MMED2935 Human Immunology and Infectious Diseases

The topic begins with a detailed introduction to the workings of the human immune system. Its components and mechanisms are presented systematically, including the biology of lymphocytes. Areas of clinical and research activity and key applications in human immunology are introduced, such as autoimmunity, immunopathology, allergy, and the laboratory uses of antibodies. Infectious diseases teaching begins with the fundamentals of microbial life, including structure, nutrition, growth, metabolism, molecular biology, and bacterial genetics.

These topics are closely allied to contemporary diagnostic clinical microbiologic practice, as key applications are introduced, such as organism cultivation and identification and molecular techniques, with the aid of practical sessions in the clinical microbiology laboratory. Students are given an introduction to human infectious disease, with emphases on the classification of human pathogens in relation to clinical practice; selected infections; viral and bacterial pathogenesis; and immunity to microbes. The latter area extends, reinforces, and integrates basic immunology covered at the beginning of the course. The teaching will also contain introductions to antibiotics and vaccination.

This topic aims to provide a foundation for future study, research and practice in the fields of human immunology, clinical microbiology and infectious disease. This foundation consists of detailed knowledge of the fundamentals of the immune system and human pathogens, an overview of the functioning of the immune system in infectious disease, a clinically-relevant overview of human pathogens, and an awareness of the scope of contemporary practice in these areas. Students will have been introduced to key applications, forming the basis for future development of skills in the clinical immunology and microbiology laboratories.

1. Discuss the basic workings of the human immune system

2. Describe aspects of microbial pathogenesis in human disease, and immune responses to microbes
3. Demonstrate basic knowledge of human pathogens, and will possess a clinically-relevant overview for organising new information in infectious diseases
4. Demonstrate awareness of the scope of current medical research and practice in these fields, and be familiar with key applications and with important topics such as autoimmunity, selected infectious diseases, and antibiotics