SIIK20001U Applied Immunology

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc in Immunology and Inflammation - elective course

Content

The overall objective of this course is to give the student a substantial insight into the field of therapy for immune related diseases.

In addition, the student should be prepared to suggest a conceivable plan for a specific drug development project. This course will cover many interdisciplinary disciplines within applied immunology giving to the students a broad understanding of therapeutic strategies for treatment of immune-mediated diseases, biological consequences and adverse effects upon treatment, in addition to basic knowledge of drug discovery and development. With lecturers trained in both basic science and clinical disciplines, the course will give basic understanding of how immunological understanding and techniques can support drug pharmacology, e.g. pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics, as well as implementation of experimental platforms for drug design, development and delivery. In addition, the course will also introduce to intellectual property and patent laws and regulations.

The student will be introduced to different strategies for treatment of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases including anti-inflammatory and/or immuno modulatory small molecular inhibitors together with the concept of biopharmaceuticals e.g. immunoglobulin therapy, vaccination and gene therapy, as well as effects of immune modulators and probiotics.

One important aspect of this course is to introduce the students to different experimental preclinical in vitro and in vivo platforms translating to human diseases, and their importance for clinical development of immune active pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the course will cover use of biomarkers for diagnosis and the assessment of response to immune therapy with emphasis on the importance of identification, and use, of biomarkers for monitoring drug efficacy.

Through this course the students will gain insight into drug discovery and development of drugs for immune-mediated diseases. In addition, the student will prepare and present a conceivable plan for an innovative drug development project. The ultimate goal is that the students will acquire substantial knowledge to be capable to understand and critically discuss new drug development projects, with researchers in both academia, and the industry. 

 

Learning Outcome

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

Knowledge:

  • explain basic pharmacological concepts within pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics
  • discuss acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, common drugs for treatment, and adverse effects of the drugs used
  • describe drugs within the group of biopharmaceuticals; efficacy and adverse effects
  • discuss immunotoxicology caused by drugs
  • explain how some immune diseases are diagnosed and describe specific diagnostic tools
  • discuss biomarkers and their use for disease diagnosis and monitoring of drug efficacy
  • briefly summarize the general drug development phases, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs
  • briefly summarize the intellectual property and patent laws and regulations 

 

Skills:

  • hypothesize different treatment regimens for a common inflammatory disease, based on old and new therapy
  • design experimental set-ups for testing of novel drug candidates
  • suggest new strategies for studies of novel drug targets in immune diseases
  • propose strategies for developing new diagnostics for diseases in the immune system
  • design experiments to investigate adverse effects of novel drugs

 

Competences: 

  • the students will capable to prarticipate in crossdiciplinary teams, with researchers in both academia, and the industryin, in critically discussions regarding new drug development projects
Literature

Original articles and reviews.

Minimum 7.5 ECTS in basic immunology is required.
Comprehensive knowledge in basic immunology and immune pathology is recommended.
Lectures and problem-based-learning, seminars, journal clubs and student oral presentation of scientific papers, and group project.
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 28
  • Class Instruction
  • 12
  • Preparation
  • 163
  • Exam
  • 3
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
On-site written exam, 3 hours under invigilation
Type of assessment details
The exam consists of a set of issues that draw from course content.
Exam registration requirements

Examination prerequisite are:

Approved course group project in form of a written report based on the theoretical development plan of a new therapeutic strategy for treating an immune-mediated disorder

Aid
Without aids
Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal examiners
Re-exam

In case of 10 or fewer students registered for re-exam

Type of assessment: Oral examination

Assessment details: 30 minutes examination

Preparation: 30 minutes

Aids: None

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:

Knowledge:

  • explain basic pharmacological concepts within pharmacokinetics and  pharmacodynamics
  • discuss acute and chronic inflammatory conditions, common drugs for treatment, and adverse effects of the drugs used
  • describe drugs within the group of biopharmaceuticals; efficacy and adverse effects
  • discuss gene therapy for immune related diseases
  • discuss immunotoxicology caused by drugs
  • discuss pre- and probiotics and immune modulators in the context of treatment for immune diseases
  • explain how some immune diseases are diagnosed and describe specific diagnostic tools
  • discuss biomarkers and personalized medicine for inflammatory diseases
  • briefly summarize the general drug development phases, including drug discovery, clinical trials, and regulatory affairs

 

Skills:

  • hypothesize different treatment regimens for a common inflammatory disease, based on old and new therapy
  • suggest experimental set-ups for testing of novel drug candidates
  • suggest new strategies for studies of novel drug targets in immune diseases
  • propose strategies for developing new diagnostics for diseases in the immune system
  • suggest experiments to investigate adverse effects of novel drugs
  • discuss drug development projects within immune therapy and assess the project design
  • critically analyze and discuss data from drug development projects