Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation

This Learning Track focuses on the role of viral and bacterial organisms in, as well as how the immune system contributes to, health and disease. Courses cover basic concepts in microbiology and immunology, and expand to exploring the role of a wide range of microbes in health and disease, as well as the role of the immune system in combating infections and in diseases if non-infectious etiology. An overarching focus on this Learning Track in the role of human microbiome in health and disease.

This track requires students to take a total of 8 courses.

Coordinator: TBD

Courses

In addition to the following core BHSc courses:

PHAR 100 Introductory Pharmacology
GLPH 271 Global and Population Health
BCHM 270 Biochemical Basis of Health and Disease
MICR 270 Infection, Immunity, Inflammation OR MICR 271 Introduction to Microbiology

Students must take four (4) (one must be MICR 270/271, at least one must be a 400-level course) of the following courses:

MICR 270 or MICR 271 (whichever was not taken as a core requirement)

MICR 270, Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation is designed for students from various biological sciences and allied health backgrounds and is recommended as a foundation course for students pursuing a career in health sciences. This course focuses on the biology of the immune system in combating infections caused by common pathogens as well as major global infectious disease threats.

MICR 271, Introduction to Microbiology provides an introduction to the biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbes, including pathogenic and beneficial bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminthes, and protozoa. An overview of the biological features of these mircoorganisms and their component parts will highlight their roles in public health and environment.

MICR 386 Fundamentals of Immunology in Health and Disease

MICR 386, Fundamentals of Immunology in Health and Disease is designed to integrate the key principles of immunology to facilitate learning of immunology as it relates to human health and disease.

MICR 360 Immunology

MICR 360 Immunology discusses the general principles and mechanism of immune reaction. Immunochemical and immunobiological aspects of antibody formation and cell‐mediated immunity in health and disease will be considered.

MICR 320 Microbes in Health and Disease

MICR 320, Microbes in Health and Disease examines the ongoing interplay between microbes and humans, focusing on the roles of microbes in health and disease.

CANC 380 Evolutionary Biology of Cancer

CANC 380, Evolutionary Biology of Cancer is designed to introduce students from various biological sciences and allied health backgrounds to cancer as an evolutionary problem.

LISC 390 Integrative Laboratory Studies

LISC 390, Integrative Laboratory Studies is a two-week intensive multidisciplinary laboratory course conducted in-person on the Queen’s University campus in Kingston, Ontario. Students will learn a number of different laboratory techniques, developing skills in scientific methodology, data acquisition, and interpretation.

MICR 483 Advanced Topics in Infectious Disease

MICR 483, Advanced Topics in Infectious Disease examines basic principles of infectious diseases. Selected infectious disease syndromes will be examined to explore unique host microbe interactions.

MICR 290 Antibiotic Resistance Lab

MICR 290, Antibiotic Resistance Lab : This immersive laboratory course is designed to give students the opportunity to develop basic research skills, learning about important microbiological and biochemical research techniques and applying them to the study of antibiotic resistance.

MICR 451 Viral Pathogenesis

MICR 451 Viral Pathogenesis covers viral replication strategies and virus-host interactions, with an emphasis on mechanisms of viral pathogenesis, focusing on human pathogenic viruses such as coronaviruses, hepatitis viruses, HIV, and herpesviruses. Tutorials will be in journal club format with group discussion and analysis of recent literature.

MICR 452 Viral Infection and Immunity

MICR 452 Viral Infection and Immunity is an advanced virology course which, through lectures, tutorials and virology workshops provides students with an in depth understanding of contemporary problems in virus-host interactions.

MICR 461 Advanced Immunology

MICR 461 Advanced Immunology is an advanced immunology course focused on current topics in immunology and immunology‐related scientific research.

Students who began their studies in the BHSc program prior to September 2022 may choose to complete the requirements of the archived version of the Infection, Immunity, and Inflammation learning track:Archived April 2022