BIOL 1212 - Microbiology for Nursing

4 Credit(s)

This lecture introduces students to impact of microorganisms (including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and viruses) in health and disease is a critical topic for nursing and allied health care careers. A key aspect of this investigation is the virulence factors that are a part of pathogenicity and how these factors can change over time (leading to important topics such as antimicrobial resistance). The identification and management of these agents and their role in healthcare associated infections and epidemiology will be featured, as will the control of microbial growth to limit disease. The laboratory introduces students to brightfield microscopy and standard microbiological staining & culturing techniques, as well as DNA techniques of polymerase chain reaction, DNA gel electrophoresis, & sequencing analysis of soil isolates. Laboratory activities are connected to the Small World Initiative (http://www.smallworldinitiative.org/) to search for new antibiotic-producing organisms safely from soil samples and provide curriculum-based undergraduate research experiences

General Education Natural sciences general education.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 1111 with a C- or better.