BMB512: Teoretical Immunology (5 ECTS)

STADS: 01016501

Level
Bachelor course

Teaching period
The course is offered in the autumn semester.

Teacher responsible
Email: towens@health.sdu.dk

Timetable
Show entire timetable
Show personal time table for this course.

Prerequisites:
None.

Academic preconditions:
Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have knowledge of basic molecular biology, biochemistry and protein chemistry

Course introduction
The aim of the course is to enable the student to understand and explain the immune system as a defense system, developed with the aim to protect against threats from the environment, mainly by preventing the entry and survival of potentially pathogenic microorganisms in the organism, which is important in regard to integrating immunological principles with more general biological, genetic and biochemical principles.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses BMB532 and BMB533 and gives an academic basis for studying the topic infection and immunity, as well as pathophysiology.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give skills to interpret and evaluate current scientific literature in immunology at a basic level.
• Give knowledge and understanding of basic immunological mechanisms.

Expected learning outcome
The learning objectives of the course are that the student can demonstrate the ability to:

• describe the structure and individual elements of the innate and the adaptive immune system.
• explain the recognition mechanisms of the innate immune system and the consequences of its activation
• Explain the inflammatory response and describe the function of the key cytokines
• Explain the genetic mechanisms behind the development of the repertoire of specificities in B- and T-cell systems
• describe the maturation of B lymphocytes in the bone marrow and T-lymphocytes in the thymus and explain the mechanisms that cause tolerance to self.
• Explain effector mechanisms in the adaptive immune system and describe the different types of effector cells
• recognize or describe autoimmune diseases and their consequences
• recognize or describe the four types of hypersensitivity
• identify or describe infectious diseases, wherein the microorganism avoids the immune system

Subject overview
The following main topics are contained in the course:

• Introduction to the Immune System
• Cells and organs of the immune system
• Innate immunity including complement
• Antigens and antibodies
• Antigen-antibody interaction
• MHC and antigen processing and presentation
• TCR and T cell maturation
• BCR and B cell maturation
• Cytokines
• Cellular response, leukocyte activation
• Hypersensitivity, infections
• Immunedeficiencies, autoimmunity
• Transplantation, Tumor immunology
• Vaccines

Literature

• Abul K. Abbas & Andrew H. H. Lichtman & Shiv Pillai. : Basic Immunology, Functions and Disorders of the Immune System, 5th Edition.

Website
This course uses e-learn (blackboard).

Prerequisites for participating in the exam

1. A compulsory project report evaluated internally by teacher. Pass/fail. (01016512).

Assessment and marking:

1. Written exam (3 hours). External marking. Marks according to the Danish 7-mark scale. Exam aids not allowed. A closer description of the exam rules will be posted under 'Course Information' on Blackboard. (5 ECTS). (01016502).

Reexamination in the same exam period or immediately thereafter.

Expected working hours
The teaching method is based on three phase model.
Intro phase: 34 hours
Skills training phase: 20 hours, hereof:
 - Tutorials: 20 hours

Educational activities

• Textbook reading to complenent lectures
• Independent synthesis of lecture and tutorial material
• Project work in groups
• Revision for exams

Educational form

Language
This course is taught in Danish or English, depending on the lecturer.

Course enrollment
See deadline of enrolment.

Tuition fees for single courses
See fees for single courses.