Combined Bachelor's + Master's degree in Medicine and Surgery

Immunology

Course code

4S00179

Name of lecturer

Vincenzo Bronte

Coordinator

Vincenzo Bronte

Number of ECTS credits allocated

9

Academic sector

MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY

Language of instruction

Italian

Site

VERONA

Period

Lezioni 2° semestre 1°- 5° anno dal Feb 19, 2018 al May 25, 2018.

Lesson timetable

Go to lesson schedule

Learning outcomes

Objectives of the course
• acquisition of the knowledge in fundamental biologic mechanisms regulating the immune system function for the defense against infections, as well as pathogenesis of hypersensibility, autoimmunity and immunodeficiency; 

• understanding the main laboratory methods used by the immunologist and the immune pathologist;

Objectives of professional expertise
• overview on the immune system function, either in health or disease state;
• overview on the basics for the most common immune laboratory techniques, with the aim to understand: a) the results of laboratory analyses obtained through immunological techniques; b) previously occurred immune responses to infections; c) congenital or acquired immune dysfunctions; d) hypersensibility patterns; e) main autoimmune pathologies; f) immune strategies applied to allergy and immunodeficiency therapies; g) general principles of vaccine and immune suppression therapy; h) transplantation and tumor immunology.

Syllabus

Innate and acquired Immunity. Anatomy, cytology and biochemistry of the immune system: lymphoid organs, cells (lymphocytes, dendritic cells, macrophages, granulocytes, hemopoietic precursors), and molecules (immunoglobulins, T cell receptor, MHC molecules, co-stimulatory molecules). Cellular receptors of innate immunity, sensing of pathogen and damage patterns. Antigen processing and presentation. Cell-mediated and humoral immune response. The complement cascade. Cytokines, chemokines and cell-cooperation. Defense against infections. Immune tolerance. Hypersensibility reactions. Autoimmune diseases. Immunodeficiency. Immunity and tumors. Principles of immunotherapy. Immuno-hematology. Immunology of transplantation.

Assessment methods and criteria