Course Host pathogen interactions – from basic microbiology and immunology to medicine

The course “Host pathogen interactions – from basic microbiology and immunology to medicine” is being offered by the Graduate School of Health, Aarhus University, 2025.

Criteria for participation: University degree in medicine, dentistry, nursing, or Master’s degree in other fields and/or postgraduate research fellows (PhD students and research-year medical students).

Aim: To provide a course on various aspects of human host-microbe interaction ranging from basic cell biology and microbiology (bacteriology, virology, genetics, molecular cell biology, immunology) to pathogenesis of infectious diseases and medicine.

Learning outcomes: Have achieved a theoretical background and ability to discuss current knowledge in some aspects of basic cell biology, immunology, microbiology and microbiome related to human host-microbe interactions, have obtained some insight into the methodologies used to investigate these and how to interpret data, and finally have gained perspectives on how these basic host-interacting mechanisms can have host-detrimental consequences, including the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and the medical implications hereof.

Workload: The workload of the course is expected to be 34h (10h in preparation and 24h teaching)

Content: Based on lectures from experts in the field, we will give examples of how viruses and bacteria or bacterial communities (microbiomes) interact with the human host and have developed sophisticated strategies with host-beneficial or -detrimental consequences, e.g. to avoid immune recognition and elimination, in order to promote microbial colonization, spread and survival in the organism. The course will provide examples of how the host responds to microbial challenge and how this interaction may lead to a mutually beneficial relationship, or alternatively, to inflammation, pathology, tissue destruction, and disease. Some translational aspects will also be covered, including how microbial infection may cause autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases, and development of malignancy.

Instructors: Trine Mogensen and Holger Brüggemann

Venue: Aarhus University, Aarhus (other)

Participation in the course is without cost for:

• PhD students, Health Research Year students from Aarhus University
• PhD students enrolled at partner universities of the Nordoc collaboration
• PhD students from other institutions in the open market agreement for PhD courses

Course dates:

• 23 April 2025 08:00 - 17:00
• 24 April 2025 08:00 - 17:00
• 25 April 2025 08:00 - 17:00