ALLERGOLOGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
No pre-requisites for this course are required.
The exam will consist of an oral exam, two questions, in which the student will be asked to demonstrate the knowledge about the program he is doing. The objective of the exam is to check the level of achievement of the above-mentioned training objectives, ie to assess the student's level of knowledge about the functioning of the various cells of the immune system, its molecules, allergy and other immune-mediated pathologies and immune system modulation processes. The outcome of the exam will be with Suitability.
In particular, the aim of the exam is to evaluate the student's skills in relation to:
1. Basic knowledge of the innate and adaptive immune system, understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of sensitization and immune activation in response to the recognition of an innocuous foreign substance in the allergy or pathogen and the mechanisms of interaction and cooperation between the immune system innate and adaptive;
2. Understanding and deepening the dynamics of allergology and clinical immunology, the processes of immune reactions in HIV infection, in autoimmunity and vaccine functioning.
The course provides the principles of allergology and clinical immunology, in particular of innate and acquired immunity, their dynamics and their functioning in health and illness.
The student will have to demonstrate:
1) Have learned about the functioning of the various cell types, their interactions and the basic molecules of the immune system;
2) Have developed understanding and description skills of the various mechanisms of the allergy and the various types of hypersensitivity as well as immune system modulation processes in vaccines;
3) to be able, through a critical and concise discussion of the topic of interest, to deepen such knowledge autonomously in the application aspects of that science;
4) to know how to conceive and support theoretical and practical arguments in order to solve specific problems of allergology and immunology.
The front lessons will address the following topics:
General characteristics of the immune system. Internal innate defenses. Molecules and cells of innate immunity. Pathogen-associated Molecular patterns. Complement system (4h).
Antigen recognition by T lymphocytes and lymphocytes B. Formation of antigen receptors on lymphocytes. Presentation of the antigen to lymphocytes T. The Higher Complexity of Histocompatibility and its functions (4h).
Lymphocyte activation mechanisms. Positive and negative selection in thymus. The response of T cells: T helper 1 cells, T helper 2 cells, T helper 17 cells, T regulatory cells, T cytolitic cells (4h).
The humoral immune response. Various types and functions of antibodies. Methods of monoclonal antiobodies, cell basic techniques and methodology in Immunology (4h).
Allergies and allergic diseases. The genetic and environmental bases of the allergy. Hypersensitivity (4h). Autoimmunity. HIV Immune deficiency diseases. Various types of vaccines (4h).
Immunology by Vera Del Gobbo (PICCIN, 4th Edition, 2013).
Slide lessons: downloadable from the University's E-learning site.
The course consists of 24 hours of frontal lessons (2 CFUs). These lessons will be supported by power point slides projection.
The lecturer is available for further information or clarification on topics discussed for individual students or groups of students. He will receive students, after making an appointment by e-mail (lorenzo.mortara@uninsubria.it), at the Immunology and General Pathology Laboratory (1st floor), former Colonia, via Monte Generoso, 71 (int. 3), Varese.