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Course

Medical Microbiology

BIOL-40367

Gain an Introduction to Medical Microbiology

 

This undergraduate-level course introduces students to bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa and emphasizes host-microbe interactions and bacterial and viral pathogens. Students will explore biological characteristics of microbes, principles of disease transmission and prevention, pathogenesis and immunity, antibiotic resistance, laboratory diagnosis of infectious disease, and the human microbiome.

This course is ideally suited for students interested in applying to Clinical Laboratory Scientist programs, and others who are interested in microorganisms that cause infectious disease.

Prerequisites

 

This course assumes that students are familiar with college-level biology.

Format

 

This course is offered in an online asynchronous format.There are no set meeting times, however, students follow a weekly schedule and there will be deadlines to meet in terms of course requirements. This course cannot be completed at an accelerated rate.

 

Course Developer

 
All sections use content developed by Dr. Laura Fandino ensuring a consistent and high-quality learning experience across all offerings. To accommodate demand, we have co-instructors leading sections of his material. Regardless of the instructor, the course content remains the same, maintaining the integrity and rigor of Dr. Fandino's course design.
 

Transferring for College Credit

 

Many UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies courses may transfer to other institutions for college credit. The receiving institution determines credit transfer. We recommend contacting your intended institution's registrar's office before enrolling to confirm transfer eligibility.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand how microbes cause infectious disease
  • Describe a range of bacterial, viral, and eukaryotic pathogens responsible for infectious disease in terms of biological characteristics, pathogenesis and epidemiology, diseases caused, immunological interactions, diagnosis, treatment, prevention)
  • Summarize the basics of innate and adaptive immunity and how microbes and the immune system interact
  • Discuss basic laboratory diagnostic techniques used to identify and classify microbial pathogens

Course Information

Online
4.50 units
$845.00
Notes:

Course sessions

Add To Cart

Section ID:

185601

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 5/5/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson is a microbial ecologist and environmental scientist who has researched microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems all over the world. His research involves assessing how changes in the microbial community and microbial functioning affects and is affected by changes in the environment, with a focus on positive feedback loops and microbial responses to phytoplankton blooms. He is particularly well versed in statistical and machine learning techniques that are capable of dealing with the high dimensional data that is obtained when looking at complex microbial communities.

Jesse received his B.S. in Environmental Science from CSU Channel Islands (2007) and his Ph.D. in Environmental Systems from UC Merced (2017). While at UCM, Jesse taught and created content for a wide range of natural science courses. He was also able to research the efficacy of different teaching strategies and presented a case study from this work at multiple conferences.

Jesse left Merced for San Diego in 2018 to work as a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At SIO, Jesse tracked drivers of change in the microbial community off the Scripps Pier by combining environmental time-series sampling with microbiology and bioinformatics. As much as he loved working at SIO, Jesse missed teaching and was ecstatic to start teaching with UCSD Extension. 

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

185609

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 5/19/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: David O'Keefe

David O'Keefe

Dr. David O’Keefe received his Ph.D. in Neuroscience from UCSD, where he used the powerful genetic tools available in Drosophila (the fruit fly) to study mechanisms of brain development. Following postdoctoral studies at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, he began his career as a science writer, and spent 10 years at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, CA, as the Director of Research Development (i.e., a grant writer). He currently works as the Vice President of Research Development at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute (SBP) in La Jolla, CA. SBP scientists include world leaders in the molecular genetics of behavior, physiology, and disease, and Dr. O’Keefe helps to convey their scientific discoveries and aspirations in a compelling fashion. He has recently published in the fields of regenerative medicine and gene therapy, and frequently teaches workshops on scientific communication and grant writing.

Full Bio
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Section ID:

185618

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 6/2/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson is a microbial ecologist and environmental scientist who has researched microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems all over the world. His research involves assessing how changes in the microbial community and microbial functioning affects and is affected by changes in the environment, with a focus on positive feedback loops and microbial responses to phytoplankton blooms. He is particularly well versed in statistical and machine learning techniques that are capable of dealing with the high dimensional data that is obtained when looking at complex microbial communities.

Jesse received his B.S. in Environmental Science from CSU Channel Islands (2007) and his Ph.D. in Environmental Systems from UC Merced (2017). While at UCM, Jesse taught and created content for a wide range of natural science courses. He was also able to research the efficacy of different teaching strategies and presented a case study from this work at multiple conferences.

Jesse left Merced for San Diego in 2018 to work as a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At SIO, Jesse tracked drivers of change in the microbial community off the Scripps Pier by combining environmental time-series sampling with microbiology and bioinformatics. As much as he loved working at SIO, Jesse missed teaching and was ecstatic to start teaching with UCSD Extension. 

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

190251

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 6/30/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Laura Fandino, PH.D., J.D.

Laura Fandino, PH.D., J.D.
Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

190641

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 7/21/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson is a microbial ecologist and environmental scientist who has researched microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems all over the world. His research involves assessing how changes in the microbial community and microbial functioning affects and is affected by changes in the environment, with a focus on positive feedback loops and microbial responses to phytoplankton blooms. He is particularly well versed in statistical and machine learning techniques that are capable of dealing with the high dimensional data that is obtained when looking at complex microbial communities.

Jesse received his B.S. in Environmental Science from CSU Channel Islands (2007) and his Ph.D. in Environmental Systems from UC Merced (2017). While at UCM, Jesse taught and created content for a wide range of natural science courses. He was also able to research the efficacy of different teaching strategies and presented a case study from this work at multiple conferences.

Jesse left Merced for San Diego in 2018 to work as a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At SIO, Jesse tracked drivers of change in the microbial community off the Scripps Pier by combining environmental time-series sampling with microbiology and bioinformatics. As much as he loved working at SIO, Jesse missed teaching and was ecstatic to start teaching with UCSD Extension. 

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

190642

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 8/11/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Ivette Nunez

Ivette Nunez

Ivette Ariela Nuñez received her Ph.D. at the University of Georgia, Athens where she studied avian influenza virus H5N1 and vaccine design. Following her defense, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and at Vanderbilt University performing research on SARS-CoV-2 and influenza B virus. She currently works as a Molecular Virologist at the NIH/NIAID Integrated Research Facility at Fort Detrick (IRF-Frederick) in Frederick, MD, USA. Here she studies high consequence pathogens such as Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2 in order to understand, treat and prevent novel emerging viruses.

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

190643

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Microbiology with Diseases by Taxonomy 6th
by Robert W. Bauman

ISBN / ASIN: 9780134832302

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 9/1/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson

Jesse Wilson is a microbial ecologist and environmental scientist who has researched microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems all over the world. His research involves assessing how changes in the microbial community and microbial functioning affects and is affected by changes in the environment, with a focus on positive feedback loops and microbial responses to phytoplankton blooms. He is particularly well versed in statistical and machine learning techniques that are capable of dealing with the high dimensional data that is obtained when looking at complex microbial communities.

Jesse received his B.S. in Environmental Science from CSU Channel Islands (2007) and his Ph.D. in Environmental Systems from UC Merced (2017). While at UCM, Jesse taught and created content for a wide range of natural science courses. He was also able to research the efficacy of different teaching strategies and presented a case study from this work at multiple conferences.

Jesse left Merced for San Diego in 2018 to work as a postdoctoral researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. At SIO, Jesse tracked drivers of change in the microbial community off the Scripps Pier by combining environmental time-series sampling with microbiology and bioinformatics. As much as he loved working at SIO, Jesse missed teaching and was ecstatic to start teaching with UCSD Extension. 

Full Bio
Add To Cart

Section ID:

190769

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 9/29/2025

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
Add To Cart

Instructor: Laura Fandino, PH.D., J.D.

Laura Fandino, PH.D., J.D.
Full Bio