graduate program.

591: Advanced Statistics. Three credits. Three hours of lecture weekly.  Biologists are increasingly required to analyze “big data,” datasets that are too large to analyze without computational effort. This course will focus on the application of methods in the statistical package, R, for analyses of large ecological datasets. Multivariate approaches will be applied, including multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), multivariate regression modeling, principal component analysis, and canonical correlation analyses. Approaches for data visualization will also be explored.  Prerequisites: Any one of the following: BI221, PS116, MA108, MA109, MA118, or SO234.  Offered Fall 2018.

597  Research. Two credits. Research on an experimental problem in a specialty of microbiology in which the student chooses to write a thesis required for the master’s degree. Not open to students who have completed MI 797. Prerequisite: Permission of the director of the microbiology graduate program. Offered fall and spring semesters.*

611 Medical and Public Health Microbiology.  Four credits.  Two hours of lecture and two hours of laboratory weekly.  Medical and public health microbiology including immunology.  Standard techniques for the microbiological examination of clinical specimens, including common tests for infectious disease organisms.  Prerequisites:  Microbiology 200 or equivalent, or permission of the department chair.  Offered fall semester.  Course may be waived by department action for those students having extensive clinical microbiology background.  A formal request and supporting documentation should be sent to the director of the microbiology graduate program.*

612 Pathology.  Three credits.  Two hours, 40 minutes of lecture weekly.  General systemic pathology, including the study of the reaction to injury and the structural and physiological changes in diseases.  The pathology of diseases due to bacteria, viruses, rickettsiae, and parasites is emphasized. Prerequisite:  Microbiology 611.  Offered fall semester of odd-numbered years.
 
615 Electron Microscopy.  Four credits. Six hours of combined lecture and laboratory weekly.  The principles and use of the transmission and scanning electron microscopes are covered.  Students learn the basic techniques of electron microscopic tissue processing and microphotography.  An independent, short project must be performed and a research format paper with self prepared illustration is required.  Prerequisite:  Graduate standing in microbiology and permission of instructor.  Students other than those in the microbiology masters program should seek permission of the department chair.  Not open to students completing MI 517.  Offered as needed.*
 
618 Parasitology.  Three credits.  Two hours, 40 minutes of lecture weekly.  This course involves the study of the morphology, taxonomy, and phylogeny of human parasites. Prerequisite:  Microbiology 611.  Offered spring semester of odd-numbered years.

619 Virology.  Three credits.  Two hours, 40 minutes of lecture weekly.  A basic course in structure, replication, and effects of virus infection.  Special attention is given to medically important viruses.  The methods of identification and growth of viral agents are considered. Prerequisite:  Microbiology 611.  Offered as needed.

621 Topics in Immunobiology and Immunochemistry.  Three credits.  Two hours, 40 minutes of lecture weekly.  This is an advanced course in current immunology.  Topics include structure and function of immunoglobulins, T-cells and B-cells, characteristics of synthetic and natural antigens, and the cellular aspects and kinetics of antibody formation.  Hybridoma research will also be explored. Prerequisites:  Microbiology 521, 611, or equivalent.  Offered spring semester of odd-numbered years.

623 Microbial Pathogenesis.  Three credits.  Two hours, 40 minutes of lecture weekly.  This course deals with the complex and multi-factorial nature of microbial disease.  Emphasis is placed on the interaction between the host and the microorganisms.  Approaches and concepts from cell biology, microbiology, and immunology are utilized in teaching the course.  Prerequisite:  Microbiology 525.  Offered fall semester of even-numbered years.

626 Advanced Microbial Physiology.  Four credits.  Five hours of combined lecture and laboratory weekly.  Microbial nutrition, kinetics of growth, and biosynthesis of major cell constituents and their transport and assemblage.  Enzymes of terminal oxidation, synthesis, and metabolism of cellular intermediates are studied.  Prerequisite:  Microbiology 525 or equivalent.  Offered spring semester of even-numbered years.*

630 Cellular Microbiology.  Three credits.  Two hours, forty minutes of lecture weekly.  This course focuses on the merge between cell biology and microbiology. Specifically, it covers how bacteria interact with eukaryotic cells during an infection. This course will cover pathogen interaction and attachment with host cell surfaces, bacterial signaling, membrane trafficking, intracellular parasitism, pathogen-cytoskeletal interactions, and the cellular response to bacterial toxins. Additionally, the use of eukaryotic systems to answer questions about pathogenic organisms will be explored. Prerequisites:  Microbiology 611 or equivalent.  Offered spring semester of even-numbered years.

691 Special Topics in Microbiology.  One-to-four credits.  Weekly lectures.  Discussion and analysis of problems in microbiology that are not covered in regular course work.  The specific content of the course remains flexible in response to student and departmental interest.  Special topics may be taken more than once with differing subject matter. Offered periodically; consult with the director of the microbiology graduate program.
 
693 Independent Study in Microbiology.  One-to-four credits.  A course designed for advanced graduate-level inquiry.  Qualified students may carry out independently arranged study of their own, chosen after advisement by sponsoring department faculty.  The project may be experimental, descriptive, or analytical.  Prerequisite:  Permission of the director of the microbiology graduate program and an advisor.  Offered fall and spring semesters.

700 Comprehensive Exam.  Zero credits.  All students (two and five year) in the Microbiology Graduate Program will take the comprehensive exam.

710 Graduate Seminar I.  Three credits.  Seminars covering areas of interest to the faculty and students in the graduate Microbiology program, and current developments in the broad field of microbiology (including microbial physiology, environmental microbiology, virology, pathogenicity, microbial genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and cell culture).  Offered fall semester.

720  Graduate Seminar II.  Three credits.  Seminars covering areas of interest to the faculty and students in the graduate Microbiology program, and current developments in the broad field of microbiology (including microbial physiology, environmental microbiology, virology, pathogenicity, microbial genetics, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, and cell culture).  Offered spring semester. 

MI 797 Research and Proposal.  Two credits.  Research work on an experimental problem in a specialty of microbiology in which the student prepares and presents a formal thesis proposal. Students must defend the proposal to all committee members. MI 797 is not open to students who have completed MI 597. Prerequisite: Permission of the director of the microbiology graduate program. Offered fall and spring semesters.*

MI 798 Thesis Research.  Zero credits.  Research work on an experimental problem in a specialty of microbiology in which the student carries out experimentation proposed in MI 797. Prerequisite: MI 797 or MI 597and permission of the director of the microbiology graduate program. Offered fall and spring semesters.*

MI 799 Masters Thesis.  Four credits.  Preparation and defense of the student’s completed masters thesis. Formal oral defense is required. Grade is based on student’s written thesis and defense presentation. Prerequisite: MI 798 and permission of the director of the microbiology graduate program. Offered fall and spring semesters.*