George Mason University – Graduate Council
Graduate Course Approval Form
All courses numbered 500 or above must be submitted to the Graduate Council for final approval after approval by the
sponsoring College, School or Institute.
Graduate Council requires submission of this form for a new course or any change to existing courses. For a new course,
please attach a copy of the syllabus and catalog description (with catalog credit format, e.g. 3:2:1). The designated
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Coordinator Form if the proposed changes will affect other units.
Note: Colleges, Schools or Institutes are responsible for submitting new or modified catalog descriptions (35 words or
less, using catalog format) to Creative Services by deadlines outlined in the yearly Catalog production calendar.
Please indicate: New___X____
Modify_______
Delete_______
Department/Unit:____MMB_________ Course Subject/Number:_BIOL 675____________________
Submitted by:_____P. Royt_________________ Ext:___31058________ Email:____proyt@gmu.edu___
Course Title:__Aerosol Biology _________________________________________________________________
Effective Term (New/Modified Courses only): _Summer 08__
Credit Hours: (Fixed) __4___
(Var.) ______ to ______
Final Term (deleted courses only):____________
Grade Type (check one)___X__
_____
_____
Regular graduate (A, B, C, etc.)
Satisfactory/No Credit only
Special graduate (A, B, C, etc. + IP)
Repeat Status*(check one): _X__ NR-Not repeatable ____ RD-Repeatable within degree ____ RT-Repeatable within term
*Note: Used only for special topics, independent study, or internships courses
Total Number of Hours Allowed: _______
Schedule Type Code(s): 1._LEC_ LEC=Lecture SEM=Seminar STU=Studio INT=Internship IND=Independent Study
2.LAB_ LAB=Lab RCT=Recitation (second code used only for courses with Lab or Rct component)
Prereq _X__ Coreq ___ (Check one):_ Prerequisites: Undergraduate courses in physics, math, and
microbiology, and permission of the Director of the Center for Biodefense. __
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Note: Modified courses - review prereq or coreq for necessary changes; Deleted courses - review other courses to correct prereqs that list the deleted course.
Description of Modification (for modified courses):____________________________________________________________________
Special Instructions (major/college/class code restrictions, if needed):__________________________________________
Department/Unit Approval Signature:_________________________________________ Date: _____________
College/School Committee Approval Signature:__________________________________ Date:_____________
Graduate Council Approval Date:____________ Provost Office Signature:_________________________________
George Mason University
Graduate Course Coordination Form
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AEROSOL BIOLOGY
SYLLABUS
Catalogue Copy
BIOL 675: Aerosol Biology (4:3:3) Prerequisites: Undergraduate courses in physics, math, and
microbiology, and permission of the Director of the Center for Biodefense. This course provides
students with a familiarity of state of the art aerosol equipment and techniques used in laboratory-based
research pertaining to biological warfare or terrorism threats. Emphasis will be placed on biosafety
procedures, techniques, and equipment used in conducting experiments with infectious organisms in a
contained environment.
Instructor: Dr.
M. Louise M. Pitt and other selected lecturers from USAMRIID
Office:
Office hours:
Office phone: (301) 6194230
Email: louise.pitt@amedd.army.mil
Web page:
The goal in teaching Aerosol Biology is to teach students the state-of-the-art principles of aerosol
sciences with a particular focus on studying aerosol parameters for application in biodefense and infectious
disease research. Lecture topics will include basic aerosol physics, particle dynamics, biological aerosols,
and current thinking for development of animal models appropriate for the evaluation of medical
countermeasures that protect against aerosol challenge. The subject matter covered in this course will
provide students with an overall understanding of biological aerosols, the techniques and tools required to
systematically generate and deliver biological agents to animals, and to calculate and report delivered dose.
The principles will be taught by lectures listed below and will be based both on material provided by the
lecturers and contained in the recommended reading materials. Students will also be expected to give a
presentation on a topic mutually agreed upon by student and lecturer. Research for this presentation will
include research of available scientific literature applicable to the subject.
The goal of the laboratory part of this course is to teach the basic techniques used in a state-of-the-art
Aerobiology laboratory. Students will be introduced to the techniques and equipment required to generate,
and characterize bioaerosols. Exercises in equipment calibration and set up, aerosol generation, aerosol
sampling, respiratory measurements, assays and culture techniques, and dose calculations will provide the
necessary information to perform aerosol challenges in a safe and reproducible manner.
The course will be taught within a 2 week period. The content of the course is described below in the
list of lectures. Students are expected to attend all lectures and laboratory sessions. Lecture material will be
presented by PowerPoint slides, and where appropriate references will be provided for the students. Full
student participation is expected, questions or comments to the instructor during the class meeting are
encouraged.
Four exams (60% of grade) will be given during the course. These exams will include multiple
choice, calculations and written answers. Students will also be required to give a 20 minute presentation
(15% of grade) to include PowerPoint slides on a selected topic. The laboratory grade will be 25% of the
final grade. The grading policy to be used is described below.
LECTURE SYLLABUS
Lecture Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Topic
Introduction to Aerosol Biology
Aerosol Generation
Aerosol Characterization
Aerosol Sampling
Exam # 1
Dose Definition and Calculation
Physiology of the Airways
Deposition, Retention, and Clearance
of Inhaled Bioaerosols
Deployment of Aerosolized Agents,
Aerosols Behavior and Infections
Exam # 2
Aerosol Delivery and Animal
Exposure
Animal model Development
Animal Models for Inhaled Biothreat
Agents
Exam # 3
Biosafety Aspects of Aerosol
Inhalation
Pharmaceutical Aerosols
Communicable Aerosol Infection
Exam # 4
Emerging Technologies for Aerosol
Generation, Delivery and
Characterization
Student Presentations
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AEROSOL BIOLOGY
LABORATORY SYLLABUS
Welcome to the AEROSOL BIOLOGY Laboratory. Our goal is to teach you the basic techniques used in a state-of-the-art
Aerobiology laboratory. You will be introduced to the techniques and equipment required to generate, and characterize bioaerosols.
Exercises in equipment calibration and set up, aerosol generation, aerosol sampling, respiratory measurements, assays and culture
techniques, and dose calculations will provide the necessary information to perform aerosol challenges in a safe and reproducible manner.
Lab # 1 (5 hr)
Lab # 2 (3.5 hr)
Lab # 3 (5 hr)
Lab # 4 (3.5 hr)
Lab # 5 (6 hr)
Lab # 6 (4.5 hr)
Lab # 7 (5.5 hr)
Total hr: 33 hr
Introduction to aerosol generators and samplers
- Calibrating equipment,
- SOPs
- Documentation
Aerosol Systems – chambers and controllers
- Assembling systems
- Using manual manipulations to balance aerosol
system
- Sampling
- SOPs
- Documentation
Quiz
- Automated bioaerosol system
- Sampling
- SOPs
- Documentation
Quiz
- Plethysmography
- Animal restraints
- SOPs
- Documentation
Quiz
- Particle size measurements
- Aerosol concentration measurements
- Humidity control
- SOPs
- Documentation
Quiz
- Various generators
- Particle size comparison
- Aerosol characterization
Practical Exercise: Perform an aerosol to include
equipment calibration, system set-up, aerosol generation
and sample collection, calculation of dose and
documentation
Grading policy:
Lecture Exam I
Lecture Exam II
Lecture Exam III
Lecture Exam IV
Presentation
Lab notebook
Recitation practical exercise
Lab quizzes
Final grades:
93-100
90-92
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
70-76
<70
15 points
15 points
15 points
15 points
15 points
8 points
9 points
8 points
Total points = Final %
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
F
Recommended Texts:
The Mechanics of Inhaled Pharmaceutical Aerosols. An introduction
Author: Warren H. Finlay
Academic Press 2001
Concepts in Inhalation Toxicology; Second Edition
Edited by Roger O. McClellan and Roger F. Henderson
Taylor & Francis 1995
Inhalation Aerosols
Physical and Biological Basis for Therapy
Edited by Anthony J. Hickey
Lung Biology in Health and Disease Vol. 94
Marcel Dekker, Inc. 1996
Aerosol technology, Properties, Behavior and Measurement of Airborne Particles 2nd Edition
Author: William C. Hinds
Wiley Interscience 1999
Aerosol Measurement: Principles, Techniques, and Applications, 2nd Edition
Edited by Klaus Willeke and Paul A. Baron
John Wiley and sons, Inc. 2001
Air Sampling Instruments, 9th Edition
ACIGH 2001
Textbook of Military Medicine, Part I
Medical Aspects of Chemical and Biological Warfare
Published by Office of the Surgeon General, DA, USA Borden Institute 1997
Biodefense: Research Methodology and Animal Models
Edited by James R. Swearengen 2006
CRC Press, 2006
Aerosol
CRC Press, 2006
Monday
Biology Schedule
Lecture 1: 0830 – 1100 (2.5 hr)
Introduction to aerosol biology
- Historical perspective
- Course Overview and Expectations
- Receive Presentation Topic
Lecture 2: 1200 – 1400 (2 hr)
Aerosol generation
- Introduction to nebulizers
- Other generation technologies
Tuesday
Wednesday
Lecture 3: 1500 – 1700 (2 hr)
Aerosol Characterization
Lecture 4: 0830 – 1100 (2.5 hr)
- Aerosol Sampling
Lecture 5: 1200 – 1430 (2.5 hr)
- Dose Definition
- Dose Calculation
Quiz # 1: 0830 – 0930 (1 hr)
Lecture 6: 1000 – 1200 (2 hr)
- Physiology of airways
Thursday
Laboratory # 1: 1230 – 1730 (5 hr)
Lecture 7: 0830 – 1100 (2.5 hr)
- Deposition, Retention and Clearance
Lecture 8: 1130 - 1330 (2 hr)
- Deployment of bioagents
- Aerosol behavior
- Infection
Friday
Laboratory # 2: 1400 – 1730 (3.5 hr)
Quiz # 2: 0830 – 0930 (1 hr)
Lecture 9: 1000 – 1200 (2 hr)
- Aerosol Delivery in the laboratory
- Animal Exposure
Monday
Tuesday
Laboratory # 3: 1230 – 1730 (5 hr)
Lecture 10: 0830 - 1100 (2 hr)
- Animal Models 1
Lecture 11: 1130 - 1330 (2 hr)
- Animal Models 2
Laboratory # 4: 1400 – 1730 (3.5 hr)
Quiz # 3 0830 – 0930 (1 hr)
Lecture 12: 0830 – 1030 (2 hr)
- Biosafety Aspects
Wednesday
Laboratory # 5: 1130 – 1730 (6 hr)
Lecture 13: 0830 – 1000 (1.5 hr)
- Pharmaceutical Aerosols
Lecture 14: 1100 – 1200 (2 hr)
- Communicable Aerosols
Thursday
Laboratory # 6: 1300 – 1730 (4.5 hr)
Quiz # 4
0830 – 0930 (1 hr)
Lecture 15: 1000 - 1130 (1.5 hr)
- Emerging Technologies
Friday
Laboratory # 7: 1200 – 1730 (5.5 hr)
- Practical Exercise
Lecture 16: 0900 - 1200
1300 – 1700 (7 hr)
- Student Presentations