Parasitology: Bioinformatics (Ph.D.)
Offered by: Parasitology (Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences)
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy
The Ph.D. in Parasitology; Bioinformatics offers advanced interdisciplinary research training at the intersection of parasitology, computational biology, and data-driven biomedical science. The program emphasizes the application of bioinformatics, genomics, transcriptomics, and computational modelling to investigate parasite biology, host–pathogen interactions, and the molecular mechanisms underlying parasitic diseases. The thesis focus is on bioinformatics in relation to parasitology.
Thesis
A thesis for the doctoral degree must constitute original scholarship and must be a distinct contribution to knowledge. It must show familiarity with previous work in the field and must demonstrate ability to plan and carry out research, organize results, and defend the approach and conclusions in a scholarly manner. The research presented must meet current standards of the discipline; as well, the thesis must clearly demonstrate how the research advances knowledge in the field. Finally, the thesis must be written in compliance with norms for academic and scholarly expression and for publication in the public domain.
Required Courses (13 credits)
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| COMP 616D1 | Bioinformatics Seminar. | 1.5 |
Bioinformatics Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to current trends in Bioinformatics and closely related fields such as genomics and proteomics. | ||
| COMP 616D2 | Bioinformatics Seminar. | 1.5 |
Bioinformatics Seminar. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. See COMP 616D1 for description. | ||
| PARA 635 | Cell Biology and Infection. | 3 |
Cell Biology and Infection. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Research articles will be the primary source of information. This course will cover new principles in cell biology. In particular, the mechanisms by which gene expression is regulated through signal transduction pathways initiated at the cell surface will be presented. | ||
| PARA 655 | Pathogen Control Strategies | 3 |
Pathogen Control Strategies Terms offered: Fall 2026 An overview of one health including how infectious diseases caused by parasitic, viral, and bacterial pathogens are controlled in human and animal populations. With strong emphasis on drug discovery, development, production, approval, and deployment, examination of classical and emerging strategies for developing therapeutics, vaccines, biologics, and RNA-based agents. Exploration of how these interventions are identified, optimized, evaluated in preclinical and clinical settings, and implemented in real-world contexts shaped by epidemiology, resistance, and global health needs. | ||
| PARA 701 | PhD Comprehensive Exam. | 0 |
PhD Comprehensive Exam. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 Consists of a written proposal outlining the research planned and an oral examination. | ||
| PARA 710 | Parasitology Ph.D. Seminar 1. | 2 |
Parasitology Ph.D. Seminar 1. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 This first seminar is a review of the scientific literature in the topic area of the thesis research. | ||
| PARA 711 | Parasitology Ph.D. Seminar 2. | 2 |
Parasitology Ph.D. Seminar 2. Terms offered: Fall 2026, Winter 2027 A seminar series in which students present seminars covering topics in parasitology in areas relevant to their research interests. Attendance and participation are compulsory. | ||
Complementary Courses (6 credits)
6 credits chosen from the following:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| BINF 621 | Bioinformatics: Molecular Biology. | 3 |
Bioinformatics: Molecular Biology. Terms offered: Winter 2027 The main problems related to the analysis of biological sequences (sequence comparison, homology, gene annotation, phylogenetic inference, comparative genomics) and the computational approaches (dynamic programming algorithms, Blast heuristics, hidden Markov models, Bayesian statistics). | ||
| BMDE 652 | Bioinformatics: Proteomics. | 3 |
Bioinformatics: Proteomics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Overview of high-throughput proteomic technologies commonly employed to study the localization and function of all proteins in an organism, and the bioinformatic approaches to analyze raw data and deposit them in proteome databases. | ||
| BTEC 555 | Structural Bioinformatics. | 3 |
Structural Bioinformatics. Terms offered: Winter 2027 Fundamentals of protein structure and the application of tools for structure determination, how protein structure allows us to understand the complex biological functions, and how knowledge of protein structure can contribute to drug discovery. | ||
| PHGY 603 | Systems Biology and Biophysics. | 3 |
Systems Biology and Biophysics. Terms offered: this course is not currently offered. Introduction to classical and current topics in biophysics and systems biology in order to model the control of gene expression and intracellular signal transduction, as well as gene spread in populations. | ||
Additional courses at the 500, 600, or 700 level may be required at the discretion of the candidate's supervisory committee.