BMB512: Teoretical Immunology

Study Board of Science

Teaching language: Danish or English depending on the teacher
EKA: N200006102
Assessment: Second examiner: External
Grading: 7-point grading scale
Offered in: Odense
Offered in: Autumn
Level: Bachelor

STADS ID (UVA): N200006101
ECTS value: 5

Date of Approval: 13-04-2023


Duration: 1 semester

Version: Approved - active

Comment


Entry requirements

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

Content

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

See itslearning for syllabus lists and additional literature references.

Examination regulations

Exam element a)

Timing

January

Tests

Written exam

EKA

N200006102

Assessment

Second examiner: External

Grading

7-point grading scale

Identification

Student Identification Card

Language

Normally, the same as teaching language

Duration

3 hours

Examination aids

The exam is without aids. However, standard build in calculator in Windows/MAC are allowed. It is also allowed to use Maple, Mathematica, Mathcad, MathLab, GeoGebra Apps, R, R-Studio, CAS TI-Nspire, Ms Excel og LibreOffice Calc. WordMat is allowed but not recommended. Use of WordMat is at your own risk and no support is provided for errors caused by the program. 

Internet is not allowed during the exam. However, you may visit system "DE-Digital Exam". 

ECTS value

5

Indicative number of lessons

44 hours per semester

Teaching Method

At the faculty of science, the teaching is organized according to the three-phase model, ie. intro, the training and study phase.
  • Introphase: 24 hours
  • Training phase: 20 hours, of which: tutorial: 20 hours
The intro phase consists of lectures, where a brief introduction is given to the course topics and the path to competence acquisition as a supplement to the textbook, which the students are expected to study independently.

In the training phase, competencies within immunology are cultivated. In the tutorial classes, work is done on assignments that the students have prepared from home.

In the study phase, the students are expected to acquire relevant knowledge from the textbook. Students are expected to spend part of the study phase picking up on the training phase assignments as well as reserving a smaller portion for rehearsal up to the written exam.

Educational activities/study phase activities:
  • Textbook reading to complenent lectures
  • Independent synthesis of lecture and tutorial material
  • Revision for exams

Teacher responsible

Name E-mail Department
Trevor Owens towens@health.sdu.dk Neurobiologisk Forskning

Timetable

Administrative Unit

Biokemi og Molekylær Biologi

Team at Educational Law & Registration

NAT

Offered in

Odense

Recommended course of study

Transition rules

Transitional arrangements describe how a course replaces another course when changes are made to the course of study. 
If a transitional arrangement has been made for a course, it will be stated in the list. 
See transitional arrangements for all courses at the Faculty of Science.