NATS 2036 Immunology

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Credit Points 10

Legacy Code 301354

Coordinator Thomas Millar Opens in new window

Description From 2020 this unit replaces 300847 - Immunology. This unit aims to provide students with an understanding of the structure and function of the immune system, and particularly highlights common and unique systems that exist across kingdoms and phyla. A foundation is built by examining the organs and cells of the human immune system. The peculiarities associated with the immune systems of marsupials, due to their early developmental stage at birth, will also be examined. Students will also develop laboratory expertise that involves immunological principles, investigative proficiency, and science communication skills, leading to understanding the knowledge base through self-learning and group work.

School Science

Discipline Medical Science

Student Contribution Band HECS Band 2 10cp

Check your HECS Band contribution amount via the Fees page.

Level Undergraduate Level 2 subject

Pre-requisite(s) BIOS 2014

Equivalent Subjects LGYA 5863 - Immunology BIOS 2020 - Immunology

Incompatible Subjects LGYA 5857 - Cell Signalling and Molecular Immunology

Restrictions Successful completion of 60 credit points at Level 1 and 20 credit points at Level 2.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:
  1. Identify and describe the structure and function of lymphatic tissue
  2. Describe the processes of adaptive immunity
  3. Describe the defensive mechanisms and signal pathways that are relevant to nonspecific immunity
  4. Explain the processes from pathogen recognition to immune response
  5. Analyse the relationship between the immune defences of different kingdoms and phyla
  6. Synthesise the relationships between specific immune defence mechanisms across kingdoms or phyla
  7. Conduct laboratory investigations in immunology safely and ethically using appropriate techniques and recording results formally according to the conventions of the discipline
  8. Communicate the results of scientific investigations in written and spoken formats
  9. Work within a group environment towards a shared goal

Subject Content

Adaptive immunity (restricted to vertebrates)
Haemopoietic tissue, lymphatic organs and lymphoid tissues: anatomy, histology and function
Cells of the immune system, histology, physiology and function
Common mechanistic and molecular systems between plants invertebrates and vertebrates
Cytokines - interleukins (Interleukin-1?), tumour necrosis factor alpha, tumour growth factor beta
Defensive mechanisms and signal pathways that are relevant to nonspecific immunity
Integuments
Antibacterial peptides and proteins (antimicrobial proteins, lysozyme, phosphatases trypsin cathepsin proteases and mucus)
Overview of pathogen detection and response (pattern recognition receptors such as MAMPS, PAMPS)
Chemical mediators of immunological defence (immunoglobulins, pentraxins, complement, eiconosoids)
Inflammation
Mechanisms for suppression of host defences: e.g. resistance genes (R genes) in plants, leucine-rich repeats (LRR) pathogen recognition specificity domains which occur in plants, insects, jawless vertebrates and mammals
complement (animals): salicylic acid, jasmonic acid or jasmonate, ethylene, reactive oxygen species, and nitric oxide (plants)
Systemic acquired resistance, and adaptive immunity

Teaching Periods

Structures that include subject