Courses: Spring

List of Courses

(to see a detailed description of the course, click on the course number.)

Course Descriptions

VTMED 609 Anatomy and Histology of Fish Spring. 2 credits. Minimum enrollment 4: maximum enrollment 6. First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students; others by written permission of the instructor. S-U grades optional. P.R. Bowser. This course provides an overview of the diversity of anatomy and histology of fish. Students will participate in lecture, discussion and laboratory exercises to review the major organ systems. Extensive use of library resources for assigned readings will be expected. Each student will prepare a term project and make one oral presentation.

VTMED 611 Fish Health Management Spring, odd-numbered years. 1 credit. Minimum enrollment 8; maximum enrollment16. First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students; others by written permission of the instructor. S-U grades optional. P.R. Bowser. This course presents a summary of important diseases of fin fishes. Diseases covered are those of importance in commercial aquaculture as well as those encountered by the tropical fish hobbyist. The course is designed to provide the students with a knowledge base and hands-on diagnostic experience in diseases in fish. Each student will prepare a term project and make one oral presentation.

VTMED 612 Management of Aquarium Systems Spring, even-numbered years. 1 credit. Minimum enrollment 8; maximum enrollment 16. First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students; others by written permission of the instructor. S-U grades optional. P.R. Bowser. This is a lecture and laboratory course dealing with procedures and practices involved in management of aquarium systems. Topics include water quality, types of aquarium filtration systems, fish health, fish nutrition, and general fish biology. A portion of the course will require independent work in aquarium system management. Each student will prepare a term project and make one oral presentation.

VTMED 613 AQUAVET I: Introduction to Aquatic Veterinary Medicine Summer by Application. Four weeks of full-time instruction at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, immediately after the spring term. 4 credits. Maximum enrollment 24 students from Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and other U.S. colleges and schools of veterinary medicine. (Available, by a competitive application process, to veterinary and graduate students.) S-U grade only. Course fee required. P.R. Bowser. The course is sponsored by Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and three marine science institutions at Woods Hole: the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Northeast Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is designed to introduce veterinary students to aquatic animal medicine. The marine environment is described and visited on field trips in the Woods Hole area. Specific aspects of the comparative anatomy, physiology, nutrition, microbiology, pathology, and medicine of a variety of marine and freshwater species are discussed. Some emphasis is placed on systems of aquaculture. The specific diseases of a few selected species are presented as examples, including the diseases of a crustacean, a shellfish, a finfish, and marine mammals. The course is taught by an invited faculty of thirty-five individuals who are leaders in their respective fields of aquatic animal medicine. Students present seminars on appropriate topics.

VTMED 614 AQUAVET II: Comparative Pathology of Aquatic Animals Summer, by application. Two weeks of full-time instruction at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, immediately after the spring term. 2 credits. Prerequisits: formal course work in diseases of aquatic animals or appropriate experience and permission of the instructor. Maximum enrollment 18. S-U grades optional. Course fee required. (Available, by a competitive application process, to veterinary and graduate students.) P.R. Bowser. This course is sponsored by Cornell University, the University of Pennsylvania, and three marine science institutes at Woods Hole: the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and Northeast Center of the National Marine Fisheries Service. It is an advanced course in the comparative pathology of aquatic invertebrates and vertebrates commonly used as laboratory animals. The material presented will consist of discussions of the diseases of aquatic animals as well as extensive use of the microscope to examine the histopathology associated with these diseases. The course is taught by an invited faculty of twelve individuals who are leaders in their respective fields of aquatic animal medicine.

VTMED 615 Veterinary Medicine in Developing Nations Spring, normally offered odd-numbered years, but will be offered in 2004. 2 credits. Maximum enrollment 35 for spring 2004 (normally 20). First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students; others by permission of instructor. S-U grades only. K.A. Schat. Veterinary medicine has an important role to play in developing and providing economical sources of animal proteins for human consumption and protecting ecological resources. This seminar course provides interested veterinary students with information on and insight into the multitude of complex issues facing U.S. veterinarians working in developing nations.

VTMED 625 Osteoarthritis Spring. 1 credit. Maximum enrollment 16. Graduate, or second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. Letter grades only. G. Lust. This course provides a basis at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels for understanding the function of mammalian diarthrodial joints. It includes a description of a diarthrodial joint and the composition and metabolism of articular cartilage, subchondral bone, ligaments, meniscus, capsule, and synovium. The interrelationships of synovium, synovial fluid, articular cartilage, joint lubrication, biomechanical considerations, and enervation are considered. Canine hip dysplasia is a focus during the early class sessions. The osteoarthritis that is associated with canine hip dysplasia serves as a basis for discussion of the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Canine osteoarthritis will be emphasized but the disease in animal models such as mice, guinea pigs, rabbits, and sheep will be mentioned. Therapies, such as nonsteroidal anti-imflammatory drugs, glucocorticoids, and others may be discussed.

VTMED 631 Clinical Diagnostic Parasitology Fall and spring. 0.5 credit. Prerequisite: VTMED 551. Third- and fourth-year veterinary students. S/U grades only. To be arranged with Dr. Frongillo. D. D. Bowman and M. K. Frongillo. This course will provide a chance to perform diagnostic parasitology methods using samples obtained from ongoing clinic cases. Students will attend eight one-hour sessions as they rotate through the ambulatory, community practice, and pathology rotations. In the ambulatory service (four sessions with students), diagnostics will concentrate on the laboratory examination of samples from large animal cases that have been observed during the previous week. In the Community Practice Service, one hour concentrates on the examination of samples from ongoing cases, while a second hour consists of a discussion of the treatment of common endo- and ecto-parasites. The two hours spent as part of the pathology rotation examines methods of recovering parasites from pathology specimens, including the examination of wet preparations and the digestion of tissues for parasite recovery. The course is considered to be a logical extension to the foundation course Host, Agent, and Defense, and is expected to build on the didactic material presented in Large and Small Animal Parasitology.

VTMED 698 Special Projects in Vet Medicine Fall, winter, spring, summer. Variable 1-4 credits. Must be arranged with a College of Veterinary Medicine tenure-track faculty member. S-U grades optional. This course provides the opportunity for students to work individually with a faculty member to pursue an area of particular interest and, typically, not part of the established curriculum. Specific course objectives and course content are flexible and reflect the scope and academic expertise of the faculty.

VTMED 699 Research Opportunities in Veterinary Medicine Fall, winter, spring, summer. Variable 1-4 credits. Must be arranged with a College of Veterinary Medicine tenure-track faculty member. S-U grades optional. This course provides the opportunity for individual students to work in the research environment of faculty involved in veterinary or biomedical research. Specific course objectives and course content are flexible and reflect the specific research environment. Research projects may be arranged to accumulate credit toward requirements in Distribution Sets I, II, III, IV, and V.

VTMED 721 Timely Topics in Veterinary Parasitology: Large Animal Spring. 0.50 credit. Minimum enrollement 2. Third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. S-U grades only. D.D. Bowman. This course presents an in-depth look at one or a few parasites of special interest relative to large animal medicine. The course presents details of taxonomy, biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and preventative and curative treatment. Efforts are made to discuss those aspects of the disease as it relates to the practical control of these and in-depth coverage of primary literature relating to the parasite being discussed. Topics vary annually. The course is presented in a lecture/discussion format.

VTMED 722 Timely Topics in Veterinary Parasitology: Small Animal Spring. 0.50 credit. Minimum enrollement 2. Third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. S-U grades only. D.D. Bowman. This course presents an in-depth look at one or a few parasites of special interest relative to small animal medicine. The course presents details of taxonomy, biology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, and preventative and curative treatment. Efforts are made to discuss those aspects of the disease as it relates to the practical control of these and in-depth coverage of primary literature relating to the parasite being discussed. Topics vary annually. The course is presented in a lecture/discussion format.

VTMED 723 Bacteria and Fingi in Veterinary Medicine Spring. 2 credits. Minimum enrollment 8; maximum enrollment 80. Second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. Letter grades only. D. P. Debbie. This course provides an overview and listing of important bacterial and fungal diseases of domestic animals (cow, horse, sheep, pig, goat, dog, cat) in preparation for medicine courses. The etiology, pathogenesis, host response, and prevention are emphasized. Avian, zoonotic, and exotic (foreign animal) bacterial and fungal diseases are covered in less detail since they are covered in other courses. The course also provides some insight into diagnostic procedures for bacterial and fungal diseases such as available tests, what samples to take, how to handle samples, and how diagnostic procedures are performed.

VTMED 730 Vaccines: Theory and Practice Spring, offered odd-numbered years. 1 credit. Prerequisite: Introductory course in immunology or VTMED 540 or VETMI 315. Minimum enrollment 10; maximum enrollment 40. Second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students and graduate students. Others by permission of the instructor. Letter grades only. Grades based on one paper and a final examination. Ted Clark. This course provides an overview of vaccines used in clinical practice, as well as an in-depth look at vaccine development. Emphasis is placed on the most recent advances in vaccine design and delivery, including the use of recombinant DNA techniques for targeting specific immunological responses. Lectures touch on vaccines commonly used in veterinary practice and address in detail the use of: carriers, adjuvants and immunostimulants; attenuated pathogens; recombinant subunit vaccines; viral and bacterial vectors for vaccine delivery; synthetic antibodies; and genetic immunization with "naked" DNA.

VTMED 738 Veterinary Parasitology Spring (A-B). 2.5 credits. First-, second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. Letter grades only. D.D. Bowman. This course provides a basic introduction to animal parasites of veterinary importance, concentrating mainly on the biology, control, and diagnosis of protozoan and metazoan parasites. Emphasis is given to parasites representative of significant disease processes or of signifiant clinical importance to veterinarians. The course elaborates on the biology and pathogenesis of these major pathogens with the ultimate goal being to maximize the recognition of the major disease manifestations induced the different groups of orgainisms. Laboratiories stress certain aspects of some important parasite groups.

VTMED 739 Viruses in Veterinary Medicine Spring, offered each year. 1.5 credits. Maximum enrollement 90. Second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students. Letter grades only. C.R. Parrish and J.D. Baines. This course is designed to supplement the information provided in the Foundation Courses, particularly courses IV and V. The objective is to provide, in a survey form, an overview of the major groups of viruses which infect animals, and to give a summary of the diseases that they cause. The diseases which are most commonly encountered in veterinary practice are given the greatest amount of the available time, and diseases which are less frequently seen are given less detailed coverage. The properties of the viruses, their general pathogenic mechanisms, diagnostic methods, and some specific examples are covered.

VTMED 740 Veterinary Perspectives of Pathogen Control in Animal Manure Spring. 2 credits. Third- and fourth-year veterinary students. Letter grades only. D.D. Bowman. This course will present an in-depth look at the management of pathogens in animal manures. It will review the pathogens involved, the role of governing agencies, the survival of pathogens in the field, and methods of pathogen destruction. The course will discuss commercial methods of manure processing for the control of these pathogens for the protection of other animals and the human population. The course will conclude with class discussions with major stakeholders representing the dairy, beef, pork, and poultry industries and their understanding of the problem as it relates to veterinary students.

VETMI 331 General Parasitology (also BIOMI 331; Undergraduate) Spring. 2 credits. Prerequisites: zoology or biolgoy; any of the follwoing courses: BIOES 261, 264, 267, 274, 275, 278; BIOG 101, 102, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 170, 202, 207; BIOMI 192, 290 or equivalent courses. Letter grades only. D.D. Bowman. This course is an introduction to the basic animal parasites, stressing systematics, taxonomy, general biology, ecological interactions, and behavior of non-medically important groups. Introduces the major animal parasites, protozoan, nematode, platyhelminth, acanthocephalan, annelid and arthropod.

VETMI 404 Pathogenic Bacteriology and Mycology (also BIOMI 404) Spring. 2 or 3 credits (3 credits with lecture and seminar). Prerequisites: BIOMI 290 and 291. Seminar is required of graduate students and open to undergraduates with permission of instructor. Maximum enrollment for seminar portion 15 students. Letter grades only. D.P. Debbie. This is a course in medical microbiology, presenting the major groups of bacterial and mycotic pathogens important to human and veterinary medicine. The course emphasizes infection and disease pathogenesis. Topics include disease causality; interactions of host, pathogen, and environment, including immunity to bacteria and fungi; and principles of antimicrobial therapy and drug resistance. A companion seminar addresses the current and classic literature related to microbial pathophysiology on the cellular and molecular level.

VETMI 605 Special Projects in Microbiology (Undergraduate) Fall and spring. Credit to be arranged. By permission of instructor. Prerequisite: a good background in microbiology or immunology. Preferably, students should have background in pathogenic microbiology and immunology. S-U grades only. Microbiology faculty. The course normally provides an opportunity for the student to work in a research laboratory or carry out a special project under supervision.

VETMI 705 Advanced Immunology Lectures (Graduate; also Biological Sciences 705) Spring, offered enen-numbered years. 3 credits. Prerequisite: VETMI 315 Basic Immunology or permission of instructor. Letter grades only. J. A. Marsh and staff. Coverage at an advanced level of molecular and cellular immunology.

VETMI 707 Advanced Work in Bacteriology, Virology and Immunology (Graduate) Fall and spring. 1-3credits. By permission of the instructor. S-U grades optional. Microbiology staff. The course is designed primarily for graduate students with a good background in pathogenic microbiology and immunology. It may be elected by veterinary students who are properly prepared.

VETMI 712 Seminars in Infection and Pathobiology Fall, spring. 1 credit. Required of all graduate students in the department of Microbiology and Immunology and the field of Immunology. S-U grades only. D. Russell. Invited speakers in immunology and infection biology to acquaint students with current advances in the field.

VETMI 719 Immunology of Infectious Diseases (Graduate; also BIOG 706) Spring, offered od-numbered years (next offered Spring 2003). 2 credits. Prerequisite: VETMI 315 Basic Immunology or permission of instructor. S-U grades optional. E. Y. Denkers and staff. This graduate level course focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying immunity to infectious deseases caused by viral, bacterial, protozoan and helminth pathogens. Topics include immune response initiation, antigen presentation pathways, Th1 and Th2 cytokines in protection and pathology, mechanisms of cytolysis, immune evasion strategies, and vaccines. Lectures are based upon recent advances in the field and are accompanied by relevant readings from the current literature.

VETMI 723 Current Topics in Immunology Fall and spring. 1 credit. S-U grades only. Immunology Faculty. An immunology discussion group in which students present research papers from the contemporary scientific literature. Course is limited to graduate students. Registration each term is required of Field of Immunology graduate students.

VETMI 725 Mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis (also BIOMI 725) Spring. 3 credits. Prerequsites: BIOMI 404, BIOMI 409, BIOMI417 or equivalent courses; written permission for all undergraduate students. Letterl grades only. D. Debbie and faculty in the department of Microbiology & Immunology. This graduate-level course covers the mechanisms of pathogenesis of bacteria, fungi, prasites and viruses. The course addresses the need for a course covering the breadth of microbial pathogenesis. The course emphasizes, at the molecular and cellular levels, the methods microbial pathogens use to enter, survive and cause damage to their hosts. By studying the molecular mechanisms of all the major microbial groups together, students will be able to appreciate the commonality of pathogenic mechanisms as well as see the unique properties of each group of organisms. The contribution of the host reponse to the pathogenesis process will be covered, but in less detail as this information is addressed in VETMI 719 Immunology of Infectious Diseases.

VETMI 737 Advanced Work in Animal Parasitology (Graduate) Fall and spring. 1-3 credits. For advanced undergraduate, graduate and veterinary students. Letter grades only. D.D. Bowman and other faculty. This course is intended for advanced undergraduate, graduate and veterinary students with interests in parasitology research.

VETMI 770 Advanced Work in Avian Diseases (Graduate) Fall and spring (not offered in Fall 2002 and Spring 2003). 1-3 credits. By arrangement with the instructor. Letter grades only. K. A. Schat.

VETMI 772 Advanced Work in Aquatic Animal Diseases (Graduate) Fall and spring. Credit to be arranged. By special arrangement with the instructor. S-U grades only. P.R. Bowser.

VETMI 773 Advanced Work in Avian Immunology Fall and Spring. Variable credits. Letter grades only. K.A. Schat.

VETMI 783 Seminars in Parasitology (Graduate) Fall and spring. 1 credit. Open to veterinary students or graduate students; others by permission of instructor. S-U grades only. D.D. Bowman. This is a seminar series designed to acquaint students with current research in the field of parasitology. The range of topics is determined, in part, by the interests of those participating and may include such topics as the ecology of parasitism, parasite systematics, wildlife parasitology and parasitic diseases of plants and animals, including humans.

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Last Revised on June 13, 2002

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