Viruses. They’re everywhere. Some can pass quietly unnoticed, some cause wide-spread panic, and some actually help us [integrated in genome so we can think, phages attacking bacteria, etc]. In this course, we’ll delve into some of the many ways viruses interact with the living world and take a look at how they actually work. We’ll go through a couple of case studies on pandemics in history and break down current viral threats. You should leave with a healthy understanding of how exciting viruses are, how they work, and how we interact with them! Don't forget to wash your hands.

Cows are 25% snake. It’s true. And spoiler alert: it’s (probably) because of viruses. While that may sound crazy, we find examples of similar behavior across many species. Viruses play an active role in shaping ecosystems worldwide, sometimes acting as deadly pathogens, while other times serving as helpful partners. In this course, two excited grad students will give an overview of how these extraordinary organisms work, how they interact with us, and what we can do to prevent the next epidemic (don’t forget to wash your hands).