Biotechnological and Chemical Sciences in Diagnostics

ADVANCED MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY

ADVANCED MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY

Academic year 2022/2023

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Course delivery
• Learning assessment methods
• Support activities
• Program
• Suggested textbooks and readings
• Teaching tools

Course objectives

OBJECTIVES OF FRONTAL LECTURES (FL)

The immune system has the main function of defending the individual from all pathogens, however, it can also mediate aggression towards individual's own tissues and organs (autoimmune diseases and hypersensitity reactions). This course will mainly focus on the pathological mechanisms, which can be exploitable for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

The teaching also aims at providing the basis for knowing how the antibodies can be engineered to be used as diagnostic tool or therapeutic drug.

OBJECTIVES OF INTEGRATIVE ACTIVITY (IA)

Integrative activity will allow students to practice some of most common techniques and assays applied in an immunology laboratory (e.g. ELISA, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, and mass cytometry).

Results of learning outcomes

The student will be able to integrate the knowledge assimilated in the previous teachings, relating to the cell biology, gene editing and chemistry, with the immunological and pathological aspects relevant to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools.

At the end of the course, the student will be able:

-to classify the biological and molecular mechanisms underlying some immune-related pathologies;

-to correlate symptoms, results of clinical and laboratory tests with the diagnosis of a specific pathology of the Immune System;

-to know and understand the biotechnology bases of innovative strategies and drugs based on manipulation of monoclonal antibodies;

-to perform an assay according to a set up protocol

-to use technical scientific language;

-to know how to use appropriate tools and sources for a continuous updating once the profession has started

Course delivery

The teaching is organized in 6 CFU, including 2 CFU online and 4 CFU in presence. These latter include lectures, practical activity in a teaching laboratory, and personal presentations. Some quiz, video and online activities will be available to fix the concepts. All the material will be uploaded to Moodle website.

All the activities in presence may be subject to variations based on the limitations imposed by the current health crisis.

Learning assessment methods

The oral examination will be the final assessment of learning and the mark will be up to thirty cum laude. The final evaluation will take into account the knowledge of the subject matter, the ability and clarity of the speech and the ability to use an appropriate terminology. The final mark will be the arithmetic average of the marks obtained with the personal presentation, with the examination about the topics discussed during frontal lectures and laboratory activities. Face-to-face oral examination could be replaced by online interviews if the health situation makes it necessary to limit access to classrooms.

Support activities

Scientific papers will be suggested to deepen some topics and prepare personal presentations.

In addition, some in group activities to help students to fix some key points are foreseen during the teaching hours.

Program

ONLINE CONTENTS:

• Introduction to general pathology: Cellular damage and adaptation to injury
• Cell death: necrosis, apoptosis, necroptosis, piroptosis and ferroptosis
• Basic concepts in immunology: The innate immunity: innate cells
• Innate receptors and cytokines and chemokines
• The tissue repair process: regeneration and tissue repair
• The Complement System
• The major histocompatibility complex: classical and non-classical MHC class I and II molecules
• The antigen presentation to T Lymphocytes
• The adaptive immunity: generation of Lymphocyte Antigen Receptors
• The T Lymphocytes: T and B cell origin
• T cell activation and differentiation (T helper, T killer and T regulators).
• B lymphocytes activation. Formation of the germinal center, maturation of receptor affinity and isotypic switch. The plasma cells.
• Antibodies: structure and biological properties of the antibody isotypes. The antigen binding site and antigen-antibody reaction. Affinity, avidity, specificity
• Monoclonal antibodies: -production
  • production
  • clinical trial and therapeutical application
  • diagnostic application

FRONTAL LESSON CONTENT:

• Mechanisms of Autoimmunity: general principles
  • Lupus Erythematosus: clinical features and diagnosis
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis: clinical features and diagnosis
  • Systemic Sclerosis: clinical features and diagnosis

• Immunodeficiency syndrome: general principles
  • Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
  • DiGeorge syndrome
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Personal presentations about autoimmunity or immunodeficiency

PRACTICAL CONTENT:

• Immunohistochemistry and mass cytometry
• ELISA

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• Teaching materials
• Exams and finals
• Go to Moodle
• Visit the forums