Immunology

Code:

MI072113

Acronym:

IMUNOL

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Health Sciences

Instance: 2022/2023 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Web Page:	http://moodle.up.pt
Responsible unit:	Microbiology Laboratory
Course/CS Responsible:	MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MICF	200	Official Curriculum	2	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Main learning objectives: it is intended that students develop the ability to:

Acquisition of basic knowledge about the components that constitute the tissues and organs involved in the immune response.

Knowledge of the cellular and molecular constitution of biological fluids.

Use of basic experimental methodology used for studying the different cell populations and competence in microscopic techniques to analyze different structures.

Within the scope of transversal competences, this Curricular Unit aims to contribute to the development of: Cognitive Skills: analytical, critical, reflective and creative thinking; Methodological skills: time management, planning skills and digital skills. Social Skills: interpersonal communication and collaborative work.

Progression of experimental competence of the student during the semester to achieve more autonomy and application to new situations.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students must have the ability to:

• Explain the basic concepts of Immunology;
• Apply the indicators and parameters for assessing the immune response;
• List the different immunological parameters in situations of effective immune response or in pathological situations;
• Interpret the variations of the different immunological parameters in different situations of protection or exacerbation of the immune response;
• Describe the main laboratory procedures with clinical application;
• Interpret protocols and experimental data related to the assessment of the immune response;
• Search for credible sources of information in the field of immunology;
• Communicate the risk associated with an exaggerated immune response.

 

Working method

À distância

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

The course unit Immunology requires previous knowledge related to Molecular and Cellular Biology as well as General Microbiology. Therefore, these curricular units must precede the teaching of Immunology. Their knowledge is fundamental for understanding the different components of the immune response as well as the knowledge of the different invasive agents that induce an immune response.

Program

Theorical:

Immunology and the immune system;
Innate / acquire immunity;
Complement system;
Antigens;
Structure and function of immunoglobulin molecules – Antibodies;
Immunoglobulin classes: isotypes and allotypes;
Immunoglobulin genes are rearranged in antibody-producing cells.
Antigen – antibody interactions: Affinity and avidity antibodies.

Antibody specificity and cross reactivity.
Antibody and antigen interactions.
Antibody production.
Characterisation of the specific immune response. Primary and secundary immune response.
Theories of antibody formation.

Cell-mediated immune response;
The major histocompatibility complex, T cell receptor (TcR), role of CD3, accessory and costimulatory molecules;
Immune response against the different antigens.
B and T cell antigen recognition.
Antigen processing and presentation.
Structure and assembly of MHC molecule/peptide complexes. Role of the thymus in the TcR determination;
Superantigens;

Cell mediated immune responses: Immunorregulation.
T cell subpopulations: Th1 and Th2. Cytokines and macrophage activation.
Cell-mediated cytotoxicity. mmunomodulation and imunometabolismo. Immunogenetics: Genetic factors that influence the immune response.

Immunization: active and passive.
Antigens used as vaccines.

Histocompatibility antigens in transplantation.
Tolerance and autoimmunity.

Immunological tolerance.

Hypersensitivity states.
Hypersensitivity linked to disease.

Tumour immunology. Tumour associated antigens detected by immune cells. Human tumour immune responses and escape mechanisms.

Immunodeficiency disease: primary and adquired.

Laboratory

Separation of mononuclear cells from peripheral blood;

Detection of cellular markers by immunofluorescence;

Antigen proteins separation by SDS_PAGE and immunoreactivity by western blot;

Quantification of immunoglobulins in serum by ELISA and detection of cell immunoglobulins production by ELISAspot;

Detection of autoantibody by latex reaction in the case of autoimmune disease;

Quantification of interleukin by PCR;

Discution of scientific papers.

Mandatory literature

Roitt. ; Essencial Immunology , .Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications. , 8th ed
Roitt, Brostoff and Male. ; Immunology., 5th edition.
Deboeck Université. ; Immunology., Male. Aide-Mémoire Illustré., 1996.
Cochet, O, Teillaurd, JL, Sautés, C.; Immunological Tecniques Made Easy, 2000.
Willian E. Paul. Raven Press. ; Fundamental in Immunology. , Last edition.
Janeway and Travers.; Immuno Biology. , last edition
John E. Coligan; Ada K. Kruisbeek; David H. Margulies; Ethan M. Shevach; Warren Strober.(; Current protocols in Immunology. , Plubished by Greene Publishing Associates and Wiley - Interscience

Teaching methods and learning activities

1. 
   

   Classes will be taught by UC faculty members. Occasionally they may be taught by guests, whose area of ​​specialization is considered by the conductor to be an added value for the aforementioned classes. Some laboratory works will have the support of doctoral students with training and knowledge of the techniques to be taught in them. However, all classes will be accompanied by UC faculty members.

   
   

    

   
   

   THEORETICAL CLASSES:

   
   
   
   
   • Theoretical classes are essentially masterful, taught using a PowerPoint slide show system via Data-Show and / or using a zoom tool, which allows recording of the class (voice and PowerPoint image).
   
   
   • Students are constantly challenged to interpret the described phenomena and to question the teacher regarding the subjects taught.
   
   
   • The subjects taught are accompanied with clinical and practical examples.
   
   
   
   

   LABORATORY LESSONS:

   
   
   
   
   • Laboratory classes deal with themes considered important in the curricular unit, using experimental work used in clinical immunology laboratories.
   
   
   • Laboratory classes are always preceded by classes that contextualize laboratory work. In these classes the theoretical content of the same works is explained.
   
   
   • Students, in the laboratory, carry out individually or in groups of 2 students according to the schedule.
   
   
   • A notebook is provided at the beginning of the semester, containing the title of the work, objectives, laboratory material needed to carry it out, technique for carrying out the experimental work and supporting bibliography.
   
   
   • The students are accompanied by the teacher during the execution of the proposed works, allowing their constant analysis and interpretation.
   
   
   • Results are discussed at the end of the class or in the next class.
   
   
   
   

    

   
   

   E-LEARNING PLATFORM:

   
   
   
   
   • It is presented in a laboratory class, which is taught in a computer room with an Internet connection.
   
   
   • Communication with students is facilitated by the Moodle platform's notices tool and by email.
   
   
   • Discussion forums on clinical cases are established, subject addressed within the scope of the curricular unit's program.
   
   
   
   

   PEDAGOGICAL SERVICE PERIODS

   
   

   Established in the 1st theoretical class. Teachers are contactable via institutional email or through the Moodle platform questions forum.

   
   

    

   
   

   The teaching method was adapted to distance learning during the quarantine period due to the Covid-19 epidemic.

   
   

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Teste	25,00
Exame	75,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	4,00
Frequência das aulas	4,00
Total:	8,00

Eligibility for exams

- Students attendance at laboratory sessions is mandatory. Those students whose attendance is lower than 75% of the lab sessions scheduled, are considered without frequency.

- Attendance to theoretical classes is not compulsory.

- Attendance: attendance is valid for the current academic year and for the following 2 academic years. Thus, for the current academic year, the frequencies obtained in the academic years 2020/21 and 2021/22 are considered valid.

- Students with a delayed UC who have the same frequency and have taken the mini-test are exempted from taking the same test in the present academic year. However, the student is given the opportunity to increase his / her classification if the student intends to repeat the same.

Calculation formula of final grade

- Distributed component of the evaluation:
Mini-test on the subject given in laboratory classes. The final classification of the distributed evaluation will be expressed at the end of the academic semester, on a scale of 0 to 20 points.

 - Final exam:
The final exam will consist of a written exam and will focus on the subjects taught in the theoretical classes. The classification of the final exam will be expressed on a scale of 0 to 20 points.
The exam is mandatory and students will have to obtain a minimum classification in the final exam equal to or greater than 9.5 out of 20.
Oral tests are not foreseen.


- To obtain approval for the course, students need to obtain a minimum final classification of 10 points (see the calculation of the final classification, resulting from the two evaluation components), according to the “Evaluation Rules” of FFUP. Only the final classification will be rounded to the nearest integer.

Calculation of final grade:
The final classification of the course unit will correspond to the classification obtained in the final written exam (75% percentage contribution) plus the classification obtained in the distributed evaluation (25% percentage contribution). The final classification will be expressed on an entire numerical scale from 0 to 20.

Examinations or Special Assignments

- Students considered on the special regime, among other cases covered by Law, are students who are parents of children less than 3 years of age, individuals under compulsory military service, associative leaders, high competition athletes, individuals that carry out effective functions predicted under Article 73 of Decree Law 448/79 of 13 November, ratified, with alterations, by Law number 19/80 of 16 July. - The exams for the special regime students are carried out in accordance with that established in the applicable legislation for each specific situation.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

In accordance with the current norms of the Pedagogic Committee of the Faculty of Pharmacy.

Classification improvement

- The student has the right to repeat the final exam to improve the mark in according to the evaluation rules of FFUP.

Observations

Basic knowledge of Biology, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology is assumed. An ongoing revision of the knowledge of the course of immunology is recommended.

Mobility Students

In addition to students who can quickly develop Portuguese comprehension skills (namely Spanish and Italian), Mobility Students with fluency in English are accepted. The UC is taught in Portuguese, however, the teachers provide bibliography and support in English. In addition, the Mobility Students assessment processes can be, if requested, in English.

Changes arising from the Covid-19 Contingency Plan

The scenario of limitation in the capacity of rooms and laboratories for face-to-face classes

The schedule of classes and distributed evaluation is adjusted and made available on UC Moodle, where the respective summaries and responsible teachers are indicated
Changes to “Objectives”, “Learning Outcomes and Competences” and “program”:
No substantial changes
Changes to “Teaching methods and learning activities”:
Theoretical classes will be in-person to limit the capacity of the amphitheater, with synchronous videoconference, at the established times and using platforms such as Colibri-Zoom and Panopto for students who do not have access to the amphitheater;
The laboratory classes take place in the laboratories, respecting 50% of the usual capacity, with the division of the class in even and odd shifts (indexing the shift to even and odd weeks of the year: https://calendar.center/pt/semana-par- or-odd /).
The explanation classes of laboratory work will be pre-recorded on video and made available (prior to the respective laboratory classes) to students at Panopto. Students on the shift who are not in laboratory classes will have an explanation of the same classes in videos (on Moodle).
Changes in “Type of Assessment”, “Assessment Component”, “Occupation Component”; Frequency Obtaining ”; “Formula for calculating the final classification” and “Classification Improvement”:
Without substantial changes, however, some evaluation processes may take place at a distance
The scenario of all classes taking place at a distance

The schedule of classes and distributed evaluation is adjusted and made available on UC Moodle, where the respective summaries and responsible teachers are indicated
Changes to “Objectives”, “Learning Outcomes and Competences” and “program”:
Without changes. However, the absence of the laboratory component partially compromises the described objective of developing methodological skills and the learning result associated with the interpretation of protocols and experimental data
Changes to “Teaching methods and learning activities”:
Theoretical classes will be taught in a synchronous videoconference, at the established times and using platforms such as Colibri-Zoom and Panopto;
The laboratory classes are taught in synchronous sessions and/or in previously recorded videos in which the laboratory protocols are presented and discussed, as well as the expected experimental results.
Changes in “Type of Assessment”, “Assessment Component”, “Occupation Component”; Frequency Obtaining ”; “Formula for calculating the final classification” and “Classification Improvement”:
Without substantial changes, however, some evaluation processes should take place at a distance