Biodefense (BIOD)
Public and International Affairs
604 Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis I: Bacterial Agents (3:3:0) Covers pathology, metabolism, and threat of bacterial agents that can be used as biological weapons.
605 Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis II: Viral Agents (3:3:0) Covers pathology, metabolism, and threat of viral agents that can be used as biological weapons.
607 Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis III: Toxins (3:3:0) Discusses the threat of toxins as biological weapons. Special focus on microbiological toxins, including botulinum toxin, and biochemical action of toxins. Comparison to chemical weapons and debate about classification as such.
610 Advanced Topics in Biodefense (1-4:1-3:0-6) Prerequisite: BIOD 604 and 605 or permission of instructor. Different topics, depending on instructor's specialty. Topics include legal, ethical, scientific, and political aspects of biodefense, emphasizing current problems and research. May be repeated when topic is different.
702 Biodefense Colloquium (1:1:0) Forum for presentation and discussion of original and current research in biodefense. May be repeated for credit.
705 Detecting Production of Biological Agents (2:2:0) Prerequisite: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Studies detection techniques for biological-weapon production facilities. Shows the difference in detecting a large-scale, state-run facility and detecting a home laboratory. Teaches differences between illicit biological agents and biological agents used for pharmaceutical research.
706 History of Biological Agent Use and Treaties (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Discusses historical uses of biological weapons as well as treaties signed by various countries and powers concerning their use.
709 Nonproliferation in Biodefense (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Explores issues in nonproliferation of biological agents as weapons of mass destruction. Covers theories in nonproliferation and looks at nonproliferation in practice in recent history.
710 Approaches to Bioweapon Medical Treatment and Response (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605. Research, treatment, and preparedness strategies against biological agents. Focuses on various strategies, including immunological, pharmaceutical, and medical treatment methodologies and designs.
722 Examining Terrorist Groups (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. History of known organized terrorist activity, including study of common cultural and historical correlations, groups' modus operandi, and latest developments in terrorist profiling.
723 Counterterrorism and Civil Rights (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Analyzes legal issues associated with counterterrorism surveillance, interrogation, search, detainment, and decontamination in the context of civil rights and rule of law.
761 Dispersal Patterns of Biological Agents (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Introduction to military and terrorist methods of dispersal patterns. Covers physics of aerosols; engineering and mechanics of building ventilation systems; and mechanical dissemination, including hand-held, automatic, vehicle, and truck-mounted systems. Includes viability of specific agents involved.
762 Into the Hot Zone: Working in a High Threat Environment (2:2:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Introductory course covers methodology of working in a Biosafety Level 3 or 4 environment. Special attention to responding to biowarfare or bioterrorism-related event.
766 Bioengineering and Bioprocessing (2:2:0-6) Prerequisite: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor. Covers methods, means, and processes to research, develop, and manufacture biologicals and pharmaceuticals, which are important in the field of medical biodefense. Emphasizes laboratory pilot plant and industrial production of diagnostic and prophylactic means, as well as therapeutics for medical biodefense and civilian medicine.
780 Master's Supervised Internship (1-6:0:0) Prerequisite: permission of program director or advisor. Internship under supervision of qualified professional in biodefense at a government agency, consulting firm, industrial firm, or other acceptable agency.
793 Directed Studies in Biodefense (1-3:0:0) Prerequisite: permission of the instructor and program director. Individualized study of topics not otherwise available in graduate program. May involve reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, or lab or field study, determined in consultation with instructor.
798 Master's Research Project in Biodefense (1-3:0:0) Experimental or theoretical research project chosen and completed under guidance of graduate faculty member. Requires comprehensive report acceptable to a project committee. Graded S/NC.
799 Master's Thesis in Biodefense (1-6:0:0) Master's thesis research under direction of thesis committee. Graded S/NC.
890 Doctoral Supervised Internship (1-6:0:0) Prerequisite: permission of program director and dissertation chair. Internship under supervision of qualified biodefense professional at government agency, consulting firm, industrial firm, or other acceptable agency.
899 Directed Research in Biodefense (1-12:0:0) Prerequisites: approval of program director. Research on a pertinent topic in biodefense; scope and subject determined by instructor.
996 Doctoral Reading and Research (1-9:0:0) Independent reading and research on specific biodefense topic under faculty member's direction. Specific arrangements for designing scope and area of study to be determined in consultation with instructor. May involve literature searches and review, workshops, tutorials, or other formats. May be repeated for credits.
998 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal (1-12:0:0) Development of a research proposal, which forms the basis for doctoral dissertation under guidance of dissertation director committee. Only 12 credits may be applied to the degree. Graded S/NC.
999 Doctoral Dissertation (1-12:0:0) Prerequisite: Completion of 998 and advancement to candidacy. Doctoral dissertation research under direction of dissertation chair. Graded S/NC.