This module provides an in-depth examination of bacterial structure, physiology, and genetics, focusing on the unique characteristics that make bacteria successful microorganisms. Students will learn to distinguish between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, understand bacterial cellular organization, and explore how bacteria obtain energy through various metabolic pathways. The module concludes with an analysis of horizontal gene transfer mechanisms that enable bacterial adaptation and contribute to challenges such as antibiotic resistance.

This module explores the unique nature of viruses as obligate intracellular parasites that challenge traditional definitions of life. Students will examine viral size, structure, and evolutionary origins while tracing the historical discovery of viruses and ongoing identification of new viral species. The module addresses the complex relationship between viruses and human health, including both their role as pathogens and their beneficial applications in medicine and biotechnology.

This module focuses on fungi as eukaryotic microorganisms, examining both yeasts and filamentous fungi (molds) and their distinct characteristics and life cycles. Students will study pathogenic fungi that cause human infections, environmental concerns related to indoor mold exposure, and the conditions that promote fungal growth. The module concludes with an analysis of how global environmental changes, particularly climate change, are influencing the emergence and spread of fungal diseases worldwide.

This module examines parasitic organisms, including both protozoan and helminthic parasites that cause significant human disease. Students will learn to classify major groups of parasitic protozoa and helminths, including nematodes, cestodes, and trematodes, while understanding their complex life cycles and transmission mechanisms. The module emphasizes the global burden of parasitic infections, with detailed study of specific pathogens such as schistosomes and analysis of worldwide prevalence patterns.

This module introduces students to prions, the most unusual infectious agents consisting entirely of misfolded proteins without nucleic acids. Students will explore the historical discovery of prion diseases through scrapie research and learn about the unique resistance of prions to conventional sterilization methods. The module covers specific prion diseases including Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, and Chronic Wasting Disease, examining how these protein-only pathogens spread and cause devastating neurological disorders.