The Immune Response to Infection
Course content
The objective of the course is to provide students with a thorough introduction to, and understanding of the molecular and structural background to the complex interaction between immune defence and the surrounding microbiota, including the way immune defence identifies and controls infections caused by pathogenic viruses, bacteria and parasites, the way specific infections evade, mimic and manipulate immune defence mechanisms, and lead to chronic infections and inflammation. Students also learn to explain the latest vaccination principles and methods, including the development of new vaccine platforms and adjuvants, the selection of protective epitopes, and immune response differentiation. Students are introduced to the concept of immune defects and learn to analyse how immune defects dispose to recurrent or chronic infections.
Education
Msc in Immunology and Inflammation
Learning outcome
After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:
Knowledge:
- Briefly describe the major classes of invading pathogens and their main characteristics.
- Describe how pathogen invasion is detected by components of the innate immune system
- Explain how recognition by the innate immune system initiates the host response
- Describe the anti-pathogen effector mechanism of the innate host response
- Describe the interplay between the innate and adaptive immune system in the anti-pathogen host response
- Describe the adaptive immune response to microbial invasion
- Describe the effector mechanisms of the adaptive anti-pathogen host response
- Discuss the immunological consequences of various outcomes of host invasion
- Describe important pathogen strategies for immune evasion and survival in the host
- Describe how immunological memory develops and is maintained
- Explain how the state of immunological memory may vary with the outcome of infection
- Explain how immunological memory may contribute to resistance to reinfection
- Explain how a protective state of immunological memory may be induced by vaccination
- Describe the major subtypes of vaccines in current use and under development
- Discuss how immunological insight into the pathogenesis of infectious diseases may be critical in the design of future vaccines
Skills:
- Propose relevant studies aimed at clarifying the immunological mechanisms of host protection against pathogen invasion
- Hypothesize experimental approaches that could be taken to gain further insight into the interplay between innate and adaptive host responses to pathogen invasion
- Design animal studies that could help to clarify the mode of action of immune effector mechanism in infectious diseases.
- Discuss new strategies for vaccine approaches in relation to important human infectious diseases based on an understanding of the relevant pathogenesis
Competences:
- Will be able to critically analyze and discuss clinical and experimental data in the field of infection immunology
- Will conceptually be able to develop and initiate small research projects within the field of infection immunology
- Can contribute to interdisciplinary projects involving basic research, clinical research, immunotherapy and vaccine research within infection immunology
Teaching and learning methods
Lectures and colloquia/discussions of papers
Literature
- Scientific reviews and original articles related to each topic.
- Online ressources on the basic concepts of pathogens.
- For those with a deeper interest in the pathogens themselves, the following book is recommended:
Murray, P.: "Medical Microbiology", 9th edition.
Recommended prerequisites
This course module builds on the knowledge of basic immunology acquired on the Advanced Basic Immunology module.
Feedback form
Continuous feedback during the course of the
semester
Exam (SIIK16002E)
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Written examination, 3 hours under invigilation
- Type of assessment details
- Essay with a set of questions
- Aid
- Without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
Flere interne bedømmere
Criteria for exam assessment
To obtain the maximum grade of 12 the student must be able to:
Knowledge:
- Briefly describe the major classes of invading pathogens and their main characteristics.
- Describe how pathogen invasion is detected by components of the innate immune system
- Explain how recognition by the innate immune system initiates the host response
- Describe the anti-pathogen effector mechanism of the innate host response
- Describe the interplay between the innate and adaptive immune system in the anti-pathogen host response
- Describe the adaptive immune response to microbial invasion
- Describe the effector mechanisms of the adaptive anti-pathogen host response
- Discuss the immunological consequences of various outcomes of host invasion
- Describe important pathogen strategies for immune evasion and survival in the host
- Describe how immunological memory develops and is maintain
- Explain how the state of immunological memory may vary with the outcome of infection
- Explain how immunological memory may contribute to resistance to reinfection
- Explain how a protective state of immunological memory may be induced by vaccination
- Describe the major subtypes of vaccines in current use and under development
- Discuss how immunological insight into the pathogenesis of infectious diseases may be critical in the design of future vaccines
Skills:
- Propose relevant studies aimed at clarifying the immunological mechanisms of host protection against pathogen invasion
- Hypothesize experimental approaches that could be taken to gain further insight into the interplay between innate and adaptive host responses to pathogen invasion
- Design animal studies that could help to clarify the mode of action of immune effector mechanism in infectious diseases.
- Discuss new strategies for vaccine approaches in relation to important human infectious diseases based on an understanding of the relevant pathogenesis
Competences:
- Critically analyze and discuss clinical and experimental data in the field of infection immunology
Workload
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 21
- Class Instruction
- 6
- Preparation
- 176
- Exam
- 3
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- SIIK16002U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedulegroup
-
...
- Capacity
- 30
- Studyboard
- Study Board for Human Biology, Immunology and Neuroscience
Contracting department
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinator
- Troels Kasper Høyer Scheel (7-7675656a67676e4275777066306d7730666d)
Saved on the
23-03-2023
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