BSc Biomedical Sciences

Immunology is the study of the body's immune system. This unit will introduce you to the main features of the immune system, the innate immune system and the specific immune system. You will learn about recognition of microbes by the specific immune system and how the immune system protects against different pathogens. You will also learn how the immune system can itself cause disease, for example in allergy or autoimmune diseases, and how its function can be compromised by AIDS or immunosuppressant drugs.

• To understand the components and functioning of the immune system

Students should understand:

• The role of the immune system, innate immunity and the specific immune system, recognition of microbes by the specific immune system and how the immune system protects against different pathogens. They should also have an appreciation of some aspects of immunopathology: allergy, autoimmunity, transplantation and AIDS.
• The concepts that enable the immune system to function properly and the consequences of it going wrong.

Lectures will cover the main role of the immune system in providing defence against infection caused by bacteria, viruses, yeasts and parasites. They will describe the two main arms of the immune system, the innate immune system and the specific immune system. The different anatomical, cellular and molecular components of the two systems will be covered and how these systems detect the presence of infectious pathogens will be an important part of the unit. How the immune system actually deals with infectious organisms will also be described as well as some of the challenges to the immune system such as in HIV/AIDS. Finally the unit will cover some of the problems that arise when the immune system ‘gets it wrong’; this will include allergy and autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

e-Learning Activity

Mini-exam (Contributing 10% of the final mark)

1.5 hour examination (90%) consisting of short note answers including drawing diagrams.

Feedback on spotter test.