Immunology Course Descriptions
Helpful Documents: Degree Plan | Professional Outcomes
Core Curriculum – Genes
Fall (1st half)
2 credit hours
Molecular genetics of model organisms; DNA replication, repair, and recombination; transcription; RNA catalysis, processing, and interference; translation; protein turnover; developmental biology; and genomics.
Core Curriculum – Proteins
Fall (1st half)
2 credit hours
Energetic basis of protein structure; stability; ligand binding and regulation; enzyme mechanics and kinetics; methods of purification; and analysis by spectroscopic methods.
Core Curriculum – Cells
Fall (2nd half)
2 credit hours
Cell structure; membrane biology; intracellular membrane and protein trafficking; energy conversion; signal transduction and second messengers; cytoskeleton; cell cycle; and introductory material in microbiology, immunology, and neurobiology.
Emerging Concepts in Immunology
Spring (1st half)
This course builds on the basic foundational knowledge taught in the prerequisite course “Fundamentals of Immunology”. Emerging Concepts in Immunology will survey both historical and contemporary topics in the field of immunology, and it will foster both written and oral presentation skills with the use of modular activities. While faculty will provide some didactic teaching, the majority of the learning will be student driven with assignments and exercises being either self-learning or collaborative activities.
Fundamentals of Immunology
Fall (2nd half)
2 credit hours
An integrated series of lectures designed to familiarize students with cellular, molecular, and biochemical aspects of the development of the immune system and the immune response. The course focuses on the development of the immune system and the function of its major components.
Immunology of Human Diseases
Spring (2nd half)
1.5 credit hours
This course focuses on how various immune system components are integrated during the response to infectious agents, and how the system is naturally or artificially perturbed in clinical conditions, such as immunodeficiency, autoimmunity, and cancer therapies.
Principles of Immunology Research Proposal Writing
Summer (Full semester)
1.5 credit hours
This course focuses on the logic of experimental design, and the development of scientific communication skills, with particular emphasis on writing skills. Students design, compose, and present their own research proposals and evaluate their colleagues’ proposals in small group discussion sessions with the aid of faculty advisors.
Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics I
Fall (Full semester)
1 credit hour
Topics covered through lectures and small group discussions: goals of education in RCR; professionalism; collaboration; teambuilding and professional behaviors; everyday practice of ethical science; mentorship; data management and reproducibility; animal research; genetics and human research.
Professionalism, Responsible Conduct of Research, and Ethics II
Spring (Full semester)
1 credit hour
Topics covered through lectures and small group discussions: codes of ethics and misconduct; building interprofessional teams; conflict of interest; sexual boundaries and professional behavior; applications of genetic testing; technology transfer and intellectual property; plagiarism, authorship, and citation; peer review; image and data manipulation.
Immunology Lecture Series
Join experts in the field at the Excellence in Immunology Seminar Series to learn about the latest immunology research. Speakers from some of the leading research institutions in the United States offer their observations on a wide range of topics.
