De elektronische studiegids voor het academiejaar 2026 - 2027 is onder voorbehoud.





Parasitology and One Health (4921)

Coordinating lecturer:Prof. dr. Maarten VANHOVE 
Co-lecturer:dr. Armando CRUZ LAUFER 
 dr. Tiziana GOBBIN 
Member of the teaching team:dr. Armando CRUZ LAUFER 
 Mevrouw Martina TOPIC 
 Prof. dr. Michelle PLUSQUIN 
 Mevrouw Miriam SHIGOLEY 
 Mevrouw Nasrin ESTEKI 
 Prof. dr. Nikol KMENTOVA 


Credits: 3,0
Study load hours: 81
Period: semester 2 (3sp)

Language of instruction: English

2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
Final grade2: Numerical
Tolerance3: See included in these programmes

Sequentiality
Advising sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
Advice Adviserende volgtijdelijkheid voor studenten biologie: Immunologie (1573)


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:

  • Parasite diversity 
  • Other consequences of parasites: on the individual host, its ecosystem, and the economy 
  • The question of host-specificity 
  • Wetlands: healthy ecotones as parasite hotspots
  • Health benefits and ecosystem services of parasites
  • Zooming in on the “old friends hypothesis”: immunity, parasites, and the microbiome
  • Parasites in a changing world - spread and co-invasion, conservation and extinction 


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. 



Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Excursion/Fieldwork  
Lecture  


Evaluation

Semester 2 (3,00sp)

Evaluation method
Written evaluation during teaching period13 %
Take-home assignment
Oral evaluation during teaching period12 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic yearYes, no resit exam
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
No
Explanation (English)The take-home-assignment cannot be repeated during the resit exams.


Learning outcomes
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences
  •  EC 
  • EC 01. De bachelor biomedische wetenschappen is een kritische wetenschapper die zich bewust is van zijn maatschappelijke rol in de verbetering van de gezondheidszorg en van zijn/haar brugfunctie tussen de verschillende partners in de gezondheidszorg op niveau van preventie, diagnose en therapie van ziekten.

  •  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.

 

Included in these programmesTolerance3
3rd Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences Y
Exchange Programme Biology Y



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.