Objective: This course introduces the basic concepts of immunology and describes how different immune responses protect the body from infection. These mechanisms, however, often act as a two edged sword, protecting the individual under certain conditions but injuring and creating disease under others. How the different cells of the immune system interact with foreign substances and then with each other and other cells of the body to produce a specific response is the main objective of the course.

Course Structure: The best academic environment occurs when students are actively involved in learning and allowed to critically evaluate information. While lectures are important for presenting information, very little will be accomplished if students just sit taking notes and then regurgitate the information back on tests. To foster an active learning environment, small learning groups will be formed to explore immunological processes with the goal of evaluating information and synthesizing concepts. 

Active Learning Groups:The class will be divided into groups of 5-6 students, which will remain together the entire semester. The groups will participate in two types of activities, class discussions and case studies. Lectures are meant to add information to the topics covered by the reading assignments and students are expected to be prepared. During the final 15 minutes of each class period the groups will meet to discuss the concepts developed that day. 

Two case studies will be assigned during the semester. Working with the other members of the group, you will address a series of questions, which will require the use of outside resources. These case studies are meant to develop a deeper understanding of the central immunological concepts. During the first meeting the central question should be discussed and different aspects of the problem defined. These aspects are often called "learning issues." Members of the group should research these learning issues in preparation for the next meeting. Discussion of the learning issues in subsequent meetings should define other learning issues, which upon reflection will yield a deeper understanding of the central issue.

B667 Students: Because students taking this section of the course are opting for a graduate level education, this section will require extra effort. These students are expected to meet with the Dr. Usher once a week for additional discussion. Original journal articles will be assigned and discussed. 

Schedule:Text Book: Abbas, Lichtman and Pober, Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 4^thedition. WB Saunders, 2000.

DATE*	TOPIC	PAGES
Sept. 4	Introduction; Innate and Adaptive Immunity	Chapter 1
Sept. 6	Blood Cells, Hematopoiesis & Primary Lymphatic Organs	Chapter 2
Sept. 9	Secondary Lymphatic Organs (Lymph Node) Case Study--DiGeorge Syndrome	Chapter 2 Linked Document
Sept. 11	B cell Antigen Receptor (Antibody)	Chapter 3
Sept. 13	Antibody Structure and Function	Chapter 3
Sept. 16	Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)	Chapter 4
Sept. 18	MHC Class I Antigen Presentation	Chapter 5
Sept. 20	MHC Class II Antigen Presentation	Chapter 5
Sept. 23	The T cell antigen receptor complex	Chapter 6
Sept. 25	Lymphocyte Maturation	Chapter 7
Sept. 30	Formation of the Antigen Receptor	Chapter 7
Oct. 2	B cell Maturation	Chapter 7
Oct. 4	First Hourly Examination (through Sept. 30)
Oct. 7	T cell Maturation	Chapter 7
Oct. 9	T cell Activation Case Study Learning Issue Papers Due	Chapter 8
Oct. 11	T cell Activation	Chapter 8
Oct. 14	B cell Activation	Chapter 9
Oct. 16	Tolerance (T cell) Case Study Group Paper Due	Chapter 10
Oct. 18	Cytokines Case Study--To Immunize For Smallpox Or Not To Immunize, That Is The Question	Chapter 11 Linked Document
Oct. 21	Cytokine Receptors	Chapter 11
Oct. 23	Innate Immunity	Chapter 12
Oct. 25	Innate Immunity	Chapter 12
Oct. 28	T cell Effector Mechanisms	Chapter 13
Oct. 30	T cell Effector Mechanisms	Chapter 13
Nov. 1	B cell Effector Mechanisms	Chapter 14
Nov. 4	Second Hourly Examination (through Oct. 30)
Nov. 6	B cell Effector Mechanisms	Chapter 14
Nov. 8	Hypersensitivity	Chapter 18
Nov. 11	Autoimmunity	Chapter 18
Nov. 13	Immediate Hypersensitivity	Chapter 19
Nov. 15	Immediate Hypersensitivity	Chapter 19
Nov. 18	Immune response to Bacteria Case Study Learning Issue Papers Due	Chapter 15
Nov. 20	Immune response to Virus	Chapter 15
Nov. 22	Immune response to Parasites	Chapter 15
Nov. 25	Transplantation Immunology  Case Study Group Paper Due	Chapter 16
Nov. 27	Immunity to Tumors	Chapter 17
Nov. 29	Thanksgiving Break; No Classes
Dec. 2	Immunity to Tumors	Chapter 17
Dec. 4	Third Hourly Examination (through Dec. 2)
Dec. 6	Congenital and Acquired Immune Deficiencies	Chapter 20
Dec. 9	AIDS; Symptoms and Disease Progression	Chapter 20
Dec. 11	AIDS; Changes in Immune Function	Chapter 20

*Lectures use MS PowerPoint® to illustrate examples. You can access the lecture summaries and the PowerPoint files by going to the BISC471 linked site, after each lecture. Only computers on the UD network can access this site.

Grading:

There will be three hourly exams and a final. The two best hourly exams and the final are each 20% of the final grade. As you are allowed to miss one hourly exam, there will be no make-up exams; making up the final is greatly discouraged, as it invariably appears to students to be more difficult than the regularly scheduled final. Each hourly exam will contain one question that must be answered by the group prior to the next class meeting. Grading of the two case studies is based on individual products, papers composed around a single learning issue (10%/case; Case Study, individual), group products, group papers about the central issue (5%/case; Case Study, group), and peer reviews (2.5%/case; Participation, group). As the learning issues are key to the group paper, the learning issue papers will be due two weeks prior to the group paper. The peer reviews will be carried out at the end of each case study and contain the group's assignment log and individual evaluations for each member of the group by each member of the group. Participation in the group class discussions is important and counts 5% toward the final grade (Participation, individual). Group and individual evaluations will be given every two weeks. A table summarizing the grade distributions follows.

 

Component	% Final Grade
2 Hourly exams*	40%
Final	20%
Case Study, group	10%
Case Study, individual	20%
Participation, group	5%
Participation, individual	5%

* the two best of three hourly exams given.

For students enrolled in the BISC667 section, the hourly exams are only 10% of the grade; 20% is based on assignments for and participation in the weekly meeting.