Old ennemies and new weapons

Less than 70 years ago, infectious diseases were the number one killer even in countries with the highest standards of living, even in Switzerland. Then came the era of antibiotics, the miracle of modern medicine…

But what some thought may be a winning phase of the war against harmful microorganisms turns out to have been just a battle won, albeit a significant one. On a global scale, the war is raging and potentially devastating pathogenic microorganisms are on the doorstep.

This course will explore all the major classes of diseases: bacterial (from tuberculosis to the new ND-1 superbugs), viral (HIV, Influenza, hepatitis, cancer-causing viruses), fungal (pneumo) and protozoan (malaria). In each case the principal mechanisms of the disease, current treatments and future prospects will be analyzed from the point of view of a molecular biologist.

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What is it ?

This 2 day compact course is designed for all non-biologists that wish to understand the biology of pathogenic microorganisms:

attorneys, businesspeople, chemists, computer scientists, engineers, healthcare professionals, investors, journalists, politicians, regulatory affairs specialists...

... and any other professional who needs to gain a broad understanding of modern biology as it applies to infectious diseases.

It is suitable for scientists and non-scientists alike.

Day 1 is the Molecular Biology Toolbox. It is devoted to road-mapping the entire field of molecular biology as it pertains to pathogenic microorganisms and to understanding how biologists think about infectious diseases.

Day 2 is the Molecular Infectiology Toolbox. It is spent buiding a compact, unified view of archetypal infectious diseases.. We reveal all the common molecular processes and unifying principles underlying viral, retroviral, bacterial, fungal and protozoan infections. By the end of the day, participants become literate in major infectious diseases.

Online extensions will help you consolidate your knowledge and expand your understanding of key issues in this field.
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Objectives
By attending this course:

• you will fill the gap between a state of “partial or non-existent understanding” of key concepts in modern biology to that of literacy regardless of your background (sciences, engineering or humanities).
• you will acquire a conceptual "toolbox" that will help you understand the molecular principles of any infectious disease and the different strategies in diagnosis, treatment, prevention and eradication.
• you will be able to jump-start further self-directed learning at any point in time in the future.

Where and when does it take place?

For the locations and dates of the upcooming sessions, please consult our registration page

How much does it cost?

SBA members:   CHF 1100.-
All others:          CHF 1250.-
A limited number of seats are available at student's discounts


This fees include:
• Pre-course online activities
• Two day seminar
• Biotechnology for Beginners, an award-winning textbook by R. Renneberg, Academic Press
• Interactive course CD
• Online educational extensions
• Lunches and coffee breaks

Who is the organizer?

Scientific Literacy in Infectious Diseases is organized by Loroch Communication & Training in Life Sciences, a Swiss educational company headed by Vanya Loroch, a US-trained molecular biologist with over fifteen years of experience in applying emerging technologies to scientific communication and education.