This series will explore how genomics is used to understand a range of infectious diseases, how diseases are studied, and how we can treat and prevent the spread of diseases.
This series has now finished, but you can watch recordings of the sessions below and continue to use the learning resources.
Session 1. Infectious Diseases in context with María A. Duque-Correa.
We’ll be joined by María Duque-Correa, who’ll be discussing her research on whipworm – a parasitic worm that causes the negleted tropical disease trichuriasis.
Session 2. Infectious Diseases in the lab with Wellcome Genome Campus Researchers
We’ll be looking at how malaria is researched in the lab, and how bioinformatics is used to help us understand biological data.
Session 3. Infectious Diseases the Big Questions with Dr Nicole Wheeler
We’ll be joined by Nicole Wheeler, who’ll be discussing one of the ‘big questions’ in Infectious Diseases research – biosecurity.
Session 4. Infectious Diseases Career Pathways Panel for the International Day of Girls and Women in STEM.
We’ll be discussing different career pathways and celebrating International Day of Girls and Women in STEM.
Learning Resources
What are infectious diseases?
- Find out more about what infectious diseases are, and how they differ from genetic disorders and complex diseases.
Genomics in Infectious Disease Research
- Genome sequencing and analysis can help scientists understand and treat a range of different conditions. Find out more about how genomics aids our understanding of HIV/AIDs, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases.
- Scientists are constantly search for new ways to treat and prevent infectious diseases. Understanding human genomes can help scientists and doctors tailor medicine to people based on their genome. Find out more about what pharmacogenomics is and how it’s being used in conditions such as HIV.
Animals in the Lab
- Research into infectious diseases often use model organisms to better understand the disease life cycle. Find out more about why model organisms are used in research.
- There are a number of moral and ethical considerations relating to the use of animals in medical research. This debate article highlights some of the arguments around whether animals should be used in medical research.
Careers in Infectious Disease Research
- The field of genomics has grown massively since it started, leading to a range of new career routes and job opportunities. Watch these videos to find out more from 3 researchers:
- Explore more careers in Infectious Diseases on the NHS’s career website.
Activity: Malaria Challenge
- How do you eradicate a disease? What treatment methods should be used? How should funding be allocated and prioritised? Use our Malaria Challenge activities in the classroom to see if you could manage a malaria reduction strategy or choose which projects should get funding.
