Virology (MICR 405G)
Spring 2015
WIU Microbiology
Instructor: Dr. C Miller-Hunt, PhD; CL-Miller-hunt@wiu.edu
Office: 283 Waggoner Hall; 298-1294
Office Hours: Wednesday 2-4 PM and by appointment
Textbook: Basic Virology; 3rd Edition; Wagner et al. (Required)
Lecture: 3-5 PM Tuesday; 202 Waggoner Hall
Lab: 9-10:50 AM Friday; 234 Waggoner Hall
Course Overview: Micro 405G is a 3-semester hour lecture and laboratory course required for biology majors opting in
microbiology, and covers basic principles regarding viruses that cause disease in humans.
Course Goals: Micro 405G is designed for students who are current majors (undergraduate and graduate) in
biology/microbiology. Students will learn foundational information regarding general human viral pathogens including:
how viruses get into cells, how viruses replicate in their hosts, and how the host responds to viral infection. Laboratory
sessions are an essential component of this course (and your grade), and are designed to help you understand the
various aspects of the viral life cycle and demonstrate how virologists study viral pathogens in the laboratory.
Week 1 Dates Lecture Topic Reading Assignment Lab Exercise(s) Tue……...….1/20 Introductory remarks/ Part A: Introduction to viruses Part B: Virus Structure Tue………….1/27 Part A: The viral infection cycle Part B: Host immune response to viral infection Ebola Outbreak Assignment Due Tue………....2/3 Part A: Immune evasion by viruses Part B: Detection/Assays of viruses Notes Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Tue………..2/10 EXAM 1 Tue………..2/17 Part A: DNA viruses Part B: DNA viruses _____________________ 6 Tue……..…2/24 LAB: Transfect cells Lecture Part A: DNA viruses Chapters 16 and 18 LAB: Transduce cells Lecture Part B: DNA viruses 7 Tue……..…..3/3 Chapters 16 and 18 LAB: Prepare virus for concentration Lecture Part B: DNA viruses 8 Tue………..3/10 EXAM 2 ____________________ 9 Tue………....3/17 SPRING BREAK – NO CLASS STUDY! 10 Tue…...…….3/24 Part A: RNA viruses Part B: RNA viruses Tue………....3/31 Part A: RNA viruses Part B: RNA viruses Tue…………..4/7 LECTURE QUIZ 3 Part A: RNA viruses Tue………....4/14 EXAM 3 Chapters 14 and 15 Chapters 14 and 15 Chapters 14 and 15 ____________________ Coomassie stain analysis of concentrated virus NO LAB Arboviral exercise Tue………....4/21 Part A: Retroviruses Part B: Retroviruses Chapters 19-­‐21 2 3 4 5 11 12 13 14 LAB: collect virus Lecture Part A: DNA viruses Notes only Chapter 10 Chapters 16 and 18 NO LAB Lab policies and contract signing/Introduction to semester lab project LECTURE QUIZ 1 Preparation of eukaryotic expression vectors from bacteria Basic maintenance of cells in tissue culture Plate cells for transfection LECTURE QUIZ 2 Arboviral exercise continued Part B: RNA viruses Poster presentations Begin viral entry experiment 15 Tue………....4/28 Part A: Retroviruses Part B: Retroviruses Tue……..…...5/5 LECTURE QUIZ 4 Part A: Retroviruses Part B: Retroviruses Thursday May EXAM 4 at 3PM WG234 14th Abstracts of viral entry project due! 16 17 Chapters 19-­‐21 Finish viral entry experiment Chapters 19-­‐21 Compilation of group results of viral entry study NO LAB Distribution of points:
Lecture Points
Item
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Exam 4
Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Total Points
100
100
100
100
25
25
25
25
TOTAL:
500 points
Laboratory Points
Item
Total Points
Ebola Outbreak Assignment
25
Active Participation in Lab
Exercises 20 points x 12)
Viral Poster (50 points) and
Presentation (20 points)
Abstract of Viral Entry
Project
240
TOTAL:
70
25
355 points
The final course grade will be determined by the total number of points received divided by the total number of points
possible. Your final grade will be based on the following Grading Scale:
Percentage
92-100%
90-91.9%
87-89.9%
82-86.9%
80-81.9%
77-79.9%
72-76.9
70-71.9%
67-69.9%
60-66.9 %
below 59.9%
Undergraduate Grade
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
F
Graduate Grade
A
A
B
B
B
C
C
C
D
D
F
At the sole discretion of the instructor, students with exemplary class participation and laboratory performance who are
on the borderline between two grades (within 10 points) may receive the next highest grade.
Grading Policy: The final grade for the course is determined from a combination of the lecture exam points, the lecture
quiz points, the laboratory participation points, a viral poster project and a written abstract concerning the viral entry
project carried out over the course of the semester. Lecture points account for ~60% of the final course grade and
laboratory related points account for ~40% of the final course grade. The lecture portion of the grade consists of four
exams (including the final exam) and four quizzes. Exam and quiz format may include multiple choice, true/false,
matching, fill-in the blank, short answer and essay type questions. Exam policies and procedures must be followed while
taking the exam. The main exam procedures include no talking during the exam and bring your WIU ID. Possession of
visible papers or talking, texting, or looking at your phone during the exam results in an automatic F for that exam and
possibly for the entire course.
The lab consists of “wet” labs, the development of a viral poster/presentation project and a written abstract about the viral
entry project we will be working on throughout the semester in lab. The viral poster and entry project will be discussed
separately during lab. The percentage ranges listed above will be used to assign final grades. The grading scale will not
be curved and no extra credit is offered for this course. The point range listed above will be used to assign final grades.
The grading scale will not be adjusted and no extra credit is offered for this course.
Attendance: Attendance at lectures and laboratory is mandatory and roll will be taken. Laboratory experiments and
journal article discussions cannot be made up.
ONLY ONE EXCUSED ABSENCE IS ALLOWED FOR ANY PORTION OF THE COURSE. DOCUMENTATION WILL
BE REQUIRED FOR THE ABSENCE. ADDITIONAL ABSENCES WILL EACH RESULT IN A REDUCTION OF ONE
LETTER GRADE FROM YOUR FINAL COURSE GRADE.
Allowable excused absences may include severe illness, death in family, sponsored university event with which your
involved (athlete, club), military obligation, or emergency responder obligation. Again: excused absence requires
documentation.
Tardiness to lab will result in the loss of lab/discussion participation points for that specific lab/discussion.
Course Management Software: Aspects of Virology will be managed by Western Online (D2L). Grades and absences
will be posted on D2L. Students must possess an ECOM account username and password for access to Western Online.
Letters of Recommendation: Many students taking this upper level course are nearing graduation and desire letters of
recommendation. I am happy to write such letters for those students that attend regularly, perform well in the class, and
have talked with me about their future career/educational objectives.
Students with Disabilities: In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies me of the need for an accommodation. It is
imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to my attention, as I am not legally permitted to inquire about
such particular needs of students. Students who may require special assistance in emergency evacuations (i.e., fire,
tornado, etc.) should contact me as to the most appropriate procedures to follow in such an emergency. Please contact
Disability Support Services (298-2512) for additional services.
Cell Phone & Electronic Devices Policy / Course Disruption Policy: Cell phone usage, text messaging, voice
recording, and digital imaging are prohibited in this course during lecture and lab. Cell phones must be turned off
(including silent mode) and cell phones must be kept out of sight while in lecture and lab. Only EMTs, WIU First
Responders, or other designated emergency personnel are allowed to have an electronic devise on or activated during
course hours. Laptop computers are allowed only for note-taking but should not pose a distraction. Failure to follow the
electronic devices policy may result in confiscation of the electronic device, and/or eviction from the class meeting or
course as determined appropriate by the instructor. In addition to electronic devices, any behavior determined to be a
distraction or disruption to the course will result in loss of course points and/or eviction from the class meeting or course
as determined appropriate by the instructor.
Departmental Plagiarism Policy: “Plagiarism is the theft of someone else’s words, work, or ideas. It includes such acts
as (1) turning in a friend’s paper and saying it is yours; (2) using another person’s data or ideas without
acknowledgement; (3) copying an author’s exact words and putting them in your paper without quotation marks; and (4)
using wording that is very similar to that of the original source but passing it off as entirely your own even while
acknowledging the source.” V.E. McMillan in Writing Papers in the Biological Sciences (Bedford/St. Martin’s Press, New
York, p16)
This includes information in textbooks or laboratory manuals, theses, all writing assignments and images. The faculty of
the department attempt to monitor students writing assignments (essay exams, papers, lab reports, and other writing
assignments or exercises) for incidents of plagiarism. If plagiarism is found, the faculty will discuss the situation with the
student and indicate to the student the penalty for this academic dishonesty. Potential penalties include those cited on
the academic dishonesty section of the WIU web.
Academic Integrity: The penalty for cheating on any test or assignment will include an automatic F for the entire course
and referral to the WIU Student Judicial Program.
University Policies:
Final Exam Policy. http://www.wiu.edu/policies/finexam.php
Grade Appeals Policy. http://www.wiu.edu/policies/gradeapp.php
Student’s Rights and Responsibilities. http://www.wiu.edu/provost/students/ Student Academic Integrity Policy.
http://www.wiu.edu/policies/acintegrity.php
This syllabus may be changed WITH notice to students.