Curriculum

This unit is designed to introduce students to some of the fundamental questions in the history of scientific thought and the nature of science, from the process of scientific experimentation to the definition of life itself. We explore writings by Stephen Jay Gould and Ignaz Semmelweis, and the work of Gregor Mendel.

What are the long-term implications of antimicrobial resistance in an era of increased exposure to antibiotics? We discuss use of antimicrobials within and outside the medical arena, emerging diseases and defending against them, and the links between human illness and domestic animals. In the lab, students design a test for the antimicrobial properties of atypical antimicrobials.

In this unit, we explore the origins and characteristics of one of the most deadly pandemics of our time. Readings and discussions cover barriers to slowing the spread of HIV, the future of treatment and prevention, and the criminal prosecution of HIV transmission. Case studies include the high-profile case of Magic Johnson and the medical significance of drug-resistant HIV.

What are the social justice implications of diseases like tuberculosis, which disproportionately affect the poor? What can the global spread of TB tell us about poverty and unequal access to medical care? We read Tracy Kidder’s Mountains Beyond Mountains, which follows the international medical humanitarian work of Dr. Paul Farmer, cofounder of Partners in Health.

Infectious disease epidemics alter history, affecting human civilization and changing our physical, social, and cultural landscapes. In this section we examine cholera past and present, studying the 1854 outbreak in London, as well as transmission and prevention in modern-day Bangladesh and Haiti.

The flu can seem like nothing more than a commonplace frustration, but it is also the source of serious, even deadly pandemics. In this unit we will delve into influenza in its many forms, studying the ever-changing virus, vaccine protocols, outbreaks past and present, and the possible trajectory of this scientific phenomenon.

Vaccines are arguably modern miracles, but they have also come under increasing scrutiny in recent years. Controversies surrounding safety, efficacy, and access are widespread. In an era of expanding globalization and population growth, concern is growing that populations are unprepared for vaccine production and distribution in the face of the possible reemergence of dormant diseases.

The Plague is one of strongest forces to have shaped European history; it has become the stuff of literature, legend, and allegory. In this unit, we read Daniel Defoe’s A Journal of the Plague Year and excerpts from Albert Camus’s The Plague.

Contemptible abuses have been committed in the name of science. This session probes the ethics of medical interventions and scientific experimentation. We discuss the infamous Tuskegee Syphilis study and its implications for HIV education in the black community. Other topics covered include influenza and maternal bioethics, vaccine safety, informed consent for medical patients and study participants, and the ethical obligations of those in positions of authority in public health.

The biological arms race is a sobering reality of the 21st century. We discuss the nature of anthrax and other biological agents, and how governments and populations can prepare for and combat their use.

Prion diseases in humans and other animals are rare but potentially catastrophic. We study Mad Cow Disease and related neurodegenerative conditions in humans, investigating the treatment and prevention challenges posed by a collection of conditions that can have sporadic symptoms and both genetic and transmissible origins.

Although Lyme disease takes its name from its Connecticut origins, this bacterial infection is increasingly seen in other regions of the United States, beyond the Northeast. Its growth is both a cause for concern and a revealing case study in the transmission of infectious disease between animals, insects, and humans.