Natural Science 0345 - Virology

Viruses are fascinating entities that wreak havoc on every living organism on the planet, and yet they are not classified as living! We will study various types of viruses and the illnesses they cause. We will also try to purify bacteriophage viruses from Hampshire's soil and analyze them in the laboratory. Using genomics techniques and microscopy, students will identify and classify the particular bacteriophage they isolated through the course of the semester. Students will also adopt a "pet virus" to become the topic of a major literature review they will write by the end of the semester.

Quantitative Skills Writing and Research Independent Work In this course students are generally expected to spend at least 8 to 10 hours a week of preparation and work outside of class time.