BIO 212 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
We often think of ourselves as singular beings. However, many of the cells within our body do not belong to us. In fact, they belong to our guests—microbes. Our body has many environments suitable for microbial communities. Some of these communities benefit us, while others cause us to become ill. Understanding the mechanisms in which microbes colonize, exist, function, and help or disrupt processes within our body is vital in learning more about ourselves and how we can benefit from our guests to keep us healthy.
The final project for this course is the analysis of infectious disease processes. Your analysis will focus on one viral disease and one bacterial disease. You will select a virus and a bacterium that you will be required to research, and you will describe and assess these two microbial selections. Based on the information that you gather, you will submit an analysis on each disease process, along with an analysis of the information available about the diseases and their treatment options based on evidence-based practice (EBP).
Effective treatment and utilization of microbes requires knowledge of the characteristics which can be used for identification, the mechanisms employed for infection, and their use of energy and pathogenesis. This project gives you the opportunity to describe the traits which make your microbial selection virulent, and it also allows you to detect what their Achilles’ heels may be, and how you can use this information when considering pharmaceutical interventions. In addition to your research, you will be asked to evaluate whether current practices are effective. Use what you have learned throughout the course to provide recommendations. Your analysis should be written assuming your conclusions will be reviewed by epidemiologists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two and Five. The final project will be submitted in Module Seven. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
• BIO-212-01: Describe characteristics and pathogenesis of microorganisms for identifying disease presentation
• BIO-212-02: Explain how the basic principles of antimicrobial therapy promote patient-care outcomes
• BIO-212-03: Evaluate the effectiveness of current protective and preventative measures for the purpose of reducing infection and disease transmission
• BIO-212-04: Recommend evidence-based preventative strategies to address infectious diseases within an at-risk population
• BIO-212-05: Analyze how immune response can be manipulated for disease prevention
Prompt
You will choose one viral disease and one bacterial disease from the list in the Top Worldwide and U.S. Infectious Diseases document. Submit an analysis including disease pathology, disease management and pharmacological impact, immune response, and prevention strategies.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed. Most of the critical elements align with a particular course outcome (shown in brackets).
I. Disease Pathology
A. Describe the characteristics of infectious agent causing diseases, including structure and toxicities. [BIO-212-01]
B. Describe lab tests used for identification of the chosen organisms. [BIO-212-01]
C. Explain the mechanisms in which the diseases interfere with normal pathophysiology. Be sure to describe how the infectious agents enter the cells and establish infection in the nucleus. [BIO-212-01]
D. Identify signs and symptoms of disease presentation for clinical diagnostics in support of therapeutic interventions for both diseases. [BIO212-01]
E. Describe which populations are most at risk for developing the diseases, and why. As you examine epidemiological trends, discuss how ethnographic factors (e.g., race, age, and socioeconomic class) increase risk. [BIO-212-04]
F. Describe the significance and impact of the diseases on the overall communities/at large, explaining how the communities are altered. BIO-
212-04]
II. Disease Management and Pharmacological Impact
A. Describe pharmacological and nonpharmacological current treatment trends used to control microbial growth for each disease, and explain how such treatments promote patient care. [BIO-212-02]
B. Determine which class of drug has the most evidence to support its use in the pharmacological treatment of each disease, providing rationale. [BIO-212-02]
C. Illustrate the mechanisms and principles these pharmacological treatments use to combat infection. [BIO-212-02]
III. Immune Response
A. Compare innate and adaptive responses of the immune system for how it reacts to the bacteria and virus of choice. [BIO-212-05]
B. Determine how microbes are detected by and adapt to the immune system for each disease. [BIO-212-05] C. Explain how the immune response can be manipulated to mitigate the infections. [BIO-212-05]
IV. Prevention Strategies
A. Describe current steps that are taken for prevention of infection of the diseases. [BIO-212-03]
B. Explain how preventative and protective measures are applied to effectively prevent or lessen infection of the diseases, and support your explanation with research. [BIO-212-03]
C. Explain how preventative and protective measures can be enhanced for each disease to effectively reduce infection rates and disease transmission, and support your explanation with research. [BIO-212-03]
D. Recommend prevention programs that can be implemented for the affected populations, and support your recommendations with research. [BIO-212-04]
Milestones
Milestone One: Viral and Bacterial Community Impact Summary
In Module Two, you will submit a viral and bacterial community impact summary, in which you will describe the impact of the two diseases on a community, identify signs and symptoms of diseases’ presentation, and describe strategies for preventing these diseases. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Disease Pathology, Management, and Pharmacological Impact Summary
In Module Five, you will submit a disease pathology, management, and pharmacological impact summary based on your two chosen diseases. Your summary should explain the characteristics of the infectious agent causing the diseases, lab tests used for identification, and the mechanism in which the diseases interfere with normal pathophysiology. You will also describe current treatment trends used in the management of the diseases, identify which class of drug has the most evidence to support its use in the pharmacological treatments, and illustrate the mechanism the pharmacological treatments use to combat infection. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Analysis of Infectious Disease Processes
In Module Seven, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.
Final Project Rubric
What to Submit: Your analysis should be between 6 to 8 pages in length (plus a cover page and references) and must be written in APA format. Use double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, and one-inch margins. The APA Style Basics resource from the Shapiro Library will help you cite sources in APA style, avoid plagiarism, find examples, and learn about APA style in general.
AI Usage
If you use gen AI tools to support your work on this assignment, be sure to follow these AI usage guidelines. You must acknowledge your use of these tools in your work. Guidelines on how to cite AI tools can be found in this Shapiro Library guide.
|
Critical Elements |
Exceeds |
Meets Expectations (85%) |
Partially Meets (55%) |
Does Not Meet Expectations (0%) |
Value |
|
Disease Pathology: Characteristics [BIO-21201] |
Exceeds expectations and provides a detailed and |
Describes the characteristics of the infectious agent |
Describes the characteristics of the infectious agent |
Does not describe the characteristics of the infectious |
5.75 |
|
Disease Pathology: Lab Tests [BIO-212-01] |
Exceeds expectations and demonstrates sophisticated |
Describes lab tests used for the identification of the |
Describes lab tests used for the identification of the |
Does not describe lab tests used for the identification of |
5.75 |
|
Disease Pathology: Mechanism [BIO-212-01] |
Exceeds expectations and demonstrates a sophisticated |
Explains the mechanism in which the diseases interfere with |
Explains the mechanism in which the diseases interfere with |
Does not explain the mechanism in which the diseases |
5.75 |
|
Disease Pathology: Signs and Symptoms [BIO-21201] |
Exceeds expectations and makes cogent connections between |
Identifies signs and symptoms of disease presentation for |
Identifies signs and symptoms of disease presentation for |
Does not identify signs and symptoms of disease |
5.75 |
|
Disease Pathology: At Risk Populations [BIO-212-04] |
Exceeds expectations and makes cogent connections between |
Describes which populations are most at risk for developing |
Describes which populations are most at risk for developing |
Does not describe which populations are most at risk for |
5.75 |
|
Disease Pathology: Significance on Communities [BIO-212-04] |
Exceeds expectations and gives specific, real-world |
Describes the significance and impact of the diseases on |
Describe the significance and impact of the diseases on the |
Does not describe the significance and impact of the |
5.75 |
|
Disease Treatment Trends [BIO212-02] |
Exceeds expectations and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the current pharmacological and nonpharmacological |
Describes current pharmacological and nonpharmacological |
Describes current pharmacological and nonpharmacological |
Does not describe current pharmacological and |
5.75 |
|
Disease Class of Drug [BIO-212-02] |
Exceeds expectations and pharmacological |
Determines |
Determines which class of drug supports its use in the |
Does not determine which support |
5.75 |
|
Disease Mechanism and Principles [BIO-212-02] |
Exceeds expectations and illustration presents a |
Illustrates the mechanism and principles these |
Illustrates the mechanism treatments use to combat infection, but illustration is |
Does not illustrate the mechanism and principles these pharmacological |
5.75 |
|
Immune [BIO-212-05] |
Exceeds expectations and makes cogent connections between |
Compares innate and adaptive responses of the immune system |
Compares innate |
Does not |
5.75 |
|
Immune Response: Detection and Adaptation [BIO-212-05] |
Exceeds expectations and a |
For each disease, determines how microbes are detected by |
Determines how microbes are detected by and adapt to the |
Does not determine how microbes are detected by or adapt to |
5.75 |
|
Immune Response: Manipulation [BIO-21205] |
Exceeds expectations and demonstrates a sophisticated |
Explains how the immune manipulated to mitigate the infections |
Explains how the immune response can be manipulated to |
Does not explain how the immune response can be manipulated |
5.75 |
|
Prevention Strategies: Current Steps for Prevention [BIO-212-03] |
Exceeds expectations and demonstrates sophisticated |
Describes current steps that are taken for prevention of |
Describes current steps being taken to prevent the |
Does not describe current steps being taken for prevention |
5.75 |
|
Prevention Strategies: Preventative and Protective Measures Applied [BIO-212-03] |
Exceeds expectations and uses current and relevant research |
Explains how preventative and protective measures are |
Explains how preventative and protective measures are |
Does not explain how preventative and protective measures |
5.75 |
|
Prevention Strategies: Preventative and Protective Measures Enhanced [BIO-212-03] |
Exceeds expectations and uses current and relevant research |
Explains how preventative and protective measures can be |
Explains how preventative and protective measures can be |
Does not |
5.75 |
|
Prevention Strategies: Prevention Programs Implemented |
Exceeds expectations and uses current and relevant research |
Recommends prevention programs that can be implemented for |
Recommends prevention programs that can be implemented for |
Does not recommend prevention programs that can be |
5.75 |
|
Clear Communication |
Exceeds expectations with an intentional use of language |
Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized |
Shows |
Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized |
8 |
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
100% |