NBIA08004U Evolutionary Medicine

Volume 2013/2014
Education
MSc Programme in Biology
Content
Basic concepts in Evolutionary Medicine: The history and variation of human genes and their global spatial patterns; medically relevant genomic variation of human populations; genetic variation for alcoholism and lactose intolerance; genetic conflicts in pregnancy and childhood; MHC variation and immunity, spontaneous abortions and mate choice; pathogen (social) evolution and biofilms; development and dissimination of bacterial resistance to antibiotics; virulence evolution in general and in response to vaccines; population structure and genomic variation in bacteria and viruses; emerging diseases; non-infectious and degenerative disease, including the evolution of aging; lifestyle, diet and disease; cancer as an evolutionary process.
Learning Outcome
To give students a thorough understanding of the issues in medical research and practice where evolutionary thought adds a demonstrably useful perspective. Students will gain a detailed perception of the ways in which natural selection, random events and history have shaped humans and their pathogens. The course will help students to integrate evolutionary and molecular approaches. Students completing the course will be able to:
  • explain important concepts and current hypotheses in evolutionary medicine
  • evaluate the impact of selection, drift and history on humans and pathogens
  • describe medically relevant genetic variation in humans and pathogens
  • explain the significance of reproductive conflicts between mother, father and child for medical issues in pregnancy
  • explain the evolution of antibiotic resistance and pathogen virulence
  • explain cancer and aging as evolutionary processes
  • independently retrieve and organize information from the scientific literature
  • present and discuss original scientific papers and reviews in evolutionary medicine.

 

Knowledge:

By completing the course the student will be able to understand and reflect on:

  • the history and variation of human genes and their global spatial patterns
  • medically relevant genomic variation of human populations
  • genetic variation for alcoholism and lactose intolerance
  • genetic conflicts in pregnancy and childhood
  • MHC variation and immunity, spontaneous abortions and mate choice
  • pathogen (social) evolution and biofilms
  • development and dissimination of bacterial resistance to antibiotics
  • virulence evolution in general and in response to vaccines
  • population structure and genomic variation in bacteria and viruses
  • emerging diseases; non-infectious and degenerative disease, including the evolution of aging
  • lifestyle, diet and disease; cancer as an evolutionary process.

 

Skills:

To give students a thorough understanding of the issues in medical research and practice where evolutionary thought adds a demonstrably useful perspective. Students will gain a detailed perception of the ways in which natural selection, random events and history have shaped humans and their pathogens. The course will help students to integrate evolutionary and molecular approaches.

 

Competencies

By completing the course the student can:

  • explain important concepts and current hypotheses in evolutionary medicine
  • evaluate the impact of selection, drift and history on humans and pathogens
  • describe medically relevant genetic variation in humans and pathogens
  • explain the significance of reproductive conflicts between mother, father and child for medical issues in pregnancy
  • explain the evolution of antibiotic resistance and pathogen virulence
  • explain cancer and aging as evolutionary processes
  • independently retrieve and organize information from the scientific literature
  • present and discuss original scientific papers and reviews in evolutionary medicine
  • present a coherent essay on a topic within this field of study
Literature
See Absalon.
About nine hours of lectures/seminars per week for the first six weeks. The seminars include student discussions of original articles and will require active preparation by the students. After this (in the 7th and 8th week) each student writes a literature based essay (five pages) on a topic related to the course papers.
The course is part of the qualification profiles 'Ecology and Evolution' and 'Microbiology'. For all courses of the qualification profiles, see Course Portal for Department of Biology.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Colloquia
  • 18
  • Exam
  • 30
  • Lectures
  • 36
  • Preparation
  • 82
  • Project work
  • 40
  • Total
  • 206
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination
The first half of the oral examination is a discussion of the essay. The second half consists of questions based on themes covered in the compendium papers and selected chapters in the book by Stearns and Koella. The exam lasts for 25 minutes in total. The essay and the oral examination will be graded jointly and with equal weight under participation.
Exam registration requirements
To participate in the exam you are obligated to attend to 80% of the classes.
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Criteria for exam assesment
To achieve the grade 12 the student must give an excellent performance displaying a high level of command of all aspects of the relevant material, with no or only a few minor weaknesses.