Virology
Code
10659
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia
Department
Departamento de Ciências da Vida
Credits
6.0
Teacher in charge
Ana Madalena Peres de Drumond Ludovice Mendes Gomes, Sílvia Carla Santos de Barros
Weekly hours
4
Teaching language
Português
Objectives
The objective of the virology course is to provide students with basic knowledge of virology, including the biological properties of viruses, virus morphology, tropism, taxonomy, replication strategies of representative DNA and RNA viruses and effects of virus infection on cell growth control and survival. Moreover, it aims to provide students with basic knowledge of the etiology and pathogenesis of relevant human and animal viral infections. Emphasis is also placed on viral zoonoses and emerging infectious diseases.
Prerequisites
Previous knowledge of Microbiology and Cellular and Molecular Biology.
Subject matter
1. General features of virus: biological properties, tropism, morphology, replication and taxonomy.
2. Study of virus families, with emphasis on cell tropism, viral genetic, virus replication in the host cells.
3. General characteristics of negative strand RNA viruses: Families Filoviridae, Bunyaviridae Paramyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae and Orthomyxoviridae.
4. Double-stranded RNA virus (dsRNA): Family Reoviridae.
5. Positive strand RNA viruses: Families Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae and Caliciviridae.
6. Family Retroviridae (HIV and Maedi-Visna virus).
7. General characteristics of DNA viruses: Families Parvoviridae, Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Poxviridae.
8. Prophylactic and vaccination strategies. Emerging infections.
Bibliography
- "Principles of Virology: Molecular Biology, pathogenesis, and control of animal viruses" Flint, S.J. (Editor), et al. (2003)
- “Desk Encyclopedia of General Virology” Brian W.J. Mahy and Marc van Regenmortel (editors) 2010. Academic Press, Elsevier.
-Selected scientific papers.
Teaching method
In lectures the successive topics of the syllabus will be explain and discuss. The subject from last lesson will be reviewed at the start of each new lesson. In practical classes, laboratory work will be performed with the implementation of techniques whose aim is to consolidate the concepts that were learned in the theoretical lectures and prepare students for the day-to-day of a virology lab. At the end of each practical session results will be discussed and conceptualized with the subjects taught in the course. Each week we will discuss papers from the research literature relevant to the topics presented in lectures.
Evaluation method
Theoretical Evaluation: 3 tests (30% of final grade/each) or a final exam (90%) plus the classification of one individual work (10%). To be approved student must have a minimum grade of 9.5, resulting from the sum of the singular evaluations.
Practical Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by 3 tests (40%, 30% and 30% of final grade/each respectively). To be approved student must have a minimum grade of 9.5, resulting from the sum of the singular evaluations.
The final grade was the sum of the theoretical and practical evaluations.