Course Description

Everything you ever wanted to know about viruses: in essence, what viruses are, what they do, and what can be done about them. Special emphasis on all human viruses and the diseases they cause. This course combines a bit of molecular virology as well as many clinical aspects diseases caused by viruses. Students who have taken this course find it very useful for their medical virology during their medical school. Besides learning about viruses, the diseases they cause, how they are transmitted and what can be done about protection and vaccine, students also find this course very practical and useful to protect themselves and their families from viral infections in every day of their life such as the recent pandemic of COVID 19. This will be the last year this course is offered after 40+ years.

There are two OPTIONAL weekly tutorials for this course. The purpose of the tutorials is to provide an opportunity for class members to bring up points of difficulty in preceding lectures. Topics of current virologic interest may also be discussed. Note that you are welcome to: (a) discuss lecture material after classes or (b) to ask for a private online Zoom meeting. I have an open-door policy to help students. Attendance at tutorials is not compulsory but recommended. Information solely covered in tutorials will not be included in any test or exam.

Prerequisite

BIO230H1 / BIO255H1 or any course with some basic molecular biology background.
Contact Prof. AbouHaidar if you do not have any of these courses but you are interested in taking this course.

Lecturer(s)

Prof. M. AbouHaidar
mounir.abouhaidar@utoronto.ca

Course Administrator

Nalini M Dominique
416-978-8608
nalini.dominique@utoronto.ca

Contact Hours

48L, 48T

Recommended Text(s)/Readings

There is no required or needed textbook for this course. Only material covered during lectures will be included for the tests and exams. Lectures notes are available on Quercus. Extended lecture notes (for those who wish to expand their knowledge on some topics) are also available on Quercus. A list of textbooks will be provided for consultation.

Evaluation (Subject to change)

Two 1-hour term tests (multiple choice questions) totaling 60% of the final mark.
Final 2-hour exam covering mostly the work from the beginning of the second term test to the end of course (multiple choice questions) worth 40%. First term test lectures will not be included in the final exam.

Last updated on June 5th, 2024