Integrative Study of Parasitic and Infectious Emergencies (IS-PIE)

  • ECTS

    120 credits

  • Duration

    2 years

  • Training structure

    Faculty of Science

  • Language(s) of instruction

    French, English

Presentation

The Integrative Study of Parasitic and Infectious Emergencies - EI-EPI course is part of the Eco-Epidemiology master's degree Eco-EPI, whose ambition is to train experts capable of meeting the challenges posed by contemporary epidemiological phenomena.

Indeed, epidemics and emergences of diseases related to pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, eukaryotic parasites) have been increasing over the last decades. This phenomenon is the result of complex and multiple factors of various origins: human density(s), degradation of natural ecosystems, degradation of biodiversity, overexploitation, intensive breeding, urbanization, artificialization of environments, climate change, pollution(s), globalization of human and commercial exchanges, inappropriate use of antibiotics, ill-adapted health care, decrease in vaccination coverage, poverty...

The study or management of these epidemic phenomena therefore requires the involvement of various skills and different levels of analysis, thus an integrative and multidisciplinary approach (Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Statistics, Computer Science, Geomatics, Geography but also Sociology, Economics, Anthropology?) The eco-evolutionary perspective facilitates this synthesis by placing the analyses of the underlying biological phenomena in population, spatial and temporal dimensions.

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Objectives

The aim of the EI-EPI program is to train future researchers capable of tracing eco-epidemiological events (phylogenetic, short- or long-term eco-evolutionary, environmental, socio-economic, etc.) related to pathogens infecting humans and/or domestic animals (and/or wildlife).

            The "multidisciplinary and integrative scientific approach" that characterizes the training program is essential to the challenges facing our contemporary societies. Aware of human contexts and the stakes of sustainable development of this knowledge, graduates will be able to become researchers in "involved science". This extremely relevant term describes a scientific approach, immersed in "reality" and all its dimensions, aimed at providing concrete scientific elements for "enlightened" management, and even better for prevention.

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Know-how and skills

The graduates of the EI-EPI pathway of the Eco-EPI mention are to establish and implement research programs on the emergence factors of parasitic and infectious diseases, namely on :

  • ecological cycles and transmission dynamics
  • evolutionary and molecular mechanisms favoring epidemics, emergence and/or host changes
  • eco-environmental factors favouring epidemics and/or emergencies
  • Socio-economic factors favouring epidemics and/or emergencies
  • the relative risks associated with each of these factors in each outbreak and/or emergence

To carry out their research process,

  • they master disciplinary skills and advanced tools in various fields such as
  1. in biological and ecological sciences (including evolutionary biology) focusing on pathogen-induced diseases
  2. mathematical sciences (statistics and modeling) and computer science focused on the collection and analysis of epidemiological data (databases, GIS, etc.)
  • they know how to identify and integrate into their analysis the elements (and tools) of applied human sciences necessary to understand the origin of emergencies and the evaluation of risks: sociology, anthropology, economics, political governance, law (through organizations and institutions)
  • they know how to implement a scientific and analytical approach independently, apply it to a specific context, and integrate information of various kinds.
  • They master project management and collaborative work.
  • They are able to interact and communicate with non-academic collaborators: managers in epidemiological control or surveillance, public health or veterinary actors, decision-makers or elected officials...
  • They are able to disseminate results to an informed audience of peers, but also to policy makers and managers.
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International dimension

The Eco-Epidemiology of Animal and Human Pathogens Comprehensive and Utilitarian Resources -EpiCURe project (Call for projects Take Off #3: Cursus - ACCOMPANYING THE TRANSFORMATION AND/OR CREATION OF CURSUSES), concretely based on the complete pedagogical framework of the M1 and M2, aims to give international visibility to the Eco-Epidemiology training. It will allow the development of partnerships with foreign universities and institutions.

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Organization

Knowledge control

according to the teaching units: Final exam, continuous exam, oral exam. The UE projects and internships are evaluated according to specific continuous assessment methods: a written report/thesis and an oral presentation before a jury.

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Special arrangements

M1 specific to 4th year pharmacy students, research stream, to focus training on skills not covered in their previous curriculum

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Internships, tutored projects

Internship

Mandatory

Duration of the course

5 to 6 months

Internship abroad

Possible

Duration of the internship abroad

5 to 6 months

An internship of 3 to 4 months is proposed and recommended from the first year of study, necessarily in the world of fundamental, applied or finalized research. An in-depth tutored project is offered as an alternative to the first-year internship to students who need to deepen their knowledge and/or consolidate their approach and ability to synthesize, in order to better prepare for the M2 and the end-of-study internship.

            The end-of-study internship in a public or private laboratory, organization or research institute (or even R&D in a company) is mandatory in M2 for a period of 5 to 6 months, in the field of specialization chosen by the student.

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Program

Year 1 is mainly a common year for the two courses of the mention: it presents a very common core in M1 semester 1 (26 ECTS/ 30) with a free option allowing to explore fields and to deepen issues.

The choice of course is made in semester 2 of M1 by choosing an orientation option that provides elements of depth in the eco-epidemiological research approach. It will also be prepared by the choice of the theme of the M1 internship or Advanced Tutorial Project.

The M2 EI-EPI year is divided into the following courses

  • Common with the Management and Surveillance pathway: project management, current issues concerning the eco-epidemiology of infectious and parasitic diseases (compulsory), emergence/society interface (optional)
  • Multi-scale analyses (genomes/socio-ecosystems) specific to Eco-Epidemiology research
  • Specialization in one of the key areas of eco-epidemiology (see below)
  • Further study of evolutionary bio-eco sciences or bioinformatics tools (shared with other fields)
  • Application to conservation or resource management (shared with other mentions)

            Four main fields of specialization are possible. These specializations are not hermetic themes, but present interfaces. They are :

  • Zoonoses and animal diseases
  • Vector-borne diseases
  • Global Changes
  • Artificialization, Technologies and Modern Therapeutics

This specialization is worked on as early as M1 S2 during thematic projects, the internship or the Advanced Tutored Project. It will be deepened by the choice of courses in M2S3 and the M2 internship

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Select a program

M1 - Eco-Epidemiology

Epidemics and emergences of diseases related to pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, eukaryotic parasites) have been increasing over the last decades. The recent episodes of SARS, Ebola, Zika, and highly pathogenic avian influenza epidemics were even more recently complemented by the COVID 19 and Swine Fever epidemics. They should not make us forget the resurgence of measles, the antibiotic resistance of the tuberculosis bacillus, the increasingly persistent pressure of nosocomial diseases or the still worrying presence of malaria, dengue and anthrax...

 

This increase in "cases" is the result of complex and multiple phenomena: human density(s), degradation of natural ecosystems, degradation of biodiversity, overexploitation, intensive livestock farming, urbanization, artificialization of environments, climate change, pollution, globalization of human and commercial exchanges, inappropriate use of antibiotics, poorly adapted care, decrease in vaccination coverage, poverty ... These changes and imbalances are therefore of diverse and varied origins. The study or management of these epidemic phenomena therefore requires the involvement of various skills and different levels of analysis, thus an integrative and multidisciplinary approach (Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Microbiology, Parasitology, Statistics, Computer Science, Geomatics, Geography but also Sociology, Economics, Anthropology ...) The eco-evolutionary perspective facilitates this synthesis by placing the analyses of the underlying biological phenomena in population, spatial and temporal dimensions.

 

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  • Study of variability

    4 credits
  • Pathogenic organisms: from viruses to helminths

    4 credits
  • Description and inference

    2 credits
  • Problems and issues in disease epidemiology

    4 credits
  • Information system and databases

    4 credits
  • Ecology Keys

    2 credits
  • CHOICE S1

    4 credits
    • Your choice: 1 of 4

      •  Phylogeny and Evolution

      • Food risk

        4 credits
        • Food risk 1

          4 credits
        • Food risk 2

          1 credits
      • Water and Public Health

      • Complementary skills

        4 credits
  • Ecology and Evolution of Microorganisms and Parasitism

    6 credits
  • Epidemiology tools

    2 credits
  • Longitudinal, cross-sectional and epidemiological analyses

    4 credits
  • Emergence: Eco-epidemiological contexts and mechanisms

    8 credits
  • CHOICE S2

    14 credits
    • CHOICE 3

      4 credits
      • Choice of 1 of 7

        • Public health and prevention

          4 credits
        • Health Policy and Public Health

        • Evolutionary genomics

          4 credits
        • Evolutionary ecology

          4 credits
        • EXDIM: Multidimensional Data Mining

          4 credits
        • Alignment and Phylogeny

          4 credits
        • Choice 5

          4 credits
          • Bioinformatics Learning Lab

            2 credits
          • Biological information

            2 credits
    • CHOICE 4

      10 credits
      • Your choice: 1 of 2

        • In-depth tutored project

          10 credits
        • Internship

          10 credits
  • Preparation for the internship or in-depth tutored project

    2 credits

M2 - Integrative Study of Parasitic and Infectious Emergencies EI-EPI

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  • Choice 3

    4 credits
    • Choice of 1 of 3

      • Bioanalysis, transcriptomics

        4 credits
      • Spatial data

        4 credits
      • In-depth phylogeny: methods and application in evolution

  • Mechanisms of pathogen emergence

    4 credits
  • Transmission: Case study

    2 credits
  • Project management in basic and applied epidemiology

    10 credits
  • Choice 1

    8 credits
    • Choice of 2 out of 4

      • Arboviroses

        4 credits
      • Water as a vector of pathogens

        4 credits
      • Use of nature: from domestication to modern practices

        4 credits
      • Care, Technology and Artificialization

        4 credits
  • News of the emergence II (club newspaper)

    2 credits
  • Professionalization and preparation for the internship

    4 credits
  • End of study internship IEE

    26 credits

Admission

Conditions of access

At the entrance to M1: a bachelor's degree or similar

At the entrance to M2: one year of Master 1 or equivalent

see target audience for more information

 

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How to register

Applications are made on the following platforms: 

French & European students:

International students from outside the EU: follow the "Studies in France" procedure: https: //pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/etudesenfrance/dyn/public/authentification/login.html

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Target audience

At the entrance of the M1 :

  • of students from
    1. Life Sciences or Life and Earth Sciences degrees, in particular the following courses: Ecology and Biology of Organisms, Biology of Organisms and Populations, Environmental Sciences, Microbiology, Cell Biology and Physiology,
    2. Health Sciences licenses 
    3. Biology and Humanity licenses (Catholic universities)....
    4. 4th year pharmacy or human medicine students.

Upon entering M2:

  • by right, students having acquired the M1 Eco-EPI
  • students in reorientation, from a M1 Biology, Biology-Health, Health, Life Sciences, Public Health, Microbiology, Nutrition and Food Sciences, Biology-Agro Sciences, Agrosciences, Environment, Territories, Landscape, Forest, Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Risks and Environment, Teaching, Education and Training (MEEF),2nd degree. Their integration will be evaluated on the basis of the M1 prerequisites essential for continuation in M2 EI-EPI, the coherence between their training project and the objectives of the course, and according to the potential vacancies in relation to the intake capacity
  • 6th year veterinary students with a professional project focused on research (under the same conditions as those listed above)
  • In continuing education, pharmacists, physicians in internship in response to the need for integrative skills of future health professionals
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Capacity

Necessary pre-requisites

Imposed by the level of entry (see Target audience), the specific modalities related to initial, continuing or sandwich training. It is therefore mainly a question of

  • a bachelor's degree in biological and environmental sciences, or its equivalent, for entry into M1;
  • Master's level 1 in biological and peri-biological sciences, or their equivalent, in M2, including in this case fundamental knowledge of pathogens or diseases of infectious and parasitic origin.

            For entry into M1, "knowledge" at the L3 level or equivalent in at least two of these fields

  • Biology of organisms
  • Physiology
  • Cellular and molecular biology
  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology

            For entry into M2, knowledge of M1 level or equivalent is required in Biology of the main pathogenic organisms and in at least 2 of the following fields

  • Physiology, Immunology
  • Cellular and molecular biology
  • Infectious process
  • Pathologies of infectious and parasitic origin 
  • Antibiotic therapy and anti-infectious drugs
  • General ecology
  • Parasitic ecology
  • Microbial ecology
  • Health ecology
  • Evolutionary biology and/or conservation biology
  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Vector Entomology
  • Descriptive epidemiology (statistics)
  • Modeling

 

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Recommended prerequisites

For entry into M1,

  • L1-L2 level knowledge in at least 1 of these areas
  1. Bio-Statistics
  2. Computer science (database, GIS)
  • Basic knowledge, even self-taught, in 1 or 2 of the following areas can be valuable
  1. Human / animal genetics
  2. Breeding systems
  3. Economy
  4. Sociology
  5. Anthropology
  6. Territorial planning
  7. Environmental management
  8. Conservation Biology

 

For entry into M2

  • M1 level knowledge in at least 1 of these fields (Initial training)
  1. Bio-Statistics
  2. Computer science (database, GIS)
  • Knowledge (professional experience, internships, studies, extra-academic experience) in 1 or 2 of the following areas
  1. Human or veterinary health
  2. Biotechnologies for diagnosis and prevention tools (treatments, vaccines...)
  3. Livestock and animal production systems
  4. Economy and trade globalization
  5. Participatory science
  6. Sociology /Anthropology

 

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And then

Further studies

The major objective of the program is to prepare students for a thesis in fundamental, applied or finalized research.

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Continuing your studies abroad

Theses abroad are an opportunity that should not be overlooked for graduates of the

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Professional integration

Occupations : Eco-epidemiologist researchers and assimilated, Eco-epidemiologist experts

Insertion: Research organizations/institutes, universities, international organizations, R&D pharmaceutical companies, etc.

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