2.Microbes

= = =Unit 2: Microbes =
 * Define bacteria, virus, and parasite
 * Human-microbe interaction
 * How does our environment (geographical, social, cultural) influence/shape our microbes (the collective term for all the residential bacteria in our bodies)?
 * What determines an individual's natural flora?
 * The hygiene hypothesis: How clean is too clean?
 * Do we need exposure to a variety of microbes, including pathogenic microbes to develop fully functioning immune systems?
 * Parasite therapy: A cure for autoimmune diseases?
 * Possibility that diseases previously thought to be genetic, are not actually cause by genes in the human genome, but by inherited bacterial genes
 * New treatment mechanisms: bacterial/fecal transplants


 * Journal entries: **
 * Thursday September 20 - I spent the double block working on my definition of a virus. I used my summer course book, which I am not exactly sure how to cite yet. I also added parenthetical citations to my previous work on the definition of an epidemic and update by bibliography.


 * Friday September 28, this was an off week due to the days off, no-homework nights, and my being sick. Tonight, I spent an hour or so working on my definition of a virus. Consulting my summer course book, I described the different types of viruses (enveloped vs. non-enveloped, DNA vs. RNA, etc.) and the different stages of the viral life cycle.


 * Monday October 22 - Spent about an hour or so working on my definition of bacteria, specifically the difference between heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria and archaebacteria and Eubacteria. I consulted berkeley.edu and my biology text book from last year. I began to brainstorm ideas for how to organize/lay-out my poster. See below.


 * Tuesday October 23- 7th period - Spoke to Ms. Willing about my poster ideas and citation questions. Added to my bibliography.


 * Wednesday October 24- I finished researching bacteria, virus, and parasite. I compiled all my notes and added the document below. I worked on the power point and added to the bibliography.


 * Monday October 29-Wednesday October 31: Finished power point presentation on viruses, bacteria, and microbes. Added information on antimicrobial resistance. Attached is power point and notes.


 * Wednesday November 7th- Began research on immune system. Found a very informative source that details the Immune response, the various immune cells and their products as well as immune disorders: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/immuneSystem/Pages/disorders.aspx.


 * Tuesday November 13th - The last few days I have been researching and compiling notes on the immune system (its function and various components). Attached are my notes. I also made a tentative outline/plan for my mid-term, which I want to do in two parts (one focused on the hygiene hypothesis and one focused on our microbiomes). I also attached the outline, which I hope we can discuss in our meeting tomorrow.


 * Friday November 16th - Continued to work on my immune system research. Monday at school I will post all my notes in the content section below.


 * Sunday November 18th- Spent a few hours completing my immune system research, specifically I researched the difference between innate and adaptive immunity and the body's typical immune response to the Rhinovirus (the common cold). I also began to create my "script" for the major motion picture "The Immune System: What To Do When Rhinovirus Attacks." Lastly, I updated my bibliography.


 * Monday November 27th - Spent about an hour and a half researching the adaptive immune response to the rhino virus. I found an excellent new source: The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. I finished outlining the basic plot line for the immune system motion picture and I updated my bibliography.
 * My finalized notes/research are attached below. They are meant to be a supplement to the movie script that I will be turning in for a grade. And the final bibliography for this assignment is on the resource page.


 * Tuesday November 28 - Spent a few hours working on my script, translating all my research into dialogue with some narration to keep the plot moving, while including as much factual information as possible.


 * Monday December 10 - With the help of Mr. Goren and a few students, we had a successful read-through of the rhinovirus script and an informal question and answer session.


 * Tuesday December 11 - I mapped out my mid-term presentation and crafted focus questions for my mid-term paper. The outline, detailing both the presentation and the paper is attached.


 * Content: **