Course Director:  L.M. Ball,  Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering
   

Course Description: This course introduces students to the general principles underlying the health effects of environmental agents. Students will gain an understanding of the mechanisms of interactions between environmental agents and living systems. This course will enable students to apply information derived from fundamental microbiology and toxicology studies to assessment of the health hazards associated with exposure to environmental agents, and to predicting the health effects of novel agents.

Prerequisites:  Biology, chemistry through organic, mathematics through calculus; biochemistry is recommended. If these prerequisites are not all met: students may remedy weak areas by independent study (suitable texts are listed below), and permission of the course coordinator is required.

Instructors: (tentative list)

Dr. L. M. Ball, 158 Rosenau, 966-7306, lmball@unc.edu
Dr Lisa Casanova, 3207 McGavran-Greenberg
Dr. O.D. "Chip" Simmons, 353 Rosenau, 966-7302
Dr. J. A. Kase, NC State Laboratory of Public Health, 807-8796
Dr. A. Gold, 157 Rosenau, 966-7304
Mr. J. R. Ridpath, 3204 McGavran-Greenberg
Dr. I. Rusyn, 0031 MHRC, 843-2596
Dr. D. Kim, Syngenta
Dr. L. A. Nylander-French, 159 Rosenau, 966-3826
Dr. D. L. Costa, U.S. EPA, 541-2532
Dr. J. E. Simmons, U.S. EPA, 541-7829
Dr. J. A. Swenberg, 253 Rosenau, 966-6139

Textbooksl

The reading material for this course consists mainly of class handouts. There is no assigned textbook.
There are recommended books, which are available for purchase at the UNC Health Affairs Bookstore.
Some of these are also on reserve at the Health Sciences Library.

Two books are recommended for supplementation of classroom material. These are:

TOXICOLOGY

TIMBRELL, J. A.:  Principles of Biochemical Toxicology. Taylor and Francis, London, 2000, Third Edition, pp. 394.  ISBN 0-7484-0736-7, Softcover, $49.95.  A highly readable introductory text. Fourth Edition available 09/19/2008.
or
CASARETT AND DOULL’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. Seventh Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 2008, pp. 1236. Edited by Curtis D. Klaassen. ISBN 0-07-147051-4, Hardback, $105.00.  An in-depth treatment of toxicology, suitable as a long-term reference for students who intend to specialise in this field.

MICROBIOLOGY

BURTON, G.R.W., and Engelkirk, P.G.: Microbiology for the Health Sciences.  8th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 2007. ISBN 0-7817-7195-1, Softcover, $45.95.
or
ENGLEBERG, N.C., et al.: Schaechter's Mechanisms of Microbial Disease. 4th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 2007. ISBN 0-7817-4342-2.
 

FOR REVIEW of basic biochemistry, chemistry, and microbiology, as required

GILBERT, H. F.: Basic Concepts in Biochemistry: A Student's Survival Guide.  2nd Ed., McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, NY, 2000. ISBN 0-07-135657-6, Softcover, $29.95.

LEMKE, T. L.: Review of Organic Functional Groups: Introduction to Medicinal Organic Chemistry. 4th Ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, 2003. ISBN 0-7817-4381-8, Softcover (with CD-ROM), $37.95.

BROOKS, G.F., Butel, J.S. and Morse, S.A.:  Jawetz, Melnick and Adelberg's Medical Microbiology. 23rd Ed., McGraw-Hill/Appleton and Lange, Stamford, CT, 2004.  ISSN 1054-2744, Softcover, $49.95.

The web site www.cellsalive.com also contains useful material.

Course-related links! Click here and/or here.

CLASS SCHEDULE
 

Grading Opportunities: Grades will be based on twelve homework sets, two in-class examinations, and one final examination.

Homework Sets: The homework sets will consist of three short-answer questions and one question requiring more extensive reasoning. Sets will be handed out on Fridays and will be due the following Friday. Completed homework sets are to be placed in the box marked "ENVR 430 HOMEWORK SETS," located on the desk of Ms. Robin Whitley,  in Room 148  Rosenau Hall.  Homework sets should be submitted by 5:00 PM on the day they are due.

Each homework set counts for 5% of the total course grade; collectively, these sets count for 60% of the entire course grade. Each homework set is weighted equally.  The following grading scheme is used:
 

In-class Examinations: The in-class examinations count for 5% each (and collectively for 10%) of the overall course grade. The first in-class exam, held on September 19, will include the material covered August 20-September 12. The second in-class exam, held on October 20, will include the material covered September 15-October 13.

Final Examination: The final examination will be held on Tuesday, December 9, 12 noon.  It will count for 30% of the overall course grade, and will include the material covered in the entire course.

PAST TESTS:

ASPH Competencies Addressed by this Course:

I.  Discripline-specific Competencies:  Environmental Health Sciences

	Describe the direct and indirect human, ecological and safety effects of major environmental and occupational agents.
	Describe genetic, physiologic and psychosocial factors that affect susceptibility to adverse health outcomes following exposure to environmental hazards.
	Describe federal and state regulatory programs, guidelines and authorities that control environmental health issues.
	Specify current environmental risk assessment methods.
	Specify approaches for assessing, preventing and controlling environmental hazards that pose risks to human health and safety.
	Explain the general mechanisms of toxicity in eliciting a toxic response to various environmental exposures.
	Discuss various risk management and risk communication approaches in relation to issues of environmental justice and equity.
	Develop a testable model of environmental insult.

II. Cross-cutting Competencies (Association of Schools of Public Health):

 
Communication and Informatics

	Demonstrate effective written and oral health communication skills appropriately adapted to professional and lay audiences with varying knowledge and skills in interpreting health information.
	Use information technology tools effectively in core public health functions such as retrieval of institutional and online public health data and dissemination of public health information.
	Engage in collective information sharing, discussion and problem solving.

Diversity and Cultural Competency

Leadership

	Demonstrate basic team building, negotiation, and conflict management skills.
	Create a climate of trust, transparency, mutual cooperation, continuous learning, and openness for suggestion and input with co-workers, partners, other stakeholders, and/or clients.
	Exercise productive organizational, time-management and administrative skills.
	Develop knowledge of one’s individual strengths and challenges, as well as mechanisms for continued personal and professional development.

Professionalism and Ethics

	Review, integrate, and apply ethical and/or legal principles in both personal and professional interactions, as well as public health practice and/or research.
	Apply evidence-based concepts in public health decision-making.
	Appreciate the need for lifelong learning in the field of public health.
	Consider the effect of public health decisions on social justice and equity.

Program Planning

Systems Thinking