COURSE MATERIALS:

Textbook:      Talaro, K.  2009. Foundations in Microbiology (7th ed.).  McGraw-Hill.

Lab Manual:  Brown, A. E.  2009.  Benson's Microbiological Applications – Laboratory  Manual in General Microbiology (11th ed.).  McGraw-Hill.

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course involves the identification, anatomy, physiology, and genetics of microorganisms.  Special emphasis is given to infectious diseases and the organisms that cause these diseases.

Prerequisite:  BIO 161 or the following combinations: BIO 110 or BIO 114 and CEM 111.

 

GENERAL COURSE GOALS AND INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of this course are to introduce to the student the fundamental principles of medical microbiology and the laboratory techniques used within this field of study.  The identification, anatomy, physiology, and genetics of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, and parasitic worms will be discussed in both lab and lecture.  Special emphasis will be given to those microorganisms which are responsible for human diseases.

Students successfully completing this course will have a strong fundamental understanding of the biology of microorganisms that cause human disease.  The student will demonstrate knowledge of immunology, microbial anatomy, physiology, and genetics as it relates to the transmission, pathogenesis, and treatment of diseases.  Lab experience will allow them to work with various nonpathogenic and pathogenic microorganisms in clinical situations.

 

CORE COMPETENCIES:

How to learn effectively:  Students are exposed to a field of study that is rapidly changing and expanding.  New discoveries in areas such as epidemiology, immunology, and genetics are common.  This encourages students to constantly access new information and data in health-related professions.

 

How to solve problems:  Laboratory exercises are designed to give students experience in collecting and analyzing both qualitative and quantitative data.  These data are relevant to evaluating and solving problems in microbiology.

 

How to use mathematical concepts:  In lab and lecture numerical data are evaluated and processed.

 

How to communicate effectively:  Both in lab and lecture written and oral communication are practiced.  For instance, the scientific terminology used in various assignments allows students to practice the effective communication of major biological concepts and scientific information.

 

How to interact with the world:  A major emphasis of this course requires the understanding and appreciation of scientific inquiry and technology.  Many aspects of microbiology, such as the spread and control of infectious diseases, requires knowledge of societal and individual responsibilities.  Personal health and behavior is linked to many historical, ethical, legal, and business issues or factors that shape societal views throughout the world.

 

GRADING:

Lecture Grade:  In lecture there will be three regular exams and one comprehensive final exam.  Each exam counts for 25% of the lecture grade.

 

Makeup Policy for Lecture Exams:  Students cannot makeup scheduled regular exams.  All missed regular exams will receive a zero score.  As compensation for this policy, students who complete this course will be allowed to drop their lowest regular exam score from the calculation of the final grade.

 

    Note: The final lecture exam is mandatory and cannot be dropped.

 

Lab Grade:  65% of the lab grade will be based on various lab reports, tasks, and exams throughout the semester.  10% will be based on laboratory safety and performance.  The remaining 25% of the lab grade will be derived from a final comprehensive lab exam.

 

Makeup Policy for Labs:  Because of the nature of preparing microbiology labs, it may be difficult to makeup many of the labs.  It is the student’s responsibility to makeup the missed information by consulting with the lab instructor, and referring to the lab manual, handouts, and website.  Students may not be allowed to attend another lab section to makeup missed material.  Late assignments 1) may not be accepted by the instructor (thus receiving a zero score) or 2) be penalized by point deductions.  Students will be allowed to drop one of their lowest scores from each of the following categories: lab reports, lab tasks, and lab exams. 

 

    Note: The final lab exam is mandatory and cannot be dropped.

 

Final Course Grade: Fifty percent of the final course grade will be derived from lecture, whereas the other fifty percent will come from lab.  Below is the percentage breakdown for each grading category.

 

Lecture

Lab
Exams* 37.5% Lab Safety 5.0%
Final Exam 12.5% Lab Tasks* 10.0%
Total 50.0% Lab Reports* 10.0%

 

 

 Lab Exams* 12.5%
Final Lab Practical 12.5%
Total 50.0%

       * One lowest score is dropped in this category

 

Letter grades will be assigned from the following scale:

 

A    93-100% B+  87-89.9% C+  77-79.9% D+  67-69.9% E  <60.0%
A-  90-92.9% B    83-86.9% C    73-76.9% D    63-66.9%  
  B-   80-82.9% C-   70-72.9% D-   60-62.9%  

 

 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE:

Tutors:  If you need additional assistance in microbiology beyond the classroom, the Learning Center located in Van Lare Hall can arrange for you to meet with tutors.

 

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

To successfully complete this course, students are expected to attend all the scheduled lecture and lab times.  Poor attendance almost always correlates to poorer or failing grades.

 

WITHDRAWAL:

Students may withdraw from this course through the 10th week of the semester.  The last date to withdraw is Friday, October 29th.   

 

ETHICS POLICY:

Student behavior that is detrimental to an environment conducive to learning or to the maintenance of a reasonable level of order on the campus or in the classroom shall be considered disruptive behavior. Students involved in disruptive conduct will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the student handbook and which includes suspension or dismissal.

Dishonest scholarly practices include, but are not necessarily limited to taking, using, or copying another’s work and submitting it as one’s own, intentionally falsifying information or taking another’s ideas with the intention of passing ideas in class as one’s own.  These types of practices will not be condoned in this course.  Individuals caught cheating will be assigned a failing grade for that assignment.  Subsequent offenses could result in the student being assigned a failing grade for the course.  The instructor will report all incidents of dishonest academic conduct to the dean and department chairperson.

 

DISTRIBUTION OF COURSE SYLLABUS:

A copy of this syllabus is distributed to each student enrolled in this course, the department chairperson, and the Vice President of Academic Instruction.

 

Note: Throughout the semester the instructor will do his best to follow the lecture and lab schedule outlined in this syllabus.  However, events like snow days, holidays, instructor illness,... often necessitate changes.  Students will be notified of any modifications or revisions to this schedule.

 

 

2010 FALL LECTURE AND LAB SCHEDULE

 

Week

No.

Lecture Topics

Textbook

Chapters

Lab Topics

Lab Manual

Exercises

1

Aug 23-27

Main Themes of Microbiology

A Survey of Prokaryotic Cells and Microorganisms

1

4

Basic Laboratory Safety

Brightfield Microscopy

Protozoa, Algae, & Cyanobacteria

Microscopic Invertebrates

pages ix-xv

1

5

handout

2

Aug 30- Sep 3

Procaryotic Cells,…(cont.)

A Survey of Eukaryotic Cells and Microorganisms

4

5

Microscopic Measurements

Ubiquity of Bacteria

Aseptic Technique

Smear Preparation

4

6

8

10

3

Sep 6-10

Labor Day-No Classes Sept 6

Eucaryotic Cells & Microbes (cont.)

Microbe-Human Interactions

Protozoan Pathogens

 

5

13

23

Simple Staining

Negative Staining

11

12

4

Sep 13-17

Protozoan Pathogens (cont.)

Helminth Parasites

23

23

Parasitic Protozoa

Capsular Staining

handout

13

5

Sep 20-24

EXAM 1

Helminth Parasites (cont)

1,4,5,13,23

23

Gram Staining

Spore Staining

14

15

6

Sep 27-Oct 1

Nonspecific Host Defenses

Adaptive Specific Immunity

14

15

Acid-Fast Staining

Motility Determination

 

16

17

7

Oct 4-8

Adaptive Specific Immunity (cont)

Disorders of Immunity

 

15

16

Cultivation of Bacteria (part 1)

Parasitic Worms

The Fungi (yeasts & molds)

18

handout

7

8

Oct 11-15

Disorders of Immunity (cont)

Microbial Genetics

The Fungi of Medical Importance

Open House-No classes Fri., Oct 16

16

9

22

Cultivation of Bacteria (part 2)

Enumeration of Bacteria

Bacterial Counts of Foods

18

20

46

9

Oct 18-22

The Fungi (cont)

Microbial Metabolism

22

8

Pure Culture Techniques

Identification of Unknown Bacteria (period 1)

9

19,36,37

10

Oct 25-29

EXAM 2

Microbial Metabolism (cont.)

Last day to withdraw-October 30

23,14,15,16,9

8

 

Identification of Unknown Bacteria (periods 2 & 3)

38,39,40

11

Nov 1-5

Elements of Microbial Nutrition, Ecology, and Growth

Physical and Chemical Agents for Microbial Control

7

 

11

 

Identification of Unknown Bacteria (periods 4 & 5)

38,39,40,41

12

Nov 8-12

Drugs, Microbes, Host-The Elements of Chemotherapy

The Cocci of Medical Importance

G- Bacilli of Medical Importance

12

 

18

19

Temperature: Lethal Effects

Ultraviolet Light: Lethal Effects

The Effects of Lysozyme on Bacterial Cells

27

30

31

13

Nov 15-19

Fall Break-No classes Mon., Nov 15

EXAM 3

 

 

22,8,7,11

 

Antimicrobic Sensitivity Testing

Evaluation of Antiseptics

The Staphylococci: Isolation and Identification (period 1)

33

34

52

14

Nov 22-26

G- Bacilli (cont)

G+ Bacilli of Medical Importance

Misc. Bacterial Agents of Disease

An Introduction to the Viruses

Thanksgiving-Nov 25 & 26

19

20

21

6

The Staphylococci: Isolation and Identification (periods 2 & 3)

 

52

15

Nov 29-Dec 3

The DNA Viruses

The RNA Viruses

24

25

Person Zero: Transmission of a Sexually Transmitted Disease

FINAL LAB PRACTICAL

handout

 

all exercises

16

Dec 6-9

FINAL LECTURE EXAM

Day and Time to be Announced

all chapters

No lab

 

 

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