Microbes and Health - 20005

Both these courses deal extensively with the human immune system. BIO 221  covers such topics as the role of microbes (mostly viruses and bacteria) in causation of diseases, covering HIV and related viruses as well as the health behaviors and risk factors associated with conditions caused by infectious organisms. PSY 265  uses HIV and AIDS as a case study for understanding the intersections of behavior and infectious disease and focuses on the impact of stress on immune response. The laboratory exercises in BIO 221  will illuminate for students some of the practical clinical procedures used to diagnose infectious diseases. PSY 265  will help students understand how psychological experience influences health and how infectious diseases impact the lives of chronically ill individuals.