Basal and Comparative Immunology

Mandatory course for students admitted to Master in Akvamedisin. The course is available as a singular course.

This course aims to provide an understanding of the components (organs, cells and molecules) of the vertebrate immune system and their mood of action. The lectures will focus both on mammalian species (humans and mice) and on different species of bony fish. The course will particularly discuss on how the immune system recognize and protects the body from infectious microorganisms like virus, bacteria, fungi and parasites. The student will learn how immune responses, including innate and adaptive responses, are initiated, and terminated, and how the immune system "remembers" a pathogenic intruder such that it can respond stronger at subsequent infections (the basis for vaccination). An overview of the immune system in fish, with emphasis on aquaculture species, is provided and key differences among mammalian and fish immune responses are highlighted.

Bachelor`s degree (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualification, with a major in biology of minimum 80 ECTS.An average grade of equivalent to C or better in the Norwegian grading system is required.

Application code: 9371

By the completion of the course, students are expected to have the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge: The Candidate

• knows the key differences between innate and adaptive immunity
• Knows the differences between a primary and a secondary immune response
• knows the principal organization of lymphoid organs of mammals and fish
• knows about immunological cell types, their effector mechanisms and the typical tissue location and the mechanisms for migration and tissue invasion by different immune cells.
• knows which function various cytokines and the complement system has
• knows the essential immune molecules / receptors - B and T cell receptors and MHC Class I and II
• Outline the mechanisms for the generation of diverse antigen receptor repertoires in the T and B lymphocyte populations and the roles of RAG and TdT enzymes in this process.
• explain how and where adaptive immune responses are initiated and the principles of clonal selection and clonal expansion in adaptive immune responses, and the difference between naive, effector and memory lymphocytes.
• know the differences in the defence against bacteria and viruses
• understand the immunological principles behind vaccines, including adjuvants, and mechanisms for induction of immunological memory by vaccination.

Skills: The Candidate can

• evaluate the potential effects of different prophylactic treatments including vaccines and vaccination strategies on the mammalian versus fish immune responses
• contrast key differences and similarities among mammalian and fish immune organs, cells and molecules

General knowledge: The Candidate

• has a good overview of the immune systems of mammals (humans and mice) and bony fish

Obligatory prerequisites

BIO-2601 General microbiology, MBI-1001 Cell and molecular biologyor BIO-1601 Introduction to microbiology, BIO-2601 General microbiology, MBI-1002 Cell- and molecular biology

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

• MBI-2004 Immunology 8 ects

Language of instruction and examination

More info about the coursework requirements

Participation at 6/8 (75%) group seminars

Pre-seminar work assignments (consisting of 5-10 topic questions) must be handed in prior to each seminar and can be completed individually or as a group

Re-sit examination