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Module

MMB8015 : Applied Immunobiology of Human Disease

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Lei Huang
  • Lecturer: Professor Neil Sheerin, Professor Sophie Hambleton, Dr Rebecca Payne, Professor Andrew Gennery, Professor Kevin Marchbank, Professor Claire Harris, Professor John Isaacs, Professor Andrew Filby, Professor Catharien Hilkens, Dr Christopher Duncan, Professor Simi Ali, Dr Amy Anderson, Professor David Jones
  • Owning School: Biomedical, Nutritional and Sports Scien
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 20
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

The purpose of this module is to provide an up-to-date overview and introduction to selected aspects of Immunobiology. The module will comprise a series of lectures on recent developments, with an emphasis on understanding the supportive biological concepts. This module aims to address a major area of current medical research and to provide students with an understanding of the strengths and weakness of both the current subject knowledge in this area and the applied approaches to it. This module is designed to be multi-disciplinary, drawing upon the specialized expertise and research strengths of academic staff drawn from the Faculty of Medical Sciences. It will provide a strong platform for those students aiming to pursue research projects in cellular or molecular immunology.

Outline Of Syllabus

The syllabus contains the following topics:

• Basic concepts in immunology
• Adaptive immune responses in health and disease
• General features and mechanisms of immunologic tolerance
• Dendritic cells-based immunotherapies
• Cell migration in the immune system
• Transplantation and graft rejection
• Immunodeficiency disorders
• Autoimmunity: mechanisms and treatment
• Tumour Immunobiology
• Manipulation of innate immunity for immunotherapy
• Immunological defence mechanisms in infection
• New developments in cytometry-based technologies – applications in immunology
• Immunological Biomarkers: role in diagnostics, prognostics and theragnostics

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion146:0046:00Preparation for and completion of a graphical presentation
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture181:0018:00Present in person (PIP): Lectures on a variety of topics to complement the online lecture materials
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials72:0014:00Non-synchronous online
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion170:0070:00Preparation of 2000 word Essay
Guided Independent StudyReflective learning activity501:0050:00Reading and updating on subject using references from lecture materials, RECAP and other sources
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery21:002:00Assessment surgery: Synchronous online
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lecture materials delivered online will provide the students with a specific knowledge as a platform for private study. These on-line lecture materials, in combination with the present in person lectures (which will further build on the material provided on-line) as well as the assessment surgery will encourage the students to reflect on the state of knowledge in research in applied immunobiology. All of these activities relate directly to the learning outcomes above.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Essay1M602000 words
Written exercise1M40Generation of 1 powerpoint slide plus notes
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The essay will test students' detailed knowledge and critical understanding of a selected area of applied immunology. The ‘single slide summary’ assessment will test the students’ ability to succinctly and clearly summarise a selected aspect of the immune response within a single PowerPoint slide, making use of graphics and text boxes.

Reading Lists

Timetable