Viruses have been with us for millions of years evolving to survive and adapt to new host environments while driving the evolution of host genes. Diseases that are causally linked to viral infections are major contributors to morbidity and mortality in the animal and human populations globally. On the other hand, several viral infections are asymptomatic or only cause minor diseases. This module will examine overarching principles in molecular virology, addressing structural, molecular, and cellular biology aspects underpinning the fascinating interaction between viruses and the host. Focusing primarily on animal viruses, we will study key aspects of viral evolution, replication, and gene expression linked to infectivity that will be reviewed based on groundbreaking past discoveries and recent advances in research from published literature.
This module aims to (i) provide students with a thorough grounding in the concepts of virus biology, (ii) examine in greater depth assembly mechanisms and molecular viral strategies of replication and gene regulation, and (iii) explore the impact of viruses as tools for potential therapeutic exploitation using appropriate case studies rather than a systematic approach.