Course Structure

Viral infectious diseases remain an important cause of human morbidity and mortality. This training program provides deep knowledge in the study of viruses: structural biology and biochemistry; studies of DNA replication, damage, and repair; RNA science; immunobiology; cell biology; microbial pathogenesis; genetics and evolution; bioinformatics and computational biology; epidemiology; and infectious disease research. The role of molecular detection, identification and typing or fingerprinting of viruses has shifted gradually from the academic world to the routine diagnostic laboratory.

Molecular methods have been used increasingly over the past decade to improve the sensitivity, specificity and turn-around time in the clinical laboratory. Molecular methods have also been used to identify new and nonculturable agents. Many high-throughput molecular tests are now available commercially, which impacts on the infrastructure in many of the diagnostic laboratories.

The goals of this training program are to provide trainees with a thorough background in the fundamentals of virology in the context of modern molecular biology, genetics, cell biology and immunology; and to provide each trainee with an intensive exposure to laboratory research, utilizing current methods in molecular and cellular biology.

What course covers

The training will familiarize trainees with practical skills relevant to the isolation, purification and characterization of viruses and their genetic materials DNA/RNA. These include molecular aspects of the detection and study of viral genes and the application of virus vectors in biotechnology.

Target audience

This workshop is supposed to encourage young and professionals researchers in Biotechnology, Biology, Chemistry, Pharmaceuticals industry professionals, Medicine, finally; students and staff of various disciplines of life sciences.