Virology
Code: 100873 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Biochemistry | OB | 2 |
Contact
- Name:
- Neus Ferrer Miralles
- Email:
- neus.ferrer@uab.cat
Teachers
- Neus Ferrer Miralles
- Ugutz Unzueta Elorza
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Is essential to have a general background in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Microbiology and Immunology and interest in Virology.
Objectives and Contextualisation
The teaching objectives of the course are the acquisition by the students of basic knowledge about biology, structure, genetics and evolution of viruses. This will be done within the framework of their pathogenesis and considering the pharmacological possibilities and research opportunities that Virology can offer in those fields. It will be also focused on emerging applications of the viruses in biotechnology and nanotechnology, and the need for constant updating of information through bibliographic databases.
Learning Outcomes
- CM10 (Competence) Propose innovative applications using microorganisms to meet societal needs.
- CM11 (Competence) Interpret experimental results obtained using microorganisms and their applications in the field of biochemistry.
- CM12 (Competence) Justify the properties of microorganisms with potential applications in biotechnological processes.
- KM17 (Knowledge) Identify the social, economic, and environmental impact of the use of microorganisms.
- KM18 (Knowledge) Describe the genetic, physiological and metabolic characteristics of microorganisms.
- SM13 (Skill) Use the main techniques for handling and using microorganisms.
- SM14 (Skill) Observe safety procedures when handling microorganisms.
Content
1. Historical overview of Virology
2. An introduction to viruses and Virology
3. Principles of viral taxonomy
4. Structure of viral particles
5. Viral multiplication
6. Genetics and viral genomes
7. Virological methodology
8. Origin and evolution of viruses
9. Emerging viruses and viral diseases
10. Pathogenesis of viral infections
11. Response to viral infections and vaccines
12. Peculiar infectious agents
13. Bacteriophages
14. Artificial viruses
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Classroom seminars | 15 | 0.6 | CM10, CM11, CM12, SM13, SM14, CM10 |
| classroom-based master classes | 30 | 1.2 | KM17, KM18, KM17 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Individual/group tutoring | 2 | 0.08 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, CM10 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Group work: preparation of reports | 20 | 0.8 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, CM10 |
| Oral preparation of assignments | 10 | 0.4 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, CM10 |
| Personal study | 56 | 2.24 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, CM10 |
| Text reading | 10 | 0.4 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, CM10 |
Classes will be distributed over 3 hours per week, of which 2 will correspond to master classes and 1 to the resolution of problems, group work in the classroom and presentation of oral works.
The course will comprise classroom lectures and active learning activities with scientific problems and cases by which students will acquire skills necessary to perform literature research, propose experimental approaches and design problem solving strategies. Oral presentations of active learning activities will encourage teamwork, coordination of activities and rational presentation of work plans and results. Active learning activities will be focused on methodological aspects and biomedical, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and nanotechnological applications of virus as well as derived viral structures. Personal tutorial guidance sessions will be available by email appointment and will be held in the office C3/331. In those sessions, students will have the opportunity to receive individual guidance according to their needs.
Use of AI: In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of the development of academic work, provided that the final outcome clearly demonstrates the student’s meaningful contribution through personal analysis and reflection. Students must explicitly identify which parts of their work have been generated using AI tools, specify the technologies employed, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced both the process and the final result of the activity. Lack of transparency regarding the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may result in a grade penalty or, in more serious cases, disciplinary action.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final exam: 3 partial + syntesis test. Test exams | 40 % | 2 | 0.08 | CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18 |
| Oral and/or written presentation | 30 % | 3 | 0.12 | CM10, CM11, CM12, KM17, KM18, SM13, SM14 |
| Partial exams. Multiple choice | 30 % | 2 | 0.08 | KM17, KM18 |
The assessment will be done through 3 exams, two non-eliminatory partials and one final exam which will include the third part and a synthesis exam. Exams will be distributed during the course, with a total weight on the final mark of 70%. In these theoretical assessments, 5% of the final grade will be allocated to the synthesis exam, while the weight of each partial exam will be proportional to the amount of content assessed in each. In addition, 30% of the mark will be obtained by the oral presentation of works and solving classroom problems or presenting written works. For these activities (30%) recovery will not be programmed.
The grade obtained in the theory exams (1P + 2P + 3P + synthesis) (or in the recovery exam) must be equal to or greater than 5.0 to be used in the calculation of the final grade for the course. In the case of obtaining a grade lower than 5.0 in the theory exams, even if the weighted average of all evaluative activities (theory + seminars) is 5 or higher, the maximum score obtained would be 4.5.
The remedial exam will be a multiple-choice test and will have questions from the entire syllabus. The exam will be open to students who have failed in the global score of the subject, but also to those who want to improve their scores. Prior registration isrequired. Separate remedial exams for each part examination cannot be made. The remedial will cover the whole subject and the score obtained will be that of the recovery exam (70%), regardless of the scores obtained in the previous exams. In compliancewith article 112 ter point 2 of the current Academic Regulations of the UAB, to be eligible for the remedial test, students must have been previously evaluated in a set of activities equaling at least two thirds of the final qualification of the course. Therefore, thestudents will obtain the "No Avaluable" qualification when the evaluation activities carried out have a weight lower than 67% in the final score.
For those who have voluntarily chosen the single evaluation, this will consist of a single multiple-choice exam in which the contents of the entire program of theory and seminars of the subject will be evaluated. The score obtained in this test will account for 70% of the final score. The single evaluation test will coincide in the calendar with the last test of the continuous evaluation and the same make-up test will be applied. The evaluation of the seminars will follow the same process than the continuous evaluation and the score obtained will represent 30% of the final score of the subject. The same criteria for being marked as “No Avaluable” will apply as in the case of continuous assessment. The review process for the final grade will follow the same procedure established for continuous assessment.
Bibliography
-Bamford, Dennis, and Mark A. Zuckerman, eds. Encyclopedia of Virology / Editors-in-Chief, Dennis Bamford, Mark A. Zuckerman. Fourth edition. Amsterdam: Academic Press, 2021. Permanent link. Available online.
-A.J. Cann. 2023. Principles of molecular virology. 7th Ed. Elsevier Academic Press, Amsterdam. Permanent link. Available online.
-S.J. Flint, G.F. Rall, V.R. Racaniello, A.M. Skalka, L.W. Enquist. 2015. Principles of virology, V.1, ASM Press, Washington DC. Permanent link. Available online.
-S.J. Flint, G.F. Rall, V.R. Racaniello, A.M. Skalka, L.W. Enquist. 2015. Principles of virology, V.2, ASM Press, Washington, DC. Permanent link. Available online.
-E. K. Wagner, M.J. Hewlett, D.C. Bloom, D. Camerini. 2008. Basic virology. 3rd Ed. Blackwell Science, Massachusetts. Permanent link. Available online.
-N.J. Dimmock, A.J. Easton and K.N. Leppard. 2016. Introduction to modern virology. 7th Ed. John Wiley & Sons. Permanent link. Available online.
-Richard L. Hodinka; Stephen A. Young; Benjamin A. Pinksy. 2016. Clinical Virology Manual. 5th edition.Washington DC. ASM Press. Permanent link. Available online.
-L. Collier andJ. Oxford, P. Kellam. 2016. Human virology. 5th Ed. Oxford University Press. Oxford. Permanent link
-T. Shors, Understanding viruses. 2017. 3rd Ed. Jones & Bartlett Learning. Burlington, Massachusetts. Permanent link
-L. Sompayrac. 2002. How Pathogenic Viruses work. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Boston. Permanent link
-C.F. Barbas III, D.R. Burton, J.K. Scott and G.J.Silverman. 2001. Phage Display. A Laboratory Manual. Cold Spring HarborLaboratory Press. Cold Spring Harbor, New York. Permanent link
-A. Martín González, V. Béjar, J.C. Gutiérrez, M. Llagostera, E. Quesada. 2019. Microbiología esencial. Editorial Médica Panamericana, Buenos Aires. Permanent link. Available online.
-E. Domingo. 2020. Virus as Populations: Composition, Complexity, Quasispecies, Dynamics, and Biological Implications. Academic Press. Permanent link. Available online.
-I.W. Fong. 2017. Emerging Zoonoses: A Worldwide Perspective. Springer. Permanent link. Available online.
-G. Rezza, G. Ippolito. 2017. Emerging and Re-emerging Viral Infections: Advances in Microbiology, Infectious Diseases and Public Health Volume 6. Springer. Permanent link. Available online.
-P. Tennant, G. Fermin, J.E. Foster. 2018. Viruses: molecular biology, host interactions, and applications to biotechnology. Academic Press. Permanent link. Available online.
Software
No specific software is foreseen.
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 321 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 32 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |