London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, MSc, Biology and Control of Disease Vectors

This course aims to provide training in the theoretical and practical aspects of the biology and control of disease vectors as well as the human pathogens that they transmit; introductory sessions cover all aspects of major vector-borne diseases and offer a thorough grounding in the systematics of medically important arthropods, the main processes regulating vector populations, and in the biology of vector-parasite and vector-vertebrate interactions; the James Busvine Memorial Medal and Prize, donated by Professor James Busvine in 1987, is awarded each year for outstanding performance; at the end of this course students should be able to: Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of the biology of vectors and intermediate hosts of human pathogens together with methods for their control; describe the biology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of parasitic infections in humans and relate these to human health and disease control strategies; demonstrate a range of specialised technical and analytical skills relevant to vectors and vector-borne diseases; design and carry out a research project on biology or control of disease vectors, analyse and interpret the results and prepare a report including a critical literature review; design, undertake and evaluate vector control interventions, and show written and verbal competence in communicating scientific information.