Functional Immunology is an advanced course designed for master's and PhD students, assuming a foundational understanding of immunology. It serves as an advanced course of the Master Immunology program, specifically building upon the knowledge gained in courses MB150P14E, MB150P15A, MB150P13, MB150P90E, and MB151P132. The course aims to seamlessly integrate and apply knowledge obtained in above mentioned courses, illustrating the intricate nature of immune responses and how the immune system can be leveraged for cancer treatment. Additionally, students will delve deeper into cell and molecular biology, as well as functional histology, within the context of the immune system.
Literature
Last update: Mgr. Jan Dobeš, Ph.D. (13.02.2024)
Attendance at all lectures is highly recommended due to the nature of the course. PDFs of lecture presentations will be made available on a shared drive after each session. In addition, essential research or review papers relevant to each lecture will be distributed to students in advance. Reading of these papers prior lecture is essential for active participation on the lectures.
Requirements to the exam
Last update: Mgr. Jan Dobeš, Ph.D. (30.01.2024)
Throughout the semester, ongoing assessment will occur through brief tests administered at the start of each lecture. These tests will retrospectively evaluate the knowledge acquired in the preceding lecture and may include various question formats such as multiple-choice, single-choice, or free-response. Each test can yield up to 5 points.
To be eligible for a final grade, students are required to participate in a minimum of 80% of both lectures and tests (10 out of 12). Top 10 results are used for the calculation of the final mark. The final grading scale is as follows: excellent (“1”) = 50-45 points, very good (“2”) = 44-40 points, good (“3”) = 39 -35 points, and failed (“4”) for less then 35 points.
In cases where a student seeks to enhance their final grade, an oral examination will be conducted.
Syllabus
Last update: Mgr. Jan Dobeš, Ph.D. (30.01.2024)
The course features expert-led lectures, each focusing on a specific topic. Please note that the order of lectures may be subject to change. The topics and corresponding experts are as follows:
Tissue homing, migration from and to (not only) lymphoid organs (Miroslav Hons)
Hematology: immune system development (Meritxell Alberich Jordà)
Hematooncology (Meritxell Alberich Jordà)
Central immune tolerance (Jan Dobeš)
Peripheral immune tolerance (Jan Dobeš)
Autoimmunity (Jan Dobeš)
Immune memory (Ondřej Štěpánek)
Ageing of the immune system (Ondřej Štěpánek)
Rational design of immunotherapies (Jan Frič)
Entry requirements
Last update: Mgr. Jan Dobeš, Ph.D. (18.01.2024)
Functional Immunology is an advanced course that mandates a foundational understanding of immunology at the level of courses: MB150P14B or MB150P14E. Enrollment in this course necessitates this prerequisite knowledge. Additionally, students are strongly encouraged to have completed other immunology-related courses before undertaking Functional Immunology, such as MB150P15A, MB150P13, MB150P90E, and MB151P132. This course is designed for master's and Ph.D. students who possess, at a minimum, basic knowledge of immunology.
