On completion of the course, the student should master and be able to explain:
- Innate and adaptive immunity.
- Development of B-cells and T-cells.
- Clonal selection.
- Generation of diversity of T and B-cells.
- Antigen recognition of T lymphocytes and T-cell-mediated immunity.
- Humoral immunity (mediated by B cells and antibodies).
- MHC (Major Histocompatibility Complex)
- Antibodies (structure and function)
- T-Cell receptors (structure and function)
- Cell communication.
- When the immune system has malfunctioned: Autoimmunity, allergy.
- The body defence against infection.
- What happens when the immune system malfunctions.
- Allergy and allergic diseases.
- Autoimmunity and transplantation.
- How one can manipulate the immune system.
The biotechnological industry in Sweden is growing with many new strong knowledge-based companies with independent research discoveries and innovations. This is a development where we have seen only the beginning, and it means that a good understanding of the immune system is a precondition to be successful as a researcher, developer, or leader in the biotechnological industry of the tomorrow. The future engineer should master the basics of immunology, especially regarding potential applications within medicine (new vaccines, immuno-modulating treatments). Such ability is a precondition to be able to exploit knowledge within biological sciences and for an understanding of biotechnological and biomedical research and its applications.
The course intends to give a basic understanding of the parts and function of the immune system. The course also intends to give deep insight into different diseases and when the immune system malfunctions.