Introduction to Human Immunology

The immune system refers to a collection of cells and proteins that function to protect the skin, respiratory tract, intestinal tract from initial pathogen entry and our entire system from pathogen-mediated damage such as from microbes (organisms such as bacteria fungi, and parasites), viruses but also cancer cells. Recent advances in translational, clinical and fundamental research provide evidence for the modulation of immune responses (e.g. by foods, dietary ingredients and natural products). The purpose of the Introduction to Human Immunology course is to provide a basic knowledge of the immune response and the mechanisms by which humans, but principles and processes apply to other mammals as well, defend themselves against foreign antigens.

The course will focus on:

• basic aspects of immunology; the innate and adaptive immune system
• immune cell interactions to maximize, but also limit, immune responses
• immune-related disorders in humans
• experimental laboratory assays enabling detection of immunomodulatory activity

This course overlaps with CBI21303. Therefore, combing this course with CBI21303 is not allowed.

• Identify components and activity of the innate immune system

• Explain the concept and manner of antigen presentation by the immune system

• Identify the components of the adaptive immune system

• Describe the orchestration of immune responses in the primary and secondary immune organs

• Explain (failure in) preventing self-responses

• Exemplify how we can intervene in immune activity with food or therapy

• Perform laboratory techniques to detect functional components of the innate and adaptive immune system and visualize secondary lymphoid structures and organisation

• Assignment report (10%) The students will report on the last practical topic with a short report that includes the aim, results, discussion and conclusion. This report is due within 1 week after finishing the practicals, will be graded and counts for 10% of the final mark. This mark is final although students will receive feedback to learn from this. Without submitting a report students will receive an 'incomplete' as final mark and have to redo the report in p5 of the next academic year.
• Assignment other (0%) The tutorial needs to be finalized by completion of assignments within the Brightspace module before the set deadline with a >60% score. This deadline will be communicated at the start of the course and will be approx. in week 5. This is dependent on holidays and exact scheduling of practicals and lectures to ensure students have sufficient time to complete the tutorial. The tutorial content will be discussed during a concluding lecture after which students that did not reach a >60% score will be given another attempt to complete the knowledge test which will be due before the scheduled final exam moment. If again the score was below 60% the student will receive an 'incomplete' as final mark and has to redo the tutorial in p5 of the next academic year.
• Performance (0%) Students need to attend practicals and complete related assignments within Brightspace and labbuddy. There are brightspace and labbuddy questions related to the first two practical assignments to help guide and educate students on how to write a proper report. Only upon completing these assignment the conditions for the final report, based on the third practical assignment, will become available. In relation to attendance, missing the introduction twice, or a single significant part of the practicals once, will result in an 'incomplete' as final mark and students will have to redo (part of) the practicals in p5 of the next academic year (extenuating circumstances will be taking into account).
• Written test with closed questions (90%) Computer-based exam with 47 closed questions. No materials are allowed during the examination, other than the calculator available within ANS. If the final grade is insufficient, this can be remediated by retaking the exam during the July resit period or a next time the course runs.

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety For this course prior knowledge is assumed that is gained by course CBI10306 (Dutch version) or CBI10806 (English version) Cell Biology and basic knowledge on Human Anatomy and Human Physiology. During these courses the book 'Essential Cell Biology (ISBN 978-0-393-68039-3) is used to obtain this knowledge.

• For this course, the following book is used: Sompayrac, L. (2019), How the Immune System works?, Wiley Blackwell 7th edition, ISBN 978-1-119-54212-4. This book is also available as an e-book through the WUR-library. Other documents that will be used, can be downloaded from the Brightspace site during the course and/or links will be provided to download.