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Overview Of Course Content

Immunology is a relatively new science. Although observations
of immune phenomena are ancient, it has long been known that
individuals who recovered from infectious disease often acquired
complete, long-lasting immunity to the disease. Often, during
severe epidemics, immune survivors of previous epidemics were
the only individuals available to nurse the sick without risk to
themselves. This area of clinical medicine is still in its infancy. We
hope that you will take away from this course a basic knowledge of
immunology. Our purpose is not only to provide the molecular and
cellular basis of a subject that will impact upon the care you provide
patients the rest of your career but also have you begin thinking like
a physician-scientist. The course content will include the following
topics:

• Cell Maturation & Differentiation
• Fetal-Transplantation Immunology  
• IgE Immunology
• Perturbations in the Super System
• How Microarrays are Changing Medicine  
• Cytokines and T-Cell subsets 
• B-Cell Deficiency
• B-Cell Antibody Mediated Pathology 
• Atopy and Allergy
• Lymphocyte Cytotoxicity
• Autoimmune Diseases

At the completion of this course, you will be able to describe the
immunologic strategies employed by humans responding to the
threat of infection. Specifically, you will be able to describe the
cellular and molecular components of the immune system, how
they function in normal and pathologic responses and then
visualize how a clinician can exploit this knowledge for the
benefit of the patient.

 Class Format 

Lectures:             
The lectures provide the critical concepts of Immunology that a
medical student must know. These concepts then  provide the
foundation for solving the clinical vignettes in the Small Group
Problem Solving sessions.  

Small Groups:         
Clinical vignettes (9) will be presented in the Small Group
Problem Solving sessions.

Lab: 
Two lab sessions are included. 

Q & A:                         
Question and answer review sessions are conducted prior to
exams.  

Textbooks  

 * indicates text is also required for other courses

Study Strategies And Time Commitment:

Immunology requires a departure from the "read and memorize"
approach to knowledge acquisition. Immunity, like the practice of
medicine, is not a collection of absolutes; but rather requires an
understanding of the complex interactions of different cells, tissues,
and molecules. The most astounding paradox of the immune
system is not only its redundancy but also its heterogeneity. Again,
like medicine, immunology appears to ask more questions than it
answers. Ideally, you should spend time thinking about the cellular
interactions and processes that constitute an optimal immune
response in order to gain an understanding of  immunology. The
course is divided into five basic concepts; innate immunity,
humoral immunity, cellular immunity, the ways that effector arms
are amplified and regulated to provide adequate responses to
pathogens and how diseases can arise from defects in or faulty
regulation of this supersystem. Our understanding of immunology
is a constantly expanding universe. It is essential to clearly
understand the fundamental concepts of immunology so that new
developments in clinical immunology can be fully appreciated. For
those of you who have never had an immunology course, the early
part of the course will be frustrating - remember; patience is a
virtue. It will come together towards the end!!  

Time needed to prepare for class, labs and tests will vary per
student.  Balancing  your time commitment per course will be key
as this course is taught at the end of the first year while you are
also completing Function of the Human Body and Patient
Centered Medicine I.

                         

                           Host Defense: Learning Plan - (6.52KB)  

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Last Reviewed: April 13, 2007