CPD Modules in Immunology and Immunogenetics
Course Leader: Dr Liz Andrew
The immune system and how it functions properly is essential for health by providing resistance to infection and eliminating malignancy. Increasingly, it is appreciated that malfunction of the immune system is involved in a wide variety of disease states including autoimmunity, allergies and immunodeficiency. An exciting new development in applied immunology is the attempt to harness the immune system for treatments for cancer.
It is now accepted that a detailed understanding of the immune system is required for the design of effective vaccines and treatment of diseases in both industrialised and developing countries. These modules aim to provide a thorough knowledge of contemporary immunology at the cellular and molecular level and an insight into the ways in which this can help in immunodiagnosis and the control and treatment of disease.
The modules are delivered entirely on-line, and so are accessible to students worldwide. The modules provide stimulating and attractive learning materials, tutor support and contact with other students through online discussion boards.
Each module uses a combination of online teaching techniques including recorded audio lectures, interactive tutorials, discussions, quizzes and presentations.
Students who successfully complete all associated assessment will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Click a title to expand/contract course details.
Modules running in March 2012
Courses begin on 1st March 2012
Immunogenetics
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to:
- provide an in depth understanding of the genetic basis of immunological processes and diseases
On completion of this unit successful participants will have:
- an understanding of the genes of the major histocompatibility complex, T cell receptor and immunoglobulin receptor
- an appreciation of modes of inheritance and studies of linkage analysis in relation to disease and tissue typing.
- an appreciation of the molecular biological techniques used for studying gene regulation, especially in relation to tissue typing
Course Content
Topics will include:
- DNA structure, function, polymorphism
- Genetics of MHC
- Genetics of antibody and T cell receptor
- Disease associates
Assessment
The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.
Clinical Immunology and Transplantation
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to:
- provide an understanding of the basic concepts of clinical immunology with the emphasis on immune-mediated diseases in man approaching routine laboratory-based immunology from a technical rather than medical point of view
- provide understanding of the basic and clinical aspects of transplantation.
On completion of this unit successful participants will have:
- an appreciation and understanding of the range of diagnostic tests available to a modern clinical immunology laboratory
- an appreciation of the rationale for performing immunological tests and a limited description of the more common clinical conditions they are designed to diagnose
- an understanding of selected examples of clinical disease (immunodeficiency, hypersensitivity and organ based disease) emphasising the underlying immunological basis of the condition
- an understanding of the mechanisms of graft refection and clinical and experimental approaches to preventing this rejection
Course Content
Topics will include:
- Immunodeficiency
- Allergy and other hypersensitivities
- Clinical tests
- The immune response to transplants
- Preventing graft rejection
- Xenotransplantation
Assessment
Full time course: This module will be assessed by an essay and 3 assignments.
Distance learning course: The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.
Modules running in September 2012
Courses begin on 17th September 2012
Immune Physiology
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to provide an in depth understanding of the constituent elements and systems structure of immunological processes. It will afford students a detailed knowledge of the fundamental immune processes needed for further study in this field while concentrating on the considerable inter-dependent co-ordination of immunological mechanisms that occurs during the development of an immune reaction.
After completing the module a successful participant will have:
- a detailed knowledge of the cell types and soluble factors involved in immune responses
- an appreciation of the interactions between immune cells and soluble factors involved in immune responses
- an understanding of the modern experimental approaches used in contemporary immunology
Course Content
- Anatomy of the immune system
- Components of the innate immune system
- Recognition of microbes by the immune system
- Developments of lymphocytes
- Generation of immune responses in vivo
- Immune effector mechanisms
Assessment
Full time course: The module is assessed by essay and examination.
Distance learning course: The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.
Autoimmunity
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to:
- provide an in depth understanding of the immunological processes underlying autoimmune disease
After completing the module a successful participant will have:
- an appreciation of the use of animal model systems in the study of autoimmune disease and its relationship to human disease.
- an understanding of the immunological mechanisms responsible for the immunopathology observed in animal models and humans in relation to autoimmune disease.
- an appreciation of the genetic basis of autoimmune disease in animal models and humans.involved in the induction of neoplasia
Course Content
- Spectrum and clinical burden of autoimmune diseases
- Experimental study of autoimmunity
- Epidemiology of autoimmune diseases
- Diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis
- Factors contributing to development of autoimmunity
Assessment
Full time course: The module is assessed by essay and examination.
Distance learning course: The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.
Modules running in March 2013
Courses begin on 1st March 2013
Immunogenetics
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to:
- provide an in depth understanding of the genetic basis of immunological processes and diseases
On completion of this unit successful participants will have:
- an understanding of the genes of the major histocompatibility complex, T cell receptor and immunoglobulin receptor
- an appreciation of modes of inheritance and studies of linkage analysis in relation to disease and tissue typing.
- an appreciation of the molecular biological techniques used for studying gene regulation, especially in relation to tissue typing
Course Content
Topics will include:
- DNA structure, function, polymorphism
- Genetics of MHC
- Genetics of antibody and T cell receptor
- Disease associates
Assessment
The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.
Infection and Tumour Immunity
Aims and Objectives
The unit aims to:
- provide an appreciation of how the immune system recognises and deals with different kinds of infectious agents and oncogenic challenge
After completing the module a successful participant will have:
- an understanding of how the immune system attempts to maintain the host’s integrity against a wide variety of infectious agents including viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoan and metazoan parasites
- an appreciation of how infectious agents evade host protective immunity
- an insight into modern approaches of vaccination and new developments in this area
- an understanding of the immunological mechanisms employed by the host to resist neoplastic change
- an understanding of the causative agents of neoplasia and genetic mechanisms involved in the induction of neoplasia
Course Content
- Immunity to bacteria, viruses and parasite
- Host pathogen relationships
- Vaccines
- Basic tumour biology
- Immune response to tumours
- Tumour vaccines
Assessment
Full time course: The module is assessed by essay and examination.
Distance learning course: The module is assessed by a 3,000 word essay and 3 assignments.