De elektronische studiegids voor het academiejaar 2025 - 2026 is onder voorbehoud.





Parasitology and One Health (4921)
  
Coordinating lecturer :Prof. dr. Maarten VANHOVE 
  
Co-lecturer :dr. Tiziana GOBBIN 
  
Member of the teaching team :Mevrouw Martina TOPIC 
 Prof. dr. Michelle PLUSQUIN 
 Mevrouw Miriam SHIGOLEY 
 Mevrouw Nasrin ESTEKI 
 Prof. dr. Nikol KMENTOVA 

Language of instruction : English
Credits: 3,0
  
Period: semester 2 (3sp)
  
2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
  
Final grade2: Numerical
 
Sequentiality
 
   Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
    Biology of the Invertebrates: part 1 (4117) 5.0 stptn
    Biology of the Intevertebrates: part 2 (4430) 4.0 stptn
    Diversity of the vertebrate (3122) 4.0 stptn
    Ecology: organisms in their environment (3123) 8.0 stptn
    Histology and Physiology of the Vertebrates (3354) 4.0 stptn
    Microbiology (5232) 5.0 stptn
 
   Advising sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 

Prerequisites

The student has a basic understanding of the diversity, construction, and ecology of plants, animals, and microorganisms, of evolutionary-biological concepts, and of interspecific ecological interactions.


Content

Parasitism is the most ubiquitous lifestyle on Earth, and apart from causing infectious diseases, parasites provide numerous ecosystem services, and even may offer health benefits to their hosts. The students will be introduced to the most important concepts and recent research developments in ecological and evolutionary aspects of parasitology. In line with the “One Health” concept, a lot of attention will be devoted to the interlinkages between the environment, and the health and (infectious) diseases of humans, other animals, and plants. Topics include:

  1. Brief introduction to the world of parasites and their overall importance
  2. Parasite diversity
  3. Parasite lifecycles and the link with infectious disease in humans and animals
  4. Pathological and immunological aspects
  5. Other consequences of parasites: on the individual host, its ecosystem, and the economy
  6. The evolution of helminths
  7. The question of host-specificity
  8. Co-phylogenetic analysis
  9. Wetlands: healthy ecotones as parasite hotspots
  10. Health benefits and ecosystem services of parasites
  11. Zooming in on the “old friends hypothesis”: immunity, parasites, and the microbiome
  12. Parasites in a changing world - spread and co-invasion, conservation and extinction
  13. Plant parasites: a whole different story?


Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Excursion/Fieldwork ✔  
Lecture ✔  
Practical ✔  


Evaluation

Period 2    Credits 3,00

Evaluation method
Written evaluaton during teaching periode13 %
Take-home assignment✔
Oral evaluation during teaching period12 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic year✔
Presentation✔
Oral exam75 %
Open questions✔
Evaluation conditions (participation and/or pass)✔
Conditions Aanwezigheid tijdens de excursie(s) en practicum (voor zover van toepassing) is verplicht.
Consequences De student(e) die ongewettigd afwezig is bij een excursie of practicum, krijgt voor het opleidingsonderdeel als eindresultaat een N: examenonderdeel niet volledig afgelegd: ongewettigd afwezig voor onderde(e)len van de evaluatie.

Second examination period

Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt
Yes
Explanation (English)The take-home-assignment cannot be repeated during the resit exams.
 

Compulsory course material
 

Reader (relevant articles and book chapters will be made available through Blackboard). Slides with the lectures. It is expected of the students to take notes during lectures. 


Learning outcomes
Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences
  •  EC 

    • EC 1. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme focusses on a critical scientific expertise on the improvement of health care and is aware of its social relevance. He/she fulfills a bridging role between the various partners in health care (prevention, diagnosis and therapy).

  •  EC 

    • EC 3. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme is acquainted with the relation between environment and human health with special focus on prevention of diseases.

  •  EC 

    • EC 8. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme is able to evaluate data critically by means of literature and is able to propose a rational improvement strategy to remediate a simple experimental protocol and study design.

  •  EC 

    • EC 10. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme is acquainted to communicate about his scientific domain with scientists in the same or adjacent fields and in a wider social context.

  •  EC 

    • EC 13. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences programme focuses on the international dimension of the scientific domain. He/she can deal with international scientific literature, can communicate orally and in writing in English.

 
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Offered inTolerance3
3rd Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences J
Exchange Programme Biology J



1   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.12.2, section 2.
2   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3.
3   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.16.9, section 2.