Many viruses (SARS-CoV-2, DENV, ZIKV, HBV, HCV, HIV, HPV, etc) are highly prevalent and cause severe human diseases, including immunodeficient diseases and ageing related diseases (e.g., human cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, etc). This course aims to provide students with knowledge that (1) how viruses take advantage of host machinery to facilitate virus infection and evade from host defence; (2) how virus-host interactions modulate and damage host immunity; (3) how these host responses contribute to ageing-related diseases; and (4) how we can develop better antiviral/antiaging strategies through vigour scientific research. This is a new field of biomedicine, a highly exciting and fast-moving subject with new discoveries for us to build a clearer picture of the multi-factorial causes of ageing and the interventions we can use to slow or even reverse it.

The major aim of this course to equip students which strong scientific knowledge and skills for virological issues related to scientific research and drug development.