Unit name | Immunopathology and Applied Immunology |
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Unit code | PANM33002 |
Credit points | 20 |
Level of study | H/6 |
Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
Unit director | Professor. Wuelfing |
Open unit status | Not open |
Pre-requisites |
PANM22041 Infection and Immunity PANM22042 Cellular & Molecular Pathology MOLG22100 Recombinant DNA Technology MOLG22200 Gene Expression and Rearrangement FMVS20001 Biomedical Research, Employability and Enterprise Skills |
Co-requisites |
3 from level 6/H lecture units and Research Skills unit. |
School/department | School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine |
Faculty | Faculty of Life Sciences |
Immune responses can have harmful direct effects and side effects. Selected examples of such pathological effects are covered including various autoimmune diseases, the immunopathology of helminth diseases, allergy and the pathogenesis of asthma. Immunodeficiencies are also considered. Vaccination has been a success story for immunology, but there are many diseases, both microbial and conditions such as cancer and autoimmune diseases, where vaccines remain to be developed. Here the problems of evading the immune response and designing effective vaccines are covered. The problems of transplant rejection and how they might be overcome are also included. The topics discussed in this section include: Trends in paediatric vaccinology, Current problems in viral vaccination, Bone marrow transplantation and immune reconstitution, Graft versus host disease, Immunity to tumours and Cell based cancer vaccines for leukaemia and solid tumours. Lectures in weeks 5-8.
Aims:
This topic has two aims. It provides a comprehensive coverage of diseases, which develop as a consequence of inappropriate immune responses and as a result of deficiencies in the immune system. Secondly, it provides an introduction to disease processes and how this knowledge is used to manipulate the immune system through vaccination and other immunotherapies to fight infection, allergy, autoimmunity and tumour development.
Knowledge and Understanding of current topics in immunology and how knowledge of immunology can be applied therapeutically. Familiarity with the scientific literature pertaining to the topic and an ability to evaluate this literature critically.
Lectures, Data Handling Session, Journal Review Session.
Independent Study: Students are expected to study the recommended literature.
Summative 3 hour written exam, to include 3 essays chosen from 6.
Reviews and primary articles from the current scientific literature.