Ecology for Global Health
Master in Life Science, ENS
UNBIO1-109 (EfGH) | Ecology for Global Health
Level | Semester : M2 | S1
Where : Biology department, ENS
Duration : 1 week
Dates : December 1-5, 2025
Maximum class size : 30 students
—2025-2026 Provisional program—
Coordination
Kévin JEAN, ENS-PSL
Credits
3 ECTS
Keywords
Infectious disease ecology| EcoHealth | One Health | Planetary Health
Course prerequisites
Introduction to Ecology (UNBIO1-103 or equivalent)
Some experience in data analysis with R
Course objectives and description
Aims
This course aims to present how considering ecological determinants and processes can contribute to the understanding and preservation of human and planetary health, especially in the era of the Anthropocene.
The course is primarily designed for students with a background in biology and ecology. It aims to present core concepts such as Global Health, One Health, and Planetary Health.
It will illustrate how ecological methods and approaches can be applied to address key issues affecting human health, especially :
– How biogeography and macro-ecology may help understanding the spatial distribution of infectious disease,
– How community ecology may help understanding the dynamics of pathogens and and evaluating disease control strategies,
– How community ecology may help understanding the future of infectious disease in the face of climate change,
– What are the fundamentals of epidemiology, which can be grasped as the application of ecology to human health to study both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Organization
This is a one-week intensive course based on lecture-style presentations, including lectures by internationally recognized experts, and practical sessions. Practical sessions will require a basic knowledge on data analysis using the R statistical software.
Assesment
Module validation will be based on active participation during the week and on a group presentation and critical appraisal of a recent scientific study on a topic related to the module (Friday afternoon).
Register
The course is open to external Master and PhD students. To apply, please send a short CV and explain your motivation in an email to the coordinator no later than 3rd November.
Suggested readings
- Atwoli L, Baqui AH, Benfield T, Bosurgi R, Godlee F, Hancocks S, et al. Call for emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity, and protect health. The Lancet. 11 sept 2021 ;398(10304):939‑41.
- Myers SS. Planetary health : protecting human health on a rapidly changing planet. The Lancet. 23 déc 2017 ;390(10114):2860‑8.
- Hay SI, Battle KE, Pigott DM, Smith DL, Moyes CL, Bhatt S, et al. Global mapping of infectious disease. Philos Trans R Soc Lond, B, Biol Sci. 19 mars 2013 ;368(1614):20120250.
- Tjaden NB, Caminade C, Beierkuhnlein C, Thomas SM. Mosquito-Borne Diseases : Advances in Modelling Climate-Change Impacts. Trends in Parasitology. 1 mars 2018 ;34(3):227‑45.
- Jean K, Burnside WR, Carlson L, Smith K, Guégan JF. An equilibrium theory signature in the island biogeography of human parasites and pathogens. Global Ecology and Biogeography. 1 janv 2016 ;25(1):107‑16.
- Bhaskaran K, Gasparrini A, Hajat S, Smeeth L, Armstrong B. Time series regression studies in environmental epidemiology. Int J Epidemiol. août 2013 ;42(4):1187‑95.
- Smith DL, Battle KE, Hay SI, Barker CM, Scott TW, McKenzie FE. Ross, Macdonald, and a Theory for the Dynamics and Control of Mosquito-Transmitted Pathogens. PLOS Pathogens. 5 avr 2012 ;8(4):e1002588.