University of Technology Sydney

91180 Immunology and Human Health

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Science
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 91401 Immunology 1
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 91359 Immunology 2

Description

Immunology and Human Health is designed to advance your understanding of the Immune system and to apply this knowledge to basic immunological research of human diseases. The immune system is composed of numerous cells and molecules that act in concert to maintain health, to overcome infection, prevent tumour growth and repair damaged tissues. The study of the immune system provides us with a fascinating insight into the relationship between animals, and the organisms that infect them (bacteria, viruses, protozoans and fungi). This subject provides a greater understanding of the complexity of the immune system and its responses to stresses such as infection. It demonstrates how modulation, or activation, of the immune system can either help overcome infection or may lead to autoimmune disease. Understanding the immune system gives us the potential to develop therapies to control events such as infection or autoimmune conditions. This subject helps students expand their understanding of current concepts in immunology and the potential application of applied immunology in medicine, research and industry.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:

1. Explain the relevance, role and responses of the immune system in human health, infection and disease
2. Distinguish and describe the characteristics and functions of molecules and cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems and how they operate synergistically and antagonistically
3. Examine and apply strategies to modulate immune responses to improve human health in local and global contexts
4. Apply the principles and procedures involved in isolating and characterising immune cells and their function
5. Apply safe laboratory practices when preforming experimental preparation and analysis of immune cell function using blood, animal tissues and cells products
6. Acquire, analyse and critically evaluate scientific data from laboratory experiments and journal articles, interpret this experimental data and develop views on the latest immunological findings
7. Describe experimental findings in the context of the immune system, under physiological and pathological conditions, and communicate findings using oral and written approaches

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes specifically to the development of following course intended learning outcomes:

  • Explain how diseases arise and disrupt normal physiological function and appraise the technologies used to diagnose, treat, and cure diseases. (1.1)
  • Collect, accurately record, interpret, and draw conclusions from data to solve real-world medical problems, and infer how the results of medical research can be translated to improve patient outcomes. (2.1)
  • Evaluate ethical, social, and cultural issues in medical science in local and global contexts and work responsibly, safely and with respect to diversity and regulatory frameworks. (3.1)
  • Reflect upon, independently evaluate, and critically appraise current evidence-based literature to identify medical problems or unmet medical needs and creatively translate medical research results to improve the clinical care of patients. (4.1)
  • Effectively communicate medical science knowledge and research information, and the importance thereof, to a range of audiences using a variety of modes, independently and collaboratively. (5.1)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

?1. Disciplinary knowledge

The principles, concepts and importance of immunological processes required to control and maintain health, including the resolution of infection, and development of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases are covered in workshops and practical classes. Practical skills in immunology are an important element of the practical application of the theoretical disciplinary knowledge. The subject will use and develop skills in being organised at the bench, in aseptic tissue culture in the dissection and isolation of organs and cells from mice, culture of macrophages, stimulation of immune cells and assessment of cellular composition and function by ELISA, flow cytometry and other biological assays. Proper and safe work practices in an immunology laboratory are stressed throughout by instruction and monitoring. Assessment of disciplinary knowledge and its appropriate application is embedded in all assessment tasks that will help you to develop a deeper understanding of the fundamental aspects to immunology in health and disease.

2. Research, inquiry and critical thinking

An inquiry based and critical thinking approach to research is fostered in workshops and practicals by frequent informal Q & A sessions that are designed to provoke inquiry and conceptual thinking. You will develop the ability to follow a line of scientific inquiry through hands on practical classes and evaluation of data. This will be assessed through the research report and oral presentation of your journal article, through your scientific report and completeness and correctness of answers in the practical manual and online quizzes and your critical review of data and findings related to a selected vaccine.

3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility

Critical to scientific practice is the development of logical thought and problem-solving skills in experimental planning and execution, data generation, processing and analysis. During practical classes, you will develop competencies in common immunological tests and investigation of immune cell function. These will be assessed in Task 2. Ethical and professional conduct in science are learned through practical and workshop sessions. This includes discussion on the reasons against ,and consequences of, data fabrication and plagiarism. Ethical issues and the social responsibility of scientists, pertinent to the use of animals in research and the commercialisation of immuno-therapeutics and vaccines are also discussed during workshops. Practical experiments will involve the dissection of deceased mice and use of animal tissue for research purposes. This will be assessed through practical results reports in task 2, reflection of your participation and that of your group in collaborative activities in task 1, reflection of the use of animals in research and in task 3 when discussing and your critical review of data and findings related to selected vaccines.

4. Reflection, innovation, and creativity

The ability to make effective judgments about one's own work and that of peers will be developed through the collaborative workshop and practical sessions. You will be required to judge objectively the quality of both in silico and your group generated data and to assess and debate the future direction of research and implications from recent journal articles that your team will investigate. You will be given opportunities to reflect upon the performances of yourself and team members through a Sparkplus assessment relating to task 1. The discipline of immunology is a relatively new field, whereby existing dogmas are continually challenged and reformulated as new data is obtained and exceptions to the accepted rules are discovered. During the workshops and practical sessions, you will be constantly challenged to consider different perspectives to situations and alternate strategies for solving problems. This will be assessed in task 3 and task 2 when you reflect on the data analysed and discuss options for future research.

5. Communication

Excellence in written scientific communication is a focus in this subject. These will be formally assessed in tasks 2 and 3. Oral communication skills will be developed and practised during the workshops and practical sessions in which you will discuss and critically analyse data in teams, before completing tutorial and practical manuals. You will work in teams to research a given paper and your analysis of the background information, key findings and take home message of your research paper in a group oral presentation in week 11.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is taught in a blended learning approach, with a combination of face-to-face practicals and workshops as well as guest seminars from different immunology researchers describing their latest research. There will be learning material (including videos, PDFs, laboratory methods and practical material posted each week into the relevant Canvas module. Please consult the weekly checklist which outlines the activities and requirements for the week. Each week students will have a seminar and either a 2 hr tutorial/workshop or a 3 hr practical session. There will often be pre-work to be completed before each session.

Workshops: 2 hrs x 5 weeks: You will discuss and investigate different facets of immunology, including the ethical use of animals in research, recent papers that advance the field, and the development of vaccines and the immunology of the COVID pandemic. These sessions will include group work. For assessment task 1, in groups, you will review a recent journal article in preparation for your oral presentation, discussing the immunological highlights. The oral presentations will be given in week 11 or 12.

For assessment task 3, you will discuss, in class, recent literature around vaccines. You will discuss recent developments in the immunology of vaccines and how they work and the need for new vaccines against emerging diseases.

Practical classes: 6 x 3 hrs will be conducted in the HIVE laboratory and will involve hands-on approaches to learning. You will have a practical manual to guide you through your experiments and experienced Teaching Associates to assist, guide and offer feedback to you through the practical component of this subject. Practical sessions will including writing and analysis of data in the practical manual, a scientific report and quizzes that may include analysis of data generated in the practicals.

Weeks 4, 5 and 6 involve a multi-3 week prac that you will write up and submit as a scientific report using the template and rubric provided. Data from other pracs will be assessed in quizzes.

Your Practical Manual, Lecture Slides/Notes, journals, and other additional resources will be made available to you through Canvas and OneNote. It is important to check Canvas regularly to receive updated material and announcements.

Content (topics)

This subject is designed to develop an advanced understanding of immunology by presenting a detailed analysis of the molecular and cellular processes involved in the immune response.

Practical sessions will enable you to learn and practice important immunological techniques commonly used in diagnostic and research laboratories, including isolation, differentiation and analysis of macrophage function, testing of splenic cell subsets and growth and evaluation of immune cell subsets.

Workshop sessions involve discussion of ethical issues in animal and human experimentation.

The development of vaccines and analysis of data relating to the recent development and roll out of vaccines for COVID-19.

Investigation of autoimmune disease and the analysis of data sets generated for a project aimed at characterising the immune-modulatory effects of a novel parasite-derived molecule.

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Presentation of a Recent Immunology Advance

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the developing of the following graduate attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking

3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility

4. Reflection, innovation, and creativity

5. Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 6 and 7

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1

Type: Presentation
Groupwork: Group, group and individually assessed
Weight: 25%
Length:

Individual: Written summary of one figure from the paper your group is presenting. 1 page

Grou: 15 minute group oral presentation (10 minute presentation + 5 minutes questions)

Criteria:

1. Presentation and discussion of the main concept that underpin the article and relevant background information.

2. Evidence of critical analyses of assigned reading and its role in advancing the field.

3. Inclusion of appropriate information from assigned research article to highlight main findings.

4. Critical evaluation of any flaws and questions raised by the research.

5. Presentation of ideas and findings and insightful answering of questions associated with the presentation.

6. SPARK plus assessment of your contribution and the contribution of your group to the assessment.

More detailed information on preparation of the presentation and the marking rubric will be discussed in the tutorial classes and posted on CANVAS.

Assessment task 2: Practical Experimentation, Data Analysis and Results Reporting

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the following graduate attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking

3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility

4. Reflection, innovation, and creativity

5. Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1

Type: Laboratory/practical
Groupwork: Group, individually assessed
Weight: 50%
Length:

Online Quizzes that will incorporate results from practical experiments and analysis of data 4 quizzes in total (20% ) and a

Scientific report of the macrophage inflammatory experiment that runs week 4, 5 and 6 (30%).

Criteria:

1. Correct answers to questions.

2. Preparation and completion of practical experiments and accurate reporting and analysis of results from practical sessions.

3. Evaluation, interpretation and discussion of data generated in practical session in the scientific report (rubric will be provided).

More detailed information on preparation of the laboratory data sheets, reports, marking criteria and the marking rubric will be discussed in practical class and posted on CANVAS.

Assessment task 3: Evaluating Research in Immunology

Intent:

This assessment task contributes to the developing of the following graduate attributes:

1. Disciplinary knowledge

2. Research, inquiry, and critical thinking

3. Professional, ethical, and social responsibility

4. Reflection, innovation, and creativity

5. Communication

Objective(s):

This assessment task addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 3, 6 and 7

This assessment task contributes to the development of course intended learning outcome(s):

1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 and 5.1

Type: Report
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 25%
Length:

A template will be provided, each section will be ~500 words excluding tables, figures and references.

Criteria:

1. Accuracy and relevance of material presented.

2. Written communication skills.

3. Evidence of investigation and reflection of data related to topic questions, accuracy and quality of solutions.

4. Evidence of integrating data from the papers and workshop material provided for the project.

5 Innovation and rationale for the proposed future direction of the project.

More detailed information on preparation of the presentation and the marking rubric will be discussed in the workshops and posted on CANVAS.

Minimum requirements

In order to pass this subject you must obtain an overall mark of 50% or more.