BI3040 is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of microbiology, with an emphasis on bacteria, although viruses and fungi will also be covered. Some of the topics to be covered include introductory microbiology, bacteriology, metabolism, molecular genetics, and the role of bacteria in infectious diseases. In combination with the laboratory sessions, you will be exposed to the fundamental concepts of bacteriology leading up to more modern molecular technologies, to help demonstrate the concepts covered in lectures.

The lectures are designed to provide you with the basic knowledge of microbiology so you can be informed and make educated decisions in your everyday lives. The labs are more informal and interactive sessions that foster collaborative efforts through productive discussions, and demonstrate proof-of-principle. I strongly encourage you to ask questions, be inquisitive, and share your thoughts and/or opinions in both the lectures and the lab sessions.

BI2340 will introduce you to the fundamentals of microbiology, with an emphasis on bacteriology and human interactions and infections. Over the course of the semester, we will cover bacterial, viral and fungal diseases, discussing epidemiology, symptoms and available treatments.

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in nature and they can affect every aspect of our lives, for the most part, without ever going noticed. They are an essential part of every ecosystem and necessary for the survival of all living organisms. Therefore, it is important to be aware of and understand these microorganisms to help understand the basic processes of life and the interactions of all living organisms.

We live in a global community and microbiology does not recognize political borders. What affects one nation affects all nations. Therefore, the main objective of my teaching is to educate students on the importance of microbiology and its impact on us as individuals and as a society. My goal is to educate students to become comfortable enough to make informed and confident decisions regarding topics dealing with microbiology that may impact their lives and the lives of those around them.

For those students who are motivated and interested in gaining more research experience, BI4950 will be of interest. This course is designed to allow a student to gain independent research experience by committing to a project to be conducted outside of the traditional classroom setting. Students will engage in primary literature searches/reviews, contribute to the design of experiments, and conduct assays to obtain data with the aim of publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Registered students are expected to present their data during informal lab meetings, at the Annual PSU Research Symposium, and possibly at other local and national meetings.

The lectures are designed to provide you with the basic knowledge of microbiology and microbial diseases so that you can be informed and make educated decisions about health related issues in your nursing careers and everyday lives. The labs are more informal and interactive sessions that foster collaborative efforts through productive discussions, and demonstrate proof-of-principle. I strongly encourage you to ask questions, be inquisitive, and share your thoughts and/or opinions in both the lectures and the lab sessions.

A major concept that will be addressed and constantly emphasized is proper education of citizens and how everyone can help prevent the emergence and spread of infectious disease agents.

BIDI1400 is a Past and Present Directions course that fulfills one PPDI General Education (GenEd) requirement. This course is designed to introduce students to the concept of microorganisms, the diseases they cause, and the effect these diseases had on the development of human history.

Upon successful completion of the course, the student should:

1. 1)Understand the differences between various disease causing microorganisms, including, but not limited to, fungi, viruses, and bacteria, and the historical relevance of each.
   

2. 2)Be able to conduct scientific literature review, and summarize said reviews in the form of a presentation and appropriate peer-reviewed style abstract.
   

3. 3)Become comfortable enough to make informed and confident decisions regarding topics dealing with microbiology that may impact their lives and the lives of those around them (Citizen Scientists).