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This course provides state-of-the-art
training in molecular methods for studying fungal pathogens important
in human disease. The course is designed for advanced graduate students,
postdocs, and independent investigators. Limited to 18 students.
The goal of the course is to instruct students in the application
of molecular methodologies to problems posed by medically important
fungi. The main areas covered by the course include an introduction
to medically important fungi, molecular manipulation and analysis
of these fungi, host-fungal interactions, basic concepts of pathogenesis,
and the application of molecular methods to the analysis of fungal
disease.
Training is provided by laboratory exercises, visiting seminar speakers,
and informal panel discussions. Laboratory exercises focus on Candida,
Aspergillus, and Cryptococcus, and include transformation,
gene disruption, gene cloning strategies, in vivo pathogenicity
assays, host response assays, mitotic recombination and genetic
instability, and microscopic analysis of fungi. Invited seminar
speakers will provide introductions to Candida, Aspergillus,
Cryptococcus, Histoplasma, Coccidioides, and Pneumocystis,
as well as more specialized seminars in areas of drug targets, molecular
diagnostic techniques, virulence, genome structure, evolution, vaccine
strategies, and host defenses. Panel discussions will focus on current
research problems and development of new research techniques and
paradigms.
This course is supported by contributions from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH, Merck, Inc., Pfizer Inc., AB Biodisk, and New England Biolabs.
2008 Faculty and Lecturers:
Jim Anderson, University of Toronto
Geraldine Butler, University College Dublin
Christina Cuomo, Broad Institute
Melanie Cushion, University of Cincinnati
Scott G. Filler, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Joseph Heitman, Duke University
Christina Hull, University of Wisconsin
Ashraf Ibrahim, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Bruce Klein, University of Wisconsin
James B. Konopka, SUNY Stony Brook
Eleftherios Mylonakis, Massachusetts General Hospital
Andre Nantel, Biotechnology Research Institute, NRC
Mairi Noverr, Wayne State University
Judith C. Rhodes, University of Cincinnati
Theodore C. White, Seattle Biomedical Research Institute
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