Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

The basic organization of the immune system, including structure, function and genetics of antibodies, T-cell receptors, innate immune receptors, and the complement system. Innate, antibody and cellular immune responses and their control, and development of the cells involved in these responses. Students who have taken HSCI 325 or HSCI 425 cannot take MBB 426 for further credit.

COURSE DETAILS:

4 lecture hours/week; 1 tutorial hour/week; 0 lab hours

The course will consist of lectures, based almost entirely on the readings in the required textbook, weekly iClicker tests, weekly in-class activities, an 11-min presentation of a paper from the primary immunology literature in tutorial, and accompanying 2-page summary of it, as well as attendence and participation in tutorials. Much of the tutorial time will be spent in developing the student presentations. Groups of 3-4 students will be responsible for developing a presentation and summary for an assigned paper.

Should the class decide, there will be 4 in-class, non-comprehensive quizzes, and no final examination (otherwise the last quiz will be taken during exam week).  

Further details and a schedule of lectures, readings, presentations and in-class activities will be provided in a syllabus that will be uploaded to the course website.

   Week     Chapter/Lecture Topic

1. Basic Concepts in Immunology
2. Innate Immunity: The First Lines of Defense
3. The Induced Responses of Innate Immunity
4. Antigen Recognition by B-cell and T-cell Receptors
5. The Generation of LymphocyteAntigen Receptors Antigen
6. Presentation to T Lymphocytes
7. Signaling through Immune System Receptors
8. The Development and Survival of Lymphocytes I
9. The Development and Survival of Lymphocytes II
10. T-cell Mediated Immunity
11. The Humoral Immune Response
12. Dynamics of Adaptive Immunity
13. The Mucosal Immune System

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

This 4-credit course will be a lot of work, but you will learn a lot of very cool immunology. My intention is for students to develop a firm foundation in the basics of the immune system and how it functions, which will prepare you for advanced immunology courses (e.g., Immune System II (MBB/HSCI 427/727) and Vaccine Immunology (HSCI 477/727)). My goal is for you to become a more independent learner, to become fluent in concepts in the current immunology literature, and to learn to effectively research topics in immunology and communicate the results of that research. In short, I hope to provide you with the basic knowledge and skills to think critically in immunology, and to function successfully in a graduate immunology program (or, really, in any graduate program in cell/molecular biology).

Grading

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Please bring your iClicker to your first tutorial so that it can be registered.
Dates of iClicker tests for each chapter will be provided in the full syllabus.

REQUIRED READING:

RECOMMENDED READING: