Principles of Immunology

Undergraduate / Graduate

In this course students will gain a comprehensive understanding of the essential principles of immunology. The course will introduce the concept of innate immunity and pattern recognition and how antigen is processed for presentation to the immune system. We will examine how antigen presentation links innate and adaptive immunity. We will then discuss the two arms of adaptive immunity (humoral and cellular) in detail from their development to effector stages. In the last section of the course we will discuss some key aspects of immune system function including immunological memory and vaccination, immunological tolerance and its failure (autoimmunity/allergy), and mucosal immunology and the microbiome. Students will present primary articles related to the topics discussed in class in a weekly discussion section. The course will be graded on class participation, quizzes, a midterm, and a final essay-based exam.