Course Title: Advanced Immunology

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Advanced Immunology

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

BIOL2118

City Campus

Postgraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2009

Course Coordinator: Dr. Andreas Lopata

Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 6627

Course Coordinator Email: andreas.lopata@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Location: Bundoora West Campus; Buidling 223, Level 1, Room 34

Course Coordinator Availability: by appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate course in Immunology would be an advantage


Course Description

The course will present advanced concepts of immunology and related technologies and their use.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

On completion of this course, the student will have acquired:
1. advanced knowledge of the underlying principles of immunology and its application in solving problems in biological systems.
2. an awareness of some current research activities in the field and possible applications of this knowledge.
3. have a working knowledge of some immunological techniques and their application•
4. skills in critical review and analysis of scientific data and the oral and written
communication of scientific information.

This course will develop graduate attributes of knowledgeability, critical-thinking, technical competency, self-directed learning skills, problem-solving and communication skills (written, verbal and interpersonal).

The students will be guided through the course by a combination of lectures and practical exercises and demonstrations. Other activities include self-directed computer-assisted learning, review of literature, oral presentation and written reports by individuals or small groups on student- directed topics.

Students are actively encouraged to attend and participate in all planned student-learning experiences. While attendance is not compulsory, satisfactory completion of all assessable programmed student learning activities is required and regular attendance at all scheduled contact activities is recommended to achieve satisfactory completion.



Overview of Learning Activities

Lecture program:

An overview of the immune system including humoral and cell-mediated immunity;
Innate immune responses, recognition of pathogens;
Antigen processing and presentation, co-stimulatory signals for T cell activation, role of cytokines in lymphocyte maturation and activation; Immunity to infection and pathological consequences of immunodeficiencies;
Immune responses to viral infections, HIV and AIDS;
Molecular basis of antigen recognition, antibodies and applications;
Hypersensitivity reactions to allergens and inflammation
Approaches to vaccination;
Dendritic cells and vaccines
Cancer immunology and vaccines;
Transplantation immunology

Practical exercises and demonstrations of some immunological techniques


Overview of Learning Resources

Texts, References and Other Learning Resources

Recommended texts

Kindt, T.J., Goldsby, R.A. and Osborne, B.A. 2007. Kuby Immunology. 6th Ed. W. H. Freeman and Co., ISBN 0716785900.

Roitt, I.M. and Delves P.J., 2001. Roitt’s Essential Immunology 10th Edition, Blackwell Science, ISBN 0632059028. Note that Edition 11 has just been released.

Janeway C.A., Travers P., Walport M., and Shlomchik M.J. Immunobiology: The Immune System in Health and Disease. Garland Publishing Inc., New York, 2004. 6th Ed., ISBN 0815341016.


Additional lecture material not found in the above textbooks will be provided by individual lecturers.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment will consist of 2 hour examination (multiple choice and extended answer questions)
Project Report (3000 words, further details to be provided in lectures).
Summary of research article given by the coordinator (2 pages)