Global Biosecurity

A seminar series and course at the University of Illinois, fall 2011

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Course Details

Course: MCB 493 (CRN: 54160)
Course Director: Brenda Wilson
Location: 140 Burrill Hall
Time: Mondays 4:00 pm

Course Background

Seminar-based course designed to provide students with broad coverage of key areas of scientific, legal, social, ethical, and political aspects of biosecurity, emphasizing current problems and research in the areas of biodefense, emerging infectious diseases, synthetic biology, and other topics. In combination with related reading assignments, the weekly special topics-based seminars will integrate knowledge of modern biomedical research, advances in biotechnology, and natural and manmade biological threats with the skills to analyze and develop public policies and strategies for enhancing global biosecurity.

Each class/seminar will meet for ~1 hour on Mondays. (Please note: for guest seminars the class may run over a bit). One or two key papers that are relevant to the material covered in the next lecture/seminar will be assigned (citations will be sent via email by Wednesday of each week). All students in the class are expected to have read those papers and should come to class prepared to ask questions and discuss the topics covered by each speaker. Toward the end of the semester, groups of students will also present on selected topics. The students in each group will research the chosen topic, assemble a body of evidence supporting the arguments that the group will make in relation to the importance and impact of the topic on biosecurity, and will present the topic in the form of an oral and written deposition.

For more information or to see a copy of the syllabus, interested students should contact the course director.

Note: this seminar is supported by ACDIS.