Course syllabus for Immunology and Microbiology

Immunologi och mikrobiologi

Specific entry requirements

At least grade pass (G) at the courses Introduction to biomedical science; General and organic chemistry; Cell-, stem cell and developmental biology and Genetics, genomics and functional genomics, and at least grade pass (G) at the part Metabolism in health and disease (3 credits) of the course Biochemistry, at the Bachelor's programme in Biomedicine.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, the student should be able to:

Regarding knowledge and understanding

• discuss differences between the innate and the adaptive immune systems,
• describe how the innate and the adaptive immune cells mature in the body, how they interact with each other, and how they function in protecting the host from infections,
• illustrate what could happen during immunopathology, i.e. if the immune system is inappropriately activated and attacks cells/molecules/functions in the body,
• describe basic structures and functions of bacteria, viruses and parasites, and know how they are classified,
• describe basic pathogenic mechanisms used by bacteria, viruses and parasites, that are important in their interaction with humans,
• understand how antimicrobial agents work on a molecular level,
• describe infectious diseases from a of global health perspective, and how climate change may affect these diseases,
• describe how the immune system can be used to fight pathogenic microorganisms, and how microorganisms can avoid the immune system,

Regarding competence and skills

• demonstrate appropriate practical skills and knowledge of safe handling of microorganisms,
• find relevant scientific articles within the subjects of immunology, infection and microbiology, and critically analyse data from these,

Regarding judgement and approach

• describe and reflect on ethical aspects of global health and justice.

Content

Basic immunology including morphology and general functions of the proteins, cells and organs of the immune system. Maturation, interactions and regulations of innate and adaptive immune responses. Clinical orientated immunology including autoimmunity, allergy and transplantation immunology. Morphology, taxonomy, genetics and metabolism of bacteria. Microbial ecology, including normal flora in humans. Interactions between bacteria and eukaryotic cells. Pathogenicity and virulence factors. Function of antibiotics at a molecular level. Structure, classification and replication of viruses. Viral pathogenicity and antiviral agents. Life cycle and pathogenicity of parasites. Traditional vaccines.

The course is divided into the following parts:

Laboratory work and seminars, 4,0 Credits

Project work, 2,0 Credits
The students work in groups to find, analyse and compile data from original articles in a short written report and an oral presentation.

Integration of microbiology, infection and immunity, 7,0 Credits
Consists of a summative examination of the subjects of the course.

Teaching methods

Teaching will be in the form of of cathedral lectures, discussion groups, demonstrations, self studies, question times, half-time exam, laboratory work and a project work in a group, and a final examination. The course also contains a written report and oral presentation of the project work.

Examination

Written half-time exam (not obligatory) that covers the first parts of the course. The half-time exam is corrected by the students under guidance of teachers. Passed half time exam gives 4% of the total score on the written examination on the part Integration of microbiology, infection and immunity.

Laboratory work and seminars (4 credits). The examination consists of written laboratory reports and active participation in the discussions at the seminars. Graded Fail/Pass.

Project work (2 credits). The examination consists of a written report and an oral presentation. Graded Fail/Pass.

Integration of microbiology, infection and immunity (7 credits). The examination consists of a written examination. Graded with Fail/Pass/Pass with distinction.

The final grade for the whole course is based on the grade for the part Integration of microbiology, infection and immunity. To pass the whole course (grade Pass or above), the grade pass must have been obtained for the other parts on the course.

Compulsory participation
Laboratory work, project work and seminars are compulsory.

The examiner assesses if and, in that case, how absence from compulsory components can be compensated. The student must participate in all compulsory parts or compensate for absence in accordance with the examiner's instructions, in order to pass the course. Absence from a compulsory activity may result in the student not being able to compensate the absence until the next time the course is given.

Limited number of examinations
A student who does not pass an examination at their first attempt is entitled to participate in five additional examination sessions. If the student does not pass after four examinations, he/she is recommended to retake the course at the next regular course occasion, and may, after that, participate in two more examination sessions. If the student has failed six examinations, no additional examination sessions are provided.

Physically attending or otherwise commencing an examination is regarded as an examination session. Handing in a blank exam is considered taking part in an examination session. An examination, for which the student registered but did not participate, is not counted as an examination session.

Adaption of examination
If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.

Other directives

The course language is English.

Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.

Oral evaluation in the form of course council meetings will be carried out during the course.

Literature and other teaching aids

• Abbas, Abul K.; Lichtman, Andrew H.; Pillai, Shiv, Basic immunology: functions and disorders of the immune system, 5. ed. : St. Louis, Missouri : Elsevier, 2016 - x, 335 s. ISBN: 978-0-323-39082-8, LIBRIS-ID: 18760622, *
• Murray, Patrick R.; Rosenthal, Ken S.; Pfaller, Michael A., Medical microbiology, 8th edition. : Philadelphia, PA : Elsevier, [2016] - x, 836 pages ISBN: 9780323299565, LIBRIS-ID: 18853784, *

Other literature

Handouts and articles.

• Murphy, Kenneth; Weaver, Casey, Janeway's immunobiology, 9th edition. : New York, NY : Garland Science/Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, [2016], 2017 - xx, 904 pages ISBN: 9780815345053, LIBRIS-ID: 19475010,