BIOL 5535 — Expanding Frontiers: Vector-Borne Diseases
4 semester hoursGraduateLectureusually offered: falltypical days: ThBostonTraditional
Explores the biology of vectors and vector-borne infectious diseases. The World Health Organization estimates that about one-fifth of all infectious diseases are caused by vector-borne diseases. Vectors discussed include mosquitoes; ticks; Plasmodium; trypanosomes; Lyme disease-causing bacteria; and arboviruses such as dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, and Zika. Examines the development, metabolism, behavior, and symbiotic relationships—including the vector-host-pathogen relationships—through a student-generated literature review and a research proposal. Thoroughly reviews treatments and prevention strategies ranging from vaccination, pre- and postexposure prophylaxis, antimicrobial intervention, management of sequelae, and vector-control strategies. Discusses each topic from the perspective of historical and modern research.
Prerequisites
- one of:
- BIOL 2301 (min D-)
- graduate program admission
Offering history
| Term | Sections | Enrolled | Capacity | Full | Open seats/section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2025 | 1 | 8 | 40 | 20% | 32.0 |
| Fall 2025 | 1 | 9 | 40 | 23% | 31.0 |
Snapshots from scheduled scrapes — not live seat availability. "Full" can exceed 100% when sections over-enroll.
Meeting times
Share of recent sections by weekday: M 0% · T 0% · W 0% · Th 100% · F 0%
Common patterns: R (100% of sections) — in patterns, R means Thursday
Professors
Fall
- Constantin Nicolae Takacs (100% of students) · reviews
Spring
- Constantin Nicolae Takacs (100% of students) · reviews
Percentages are each professor's average share of the season's enrolled students in recent terms.
Links
Official catalog (BIOL course descriptions) · Student reviews on RateMyHusky · All BIOL courses · Plan it at numap.app