MEDSCI 708 : Advanced Immunology and Immunotherapy

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester One (1203) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Recent advances in immunology including: the genes and proteins involved in the innate and adaptive immune response, intracellular signalling mechanisms that determine immune outcomes, and the mechanisms by which the immune system learns 'self' from 'non-self'. Examines a range of inflammatory diseases, and methods of immunotherapy, in particular approaches to combat cancer.

Course Overview

This course is intended to give students insight into current topics of immunology over 12 sessions. Topics include the latest research and understandings for infection response, tumour immunology, autoimmune disease and immunotherapy. Content is refreshed each year to ensure the most recent developments are discussed and one session is dedicated to breaking news in the field of immunology. Material is delivered using a combination of interactive lectures, class discussion and seminar sessions. All teaching staff are also University of Auckland researchers working in the field of immunology. Specific topics are as follows:

1. Autoimmune disease, Dr Nikki Moreland

2. Tumour Immunology and Immunotherapy, Professor Rod Dunbar

3. T helper 17 cells, Dr Fiona Radcliff

4. Antigen Recognition in Adaptive and Innate Immunity, Dr Ries Langley 

5. Trained immunity, Dr Chris Hall

6. Breaking immunology news, Dr Nikki Moreland

Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Graduate Profile: University

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply principles of immunology to an understanding of human disease (Capability 1)
  2. Explain and critically evaluate the immunological basis of human disease and therapy (Capability 2)
  3. Describe and critique immunology in the context of disease and treatment (Capability 3 and 4)
  4. Analyse and communicate the immunological basis of relevant current events (Capability 4)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Presentation 15% Group & Individual Coursework
Essay 15% Individual Coursework
Assignments 15% Individual Coursework
Reflection 5% Peer Coursework
Final Exam 50% Individual Examination
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Presentation
Essay
Assignments
Reflection
Final Exam

Course Contacts

Course Director: Nikki Moreland, n.moreland@auckland.ac.nz

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 2 hours of lectures per week. For the 12 teaching weeks, this totals to 24 hours. Since the course as a whole represents approximately 150 hours of study, that leaves a total of 126 hours (or 10.5 hours per week) across the entire semester for independent study, e.g. reading, reflection, preparing for assessments/exams, etc.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 17/01/2020 02:55 p.m.