Assistant Professor of Biology Silas Johnson, a new professor at Hillsdale, is teaching the biology department’s virology course this year.
Johnson, a Hillsdale alumnus, recently completed his postdoctoral research at the University of Michigan Medical School, during which time he studied retroviruses. This research has given Johnson a cutting-edge perspective on the recent advances in the fields of microbiology and virology. Coupled with his teaching experience at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, Johnson’s background makes him a great fit for teaching virology at Hillsdale.
The virology course, offered by the biology department every other fall, offers students an opportunity to focus specifically on the mechanisms of viruses and to delve into the significant real-world impact of viruses.
“I’m interested in covering the basic cellular and molecular biology of virus replication. That’s been our major focus,” Johnson said. “Understanding that allows us to understand how viruses direct the host, how they cause disease, how the host responds to the virus infection, and that’s very important.”
Class time consists of some lecture, but is heavily discussion-based. The small class setting with only eight students also makes it easier to discuss the material presented in the textbook. According to students, the virology course has been a helpful way to explore this specific field of microbiology.
“He presents the information well and in an easy to understand way,” senior Amber Hunt said. “This course has tied a lot of my other biology classes together very well.”
Senior Annie Teigen, another virology student, has enjoyed the real-world applications of the course content.
“It is interesting to take something very classroom-based and apply it to real life,” she said.
Although there is currently no lab section for this class, there are plenty of opportunities for hands-on learning. In addition to discussion and lecture, the class has made concept maps and organized pictures of viral processes, such as the reaction of the immune system to a pathogen.
One unique feature of the class is the “viropedia” project, in which each student researches a specific virus, and then compiles all the findings into their own class encyclopedia.
“It’s similar to Wikipedia, and contains basic information about the basic biology of the viruses,” Johnson said. “My plan is to then take that information and actually use it to edit Wikipedia. This will allow students to actually contribute to knowledge that anyone can access.”
So far, students said they have found this upper-level class to be a challenging yet enjoyable experience. Senior Hannah Russell noted that Johnson’s teaching style helps to make success in the class achievable.
“He covers a lot in class, but covers it well. You get so immersed in the material that you can start to forget how challenging it is,” she said. “He brings up real-life examples that make it engaging and fun. I would highly recommend the class to anyone interested in microbiology.”
