SIIK16002U The Immune Response to Infection

Volume 2024/2025
Education

Msc in Immunology and Inflammation

Content

The objective of the course is to provide students with a thorough introduction to, and understanding of the molecular and structural background to the complex interaction between immune defence and the surrounding microbiota, including the way immune defence identifies and controls infections caused by pathogenic viruses, bacteria and parasites, the way specific infections evade, mimic and manipulate immune defence mechanisms, and lead to chronic infections and inflammation. Students also learn to explain the latest vaccination principles and methods, including the development of new vaccine platforms and adjuvants, the selection of protective epitopes, and immune response differentiation. Students are introduced to the concept of immune defects and learn to analyse how immune defects dispose to recurrent or chronic infections.

Learning Outcome

After completing the course the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge:

  • Briefly describe the major classes of invading pathogens and their main characteristics.
  • Describe how pathogen invasion is detected by components of the innate immune system
  • Explain how recognition by the innate immune system initiates the host response
  • Describe the anti-pathogen effector mechanism of the innate host response
  • Describe the interplay between the innate and adaptive immune system in the anti-pathogen host response
  • Describe the adaptive immune response to microbial invasion
  • Describe the effector mechanisms of the adaptive anti-pathogen host response
  • Discuss the immunological consequences of various outcomes of host invasion
  • Describe important pathogen strategies for immune evasion and survival in the host
  • Describe how immunological memory develops and is maintained
  • Explain how the state of immunological memory may vary with the outcome of infection
  • Explain how immunological memory may contribute to resistance to reinfection
  • Explain how a protective state of immunological memory may be induced by vaccination
  • Describe the major subtypes of vaccines in current use and under development
  • Discuss how immunological insight into the pathogenesis of infectious diseases may be critical in the design of future vaccines

 

Skills:

  • Propose relevant studies aimed at clarifying the immunological mechanisms of host protection against pathogen invasion
  • Hypothesize experimental approaches that could be taken to gain further insight into the interplay between innate and adaptive host responses to pathogen invasion
  • Design animal studies that could help to clarify the mode of action of immune effector mechanism in infectious diseases.
  • Discuss new strategies for vaccine approaches in relation to important human infectious diseases based on an understanding of the relevant pathogenesis

 

Competences:

  • Will be able to critically analyze and discuss clinical and experimental data in the field of infection immunology
  • Will conceptually be able to develop and initiate small research projects within the field of infection immunology
  • Can contribute to interdisciplinary projects involving basic research, clinical research, immunotherapy and vaccine research within infection immunology
Literature
  • Scientific reviews and original articles related to each topic.
  • Online ressources on the basic concepts of pathogens.
  • For those with a deeper interest in the pathogens themselves, the following book is recommended:

Murray, P.: "Medical Microbiology", 9th edition.

This course module builds on the knowledge of basic immunology acquired on the Basic Immunology course.
Lectures and colloquia/discussions of papers
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 21
  • Class Instruction
  • 6
  • Preparation
  • 176
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
Essay with a set of questions
Exam registration requirements

None

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Flere interne bedømmere
Criteria for exam assesment

To obtain the maximum grade of 12 the student must be able to:

Knowledge:

  • Briefly describe the major classes of invading pathogens and their main characteristics.
  • Describe how pathogen invasion is detected by components of the innate immune system
  • Explain how recognition by the innate immune system initiates the host response
  • Describe the anti-pathogen effector mechanism of the innate host response
  • Describe the interplay between the innate and adaptive immune system in the anti-pathogen host response
  • Describe the adaptive immune response to microbial invasion
  • Describe the effector mechanisms of the adaptive anti-pathogen host response
  • Discuss the immunological consequences of various outcomes of host invasion
  • Describe important pathogen strategies for immune evasion and survival in the host
  • Describe how immunological memory develops and is maintain
  • Explain how the state of immunological memory may vary with the outcome of infection
  • Explain how immunological memory may contribute to resistance to reinfection
  • Explain how a protective state of immunological memory may be induced by vaccination
  • Describe the major subtypes of vaccines in current use and under development
  • Discuss how immunological insight into the pathogenesis of infectious diseases may be critical in the design of future vaccines

 

Skills:

  • Propose relevant studies aimed at clarifying the immunological mechanisms of host protection against pathogen invasion
  • Hypothesize experimental approaches that could be taken to gain further insight into the interplay between innate and adaptive host responses to pathogen invasion
  • Design animal studies that could help to clarify the mode of action of immune effector mechanism in infectious diseases.
  • Discuss new strategies for vaccine approaches in relation to important human infectious diseases based on an understanding of the relevant pathogenesis

 

Competences:

  • Critically analyze and discuss clinical and experimental data in the field of infection immunology