Biodefense Courses

BIOD 605: Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis II: Viral Agents (3:3:0)

The pathology, metabolism, and threat of viral agents that can be utilized as biological weapons. Subjects will include Variola (smallpox), hemorrhagic fevers (Marburg, Ebola, Dengue) and others TBD by instructor.
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BIOD 607: Introduction to Biodefense /Threat Analysis IV: Toxins (3:3:0)

The threat of toxins as biological weapons. Special focus on the microbiological toxins including botulinum toxin, and biochemical action of toxins. Comparison to chemical weapons and debate about classification as such.
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**Pending Course Number**
BIOD 608: Crisis and Consequence Management (3:3:0)

General and specific issues of crisis and consequences management during and after a large-scale terrorist attack. Organization and tactics of different services including responders, investigators, government, and local officials as well as media sources in terms of management and coordination will be discussed. Attention will be focused on managing the consequences in terms of organization of treatment, decontamination, panic prevention, cadaver management, psychological counseling and other issues related to the period after the attack.
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Seminar Courses

BIOD 702: Special Topics in Biodefense Seminar (1:1:0)

In-depth examination of advanced topics in defense against biological agents. Topic depends on instructor's specialty. May be repeated for credit with advisor's permission.
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BIOD 703: Special Topics in Biodefense Seminar (Presenting) (1:1:0)

Student research and presentations on approved topic. May be repeated for credit with advisor's permission.
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Advanced Courses
This list is subject to revision as new courses are approved.

BIOD 610: Advanced Topics in Biodefense (1-4 :1-3: 0-6)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

Offering different topics in different semesters, depending on instructor's specialty. Topics include legal, ethical, scientific and political aspects of biodefense, emphasizing current problems and research. May be repeated for up to 12 credits.
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BIOD 705: Detecting Production of Biological Agents (2:2:0)
Prerequisite: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

Involves the study of detection techniques for biological weapon production facilities. A major goal is to show students the difference in detecting a large-scale, state-run facility and detecting a home laboratory. In addition, students will learn the differences between illicit biological agents versus biological agents that can and are used for pharmaceutical research.
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BIOD 706: History of Biological Agent Use and Treaties (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor
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A lecture course, which studies the historical uses of biological weapons as well as treaties which have been signed by various countries and powers concerning their use.
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BIOD 708: Epidemiology of a Bioterror Attack (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

This course will teach the basics of epidemiology as well as unique issues in epidemiology that biological agents used as weapons present. The course includes not only how a disease would spread naturally, but also how to prevent it from spreading. Also, students will learn differences in natural and unnatural outbreaks.
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BIOD 709: Non-proliferation in Biodefense (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

This course involves current issues in non-proliferation of biological agents as a weapon of mass destruction. Students will study various theories in non-proliferation as well as look at non-proliferation in practice in recent history.
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BIOD 710: Approaches to BW Medical Treatment and Response (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

This course will involve research, treatment and preparedness strategies against biological agents. Course will focus on various strategies including immunological, pharmaceutical, and medical treatment methodologies and designs.
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BIOD 722: Examining Terrorist Groups (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

History of known organized terrorist activity, including study of common cultural and historical correlations. Study of groups' modus operandi. Latest developments in terrorist profiling.
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BIOD 723: Counter-Terrorism and Civil Rights (3:3:0) Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor
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Analysis of legal issues associated with counter-terrorism surveillance, interrogation, search, detainment, and decontamination in the context of civil rights and the rule of law.
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BIOD 761: Dispersal Patterns of Biological Agents (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

Introduction into both military and terrorist methods of dispersal patterns. Course covers topics including the physics of aerosols, engineering and mechanics of building ventilation systems, mechanical dissemination including hand-held, automatic, vehicle and truck mounted systems. Course also covers viability of specific agents involved.
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BIOD 762: Into the Hot Zone: Working in a High Threat Environment (2:2:0)
Prerequisites: BIOD 604 and 605, or permission of instructor.

Introduction Course includes methodology of working in a Bio-safety Level 3 or 4 level environment. Special attention is focused on responding to a bio-warfare or bio-terrorism related event.
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BIOD 780: Master's Supervised Internship (3-6:0:0)
Prerequisite: Permission of advisor and program director.

Training in biodefense under the supervision of a qualified person at a government agency, industrial firm, or other acceptable agency.
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BIOD 783: Laboratory Rotation (1:0:4)
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor.

Intensive introduction to a research laboratory in the biosciences. Students read background material pertinent to the problem under study, and learn and practice research methods of the laboratory. Session ends with student formulating a short final project, proposed or actual, demonstrating mastery of the techniques and approaches employed. May be repeated.
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BIOD 793: Directed Studies in Biodefense (1-8:0:0)
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor, advisor, department chair, and if relevant, graduate committee.

Study of specialized topics not otherwise available in graduate program. May involve combination of reading assignments, tutorials, lectures, papers, presentations, or lab or field study, determined in consultation with instructor. Specific arrangements for designing the scope and area of study to be determined in consultation with instructor.
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BIOD 890: Doctoral Supervised Internship (1-6:0-6:0-18) Prerequisites: Permission of program director and student's doctoral committee.

An internship dealing with the application of principles presented in courses within a concentration, under the supervision of a qualified professional in the field of biodefense at a government agency, consulting firm, industrial firm, or other acceptable agency.
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BIOD 996: Doctoral Reading and Research (1-9:0:0) Prerequisites: Admission to doctoral program and permission of advisor and committee.

Reading and research on a specific topic in biodefense under the direction of a faculty member. Specific arrangements for designing scope and area of study to be determined in consultation with the instructor. May involve literature searches and review, workshops, tutorials, or other formats. May be repeated as needed.
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BIODEFENSE PROGRAM ELECTIVES

"Electives" can always be BIOD courses. Electives can also be courses outside the program that are relevant to your particular biodefense dissertation, thesis, or project topic, or to your area of interest in the course-only option. An approved list of these is below.

If you are a PhD student, an MS Thesis student, or an MS Project student, you are to seek advice from your advisor/committee chair on appropriate non-BIOD electives. Advisors/committee chairs may approve—on a student’s Program of Study—elective courses that are not on this list. The MS Course-Only students may choose their electives from this list at their discretion.

Non-BIOD Courses That May Serve as Electives

Students are responsible for ensuring they have appropriate academic preparation for successful completion of these courses.

BINF 630: Bioinformatics Methods (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of instructor

Introduction to bioinformatics methods and tools for pairwise sequence comparison, multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic analysis, protein structure prediction and comparison, database similarity searches, and discovery of conserved patterns in protein sequence and structures.

BINF 633: Molecular Biotechnology (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission of instructor

A laboratory intensive course introducing the theory and practice of modern biotechnology. Includes study of recombinant DNA, gene expression, and genetic analysis and associated methods. Laboratory exercises change to reflect the more recent advances in the field.

BINF 636: Microarray Methodology and Analysis (3:3:0) Prerequisite: BINF 633 or permission of instructor

Introduces the theory and practice of genome analysis, including the genetics, biochemistry, and tools for analysis of global gene expression, as well as the detection and quantification of genes and gene products.

BINF 637: Forensic DNA Sciences (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: graduate standing or permission of instructor

Laboratory intensive introduction to theory and practice of modern forensic DNA science, including biochemistry, chemistry, genetics, statistics, instrumentation, software, and wetware required for applications of DNA science to forensic science.

BINF 639: Introduction to Biometrics (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: Programming experience (e.g., CSI 603 and 604) or permission of instructor

Introduction to methods for measuring humans. Topics include face recognition, speaker recognition, fingerprint recognition, shoeprint recognition, handwriting analysis, and other topics as time permits. Students will develop computer programs to perform many of these tasks.

BINF 739: Topics in Bioinformatics: Drug Discovery (3:3:0) Prerequisites: biochemistry/molecular biology or equivalent and calculus

One of the key challenges for the pharmaceutical industry and modern medicine is the identification of new drugs. This course presents an interdisciplinary approach to drug discovery that is currently used by the pharmaceutical companies and other research institutes. Topics that can be discussed include proteomics, bioinformatics, high-throughput screening, combinatorial chemistry, compound library design, natural products screening, structure-based screening, microarray analysis, bioinformatics techniques, and pharmacokinetic approaches. The background, theory, and application of these key technologies will be discussed.

BIOL 553: Advanced Topics in Immunology (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: BIOL 452 or permission of instructor

Comprehensive study of immunologic mechanisms as they pertain to immunologic diseases and transplantation.

BIOL 563: Virology (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: BIOL 482 or permission of instructor

Fundamental concepts of the nature of viruses, virus classification, cultivation, and biochemistry. Bacteriophage and animal viruses emphasized.

BIOL 575: Selected Topics in Genetics: Forensic DNA Analysis (1-4:1-3:0-6)
Prerequisite: BIOL 311 or permission of instructor
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

BIOL 583: General Biochemistry (4:4:0)
Prerequisites: BIOL 213, CHEM 313, 314, or permission of instructor

Structure and function of proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, enzymology, and metabolism and its controls. Chemistry of nitrogen compounds is emphasized.

BIOL 584: Eukaryotic Cell Biology (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BIOL 311, 483, MATH 110 or 113, or permission of instructor

Structure and function of cell membranes and organelles with regard to cellular transport, sorting and compartmentalization, signaling, motility, and cell division.

BIOL 585: Eukaryotic Cell Biology Laboratory (1:0:1)
Corequisite: BIOL 584 or permission of instructor

BIOL 669: Pathogenic Microbiology (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: Courses in microbiology and biochemistry

Molecular mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity, and the immune response in infectious diseases.

CEIE 555: Introduction to Environmental Engineering (3:3:0)
Credit is not given for both CEIE 455 and 555

Introduction to the principles of environmental engineering management and design pertaining to water supply and treatment, wastewater treatment, solid waste management, air pollution control, noise pollution measurement and control, and environmental impact assessment.

CHEM 563: [See Schedule of Classes for description]

CHEM 564: [See Schedule of Classes for description]

CLIM 711/PHYS 676 Introduction to Atmospheric Dynamics (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: BS or MS in mathematics or a physical science, or permission of instructor

Covers the basic conservation laws of mass, momentum, and energy, and a scaling analysis of the equation of motion and the thermodynamic equation. Balanced flows in the atmosphere (e.g., the geotropic wind and its vertical shear, and the thermal wind relationship) are discussed. Concepts of circulation and vorticity; the role of the atmospheric boundary layer in mass, momentum, and energy transfer; synoptic scale motions; and the role of gravity and Rossby waves in controlling the general circulation of the atmosphere are also discussed.

CONF 610: Philosophy and Methods of Conflict Research (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: CONF 501 or 801

Introduction to research design, including use of theory to define the problem; exploring research approaches; gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data. Latter includes field observation; field experiments; lab experiments (simulations); surveys and sampling techniques; and archival, documentary, and literature resources. Quantitative techniques include theories of measurement (numerical and ordinal scales); distributions; and analysis techniques (chi-square, correlating, factor analysis). Briefly introduces philosophies of science and its limits.

CONF 695: Selected Topics - Gaming Conflict and Terrorism (3:3:0)
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

CONF 695: Selected Topics - International Police Operations (3:3:0)
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

CONF 735: Global Context of Conflict (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: CONF 501 or 801

Advances students' skills and expands their knowledge base in critical analysis and creative problem solving. The root causes of conflict in a global context are examined in terms of gender inequality, cultural differences, unequal North/South relations, militarism, economic oppression, genocide, maldevelopment, religious and ethnic struggle, and environmental scarcity. Students are expected to develop their own conceptual tool boxes needed to analyze conflicts in different parts of the world.

CONF 736: Globalization and International Conflict (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: CONF 501 or 801 or permission of the instructor

Explores the meanings of globalizationeconomic, political, social, and culturaland examines how it affects conflict processes at the international level. Students explore when and under what conditions globalization promotes cooperation or conflict.

EVPP 745: Environmental Toxicology (3:3:0)
Prerequisites: A course in ecology and a course in physiology, or permission of instructor

Study of the nature, distribution, and interaction of toxic chemicals released into the environment. Emphasizes effects on nonhuman biota, detection and fate of chemicals, and implications for government regulation.

GEOG 579: Remote Sensing (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: GEOG 412 or permission of instructor

Examines use of various types and combinations of electromagnetic energy to obtain spatial information. Concentrates on nonphotographic and space-borne remote sensing platforms and sensors. Examines essential operational parameters for existing and future systems and strategies for visual extraction of features.

HSCI 501: Introduction to Biostatistics (3:3:0)

Applies selected biostatistics techniques to public health and health system management issues. Includes univariate, bivariate statistics and regression analysis.

HSCI 712: Epidemiology and Health Service Research (3:3:0)

Presents an introduction to epidemiology and health services research as a body of knowledge and a method for analyzing health problems. Students learn the role of health services research and epidemiology in policy and in evidence-based management and clinical practice. Students design experiments, analyze secondary data, and evaluate impact of programs on health outcomes.

ITRN 701: Special Topics - National Security/International Law
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

NURS 866: Public Health Policy (3:2:1)

Considers structure and process of public health policy formulation, policy analysis, and research methods within the scholarship framework of discovery, integration, and application. Contextual factors influencing policy development are examined with particular emphasis on political dynamics, application of ethical principles, and health services research. Selected state and federal policy issues are analyzed and implications for health professionals, health organizations, and the public are delineated. Lecture/field experience.

PUBP 710: Topics in Public Policy - Terrorism, Security, Privacy (1-3:3:0)
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

PUBP 710: Topics in Public Policy - WMD Arms Control Policy (1-3:3:0)
[See Schedule of Classes for description]

PUBP 742: Transportation Safety and Security (3:3:0)

Transportation safety has long been a paramount consideration in the design, construction, operation and regulation of transportation systems. In recent years, the security of transportation systems has become increasingly important, in light of breaches such as aircraft hijackings and truck bombs. This course examines transportation safety and security from a multimodal perspective for both passenger and freight. Topics include: historical context and policy framework, regulation, institutional issues, new security arrangements for preventing organized terrorist attacks, infrastructure design, vehicle design, operating protocols, and information systems.

PUBP 743: National Security Management and Policy (3:3:0)

Examines hierarchies in national security from the president to the military establishment, including the National Security Council, the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the CINCs (Commander-in-Chiefs of the Unified and Specified Commands), and the intelligence agencies. Covers policies involving national defense, peacekeeping operations, embargoes and other sanctions, defense conversion, and military acquisition policy. Also covers significant legislation affecting national security, such as the National Security Act of 1947 and the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986.

PUBP 755: National Security Decision-Making Policy (3:3:0)

Applies behavioral, economic, strategic, and other decision theories to U.S. government and other actors in historical national security crisis cases and in current policy issues. We seek to explore the tension in decisions between rational goal seeking by actors vs. organizational process, and to develop usable decision tools.

PUBP 757: Public Policy and Global Health and Medical Practices (3:3:0)

Provide insights into health and medical policies and processes and interdependencies with global socioeconomic developments in the 21st century. Explore principles applicable to the development, planning, and management of public health organizations.

PUBP 758: Global Threats and Medical Policies (3:3:0)

Explores medical and health governance, biosecurity and biosafety, health and natural and human-made disasters, humanitarian and emergency assistance, vaccine development, behavior and health, critical infrastructures, bioethics and resource allocations in global context.

SOCI 530: Methods and Logic of Social Inquiry (3:3:0)
Prerequisite: undergraduate senior status in sociology or graduate status and undergraduate statistics and research methodology or permission of instructor.

Emphasizes the gathering, interpretation, and evaluation of scientific evidence. Course develops critical-thinking skills by using a set of rules and logical criteria for the evaluation of social science research. Covers the logic of scientific inquiry, including various data collection methods, such as observational research and experiments, types of variables, causality, and how to distinguish between good and bad research in the published literature.

TENTATIVE, PENDING GRADUATE COUNCIL APPROVAL:

New. COMM 706. Strategic Communication (3:3:0)

Examines commonalities of strategic communication campaigns across fields (e.g., military, diplomacy, health, politics, marketing, public relations) to: 1) understand strategic communication; 2) compare fields; and 3) emphasize strategic and evaluative research across fields.

New. COMM 720. Consumer-Provider Health Communication (3:3:0)

Exploring relational health communication research and practice. Examining the role of interpersonal communication in health care delivery, health promotion and disease prevention, risk communication, as well as in promoting personal and psychosocial well being.

New. COMM 721. E-Health Communication (3:3:0)

Exploring the use of computer-mediated communication technologies in health care and health promotion, including examination of technology in health information dissemination, health education, health communication interventions, and the management of health care delivery.

New. COMM 735. Crisis Communication (3:3:0)

Examines crisis communication contexts with a particular emphasis on the role of communication in a variety of crises and how the media and Internet present crisis information to the public.

New. COMM 820. Health Communication Campaigns (3:3:0)

Exploring use of communication campaigns to promote health and reduce health risks, including examining how health communication campaigns are designed, implemented, and evaluated, and describing the critical role of communication research throughout the campaign process.

Prince William Campus Address
Biodefense Graduate Program
George Mason University
10900 University Blvd, MS 1H8
Manassas, Va 20110
Phone:703-993-4263
Fax:703-993-8976
Email: Biodefense@gmu.edu
directions to Prince William Campus