GMS 6140 – Principles of Immunology

Spring 2025

Lectures:  Mon/Wed/Fri, 10:40-11:30 am, R2-265 (Academic Research Building)
Application Sessions:  Tuesdays, 9:35-11:30 am, R2-265

TENTATIVE SYLLABUS (Updates will be made in Canvas only)

PART ONE – Cells, Receptors, and Innate Immunity
Mon, Jan 13      Course Overview, Basic Principles of Immunity
Tue, Jan 14         TBL:  Basic Concepts of Immunity
Wed, Jan 15       Overview and Cells of Innate Immunity
Fri, Jan 17           Complement
Mon, Jan 20       No Class – MLK Holiday
Tue, Jan 21         TBL:  Innate Immunity 1
Wed, Jan 22       Pattern Recognition by Innate Immunity
Fri, Jan 24          Soluble Mediators and NK Cells in Innate Immunity
Mon, Jan 27      Hematopoiesis and Lymphoid Organs
Tue, Jan 28         TBL:  Innate Immunity 2
Wed, Jan 29      Ig Structure/Function
Fri, Jan 31          Generation of Receptor Diversity
Mon, Feb 3        Introduction to Immunogenetics & MHC
Tue, Feb 4          TBL:  Antibody Diversity
Wed, Feb 5        T Lymphocyte Receptors
Fri, Feb 7            The MHC and its Proteins
Mon, Feb 10      Antigen Processing and Presentation
Tue, Feb 11        TBL:  T Cell Receptors & Ag Presentation
Wed, Feb 12      Evolution of the Immune System
Fri, Feb 14          Review Session
Tue, Feb 18        Exam 1 available online in Canvas (Honorlock) for 24 hours beginning at 7:00 am

PART TWO – Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immunity
Mon, Feb 17      B Cell Receptors, Signaling, & Activation
Tue, Feb 18        No class (Exam 1)
Wed, Feb 19      B Lymphocyte Development
Fri, Feb 21          B Lymphocyte Responses
Mon, Feb 24      Somatic Diversification of Ab Responses
Tue, Feb 25        TBL:  Humoral Immunity
Wed, Feb 26      Dendritic Cells
Fri, Feb 28          T Lymphocyte Development
Mon, Mar 3        T Cell Signaling Mechanisms
Tue, Mar 4         TBL:  T Cell Development
Wed, Mar 5        T Helper Cells and Their Roles
Fri, Mar 7           CD8 T Cell Responses
Mon, Mar 10     Other T Cell Populations
Tue, Mar 11       TBL:  T Cell-Mediated Immunity
Wed, Mar 12     Immune Tolerance & Reg/Suppressor T Cells
Fri, Mar 14         Immunological Memory
Mon, Mar 24     Integration of Innate & Adaptive Immunity
Tue, Mar 25       TBL:  Memory & Integration of Innate & Adaptive Immunity
Thu, Mar 27     Exam 2 available online in Canvas (Honorlock) for 24 hours beginning at 7:00 am

PART THREE – Immune Responses in Health & Disease
Wed, Mar 26     Mucosal Immunity 1
Fri, Mar 28         Mucosal Immunity 2
Mon, Mar 31     Evasion & Subversion of Immune Defenses
Tue, Apr 1          TBL:  Mucosal Immunity
Wed, Apr 2        Immunology of HIV Infection
Fri, Apr 4            Inborn Errors of Immunity
Mon, Apr 7         Allergy & Allergic Diseases
Tue, Apr 8          TBL:  Failures of Host Defense
Wed, Apr 9        Autoimmunity 1
Fri, Apr 11          Autoimmunity 2
Mon, Apr 14      Autoimmunity 3
Tue, Apr 15        TBL:  Autoimmunity
Wed, Apr 16      Cancer Immunology
Fri, Apr 18          Transplantation Immunology
Mon, Apr 21      Vaccines
Tue, Apr 22        Manipulation of Immune Responses
Tue, Apr 22        Treatment of Unwanted Immune Responses
Wed, Apr 23      Review Session
Mon, Apr 29       Exam 3 available online in Canvas (Honorlock) for 24 hours beginning at 7:00 am

Catalog Description

Fundamental principles of basic and experimental immunology, from first engagement of innate immunity to the generation of the adaptive immune response and its clinical consequences. (4 credits)

Course Overview

This course is taught in person only, not online or hybrid.  This course focuses on fundamental principles of basic and experimental immunology, from first engagement of innate immunity to the generation of the adaptive immune response and its clinical consequences. It is required as a core course for PhD students in the Immunology & Microbiology concentration of the biomedical sciences PhD program. This course is open to other UF graduate students with consent of the course director. Weekly small group sessions (Tuesdays) will provide students with experience in problem-solving, application of immunology principles in an experimental context, and integration of immunology & microbiology, via team-based learning.

Course Objectives

Successful will be expected to accomplish the following learning objectives.

1. Attain a working knowledge of current immunological principles related to:
    a. cell surface molecules and receptors on cells of the immune system;
b. how immune cells develop and acquire the ability to recognize antigens;
c. how immune cells interact in order to defend the body against microbes, including both innate and adaptive immunity;
d. how immune cells malfunction in autoimmunity and immunodeficiency; and
e. how the immune system may be manipulated to improve health.

2. Be able to read and discuss research papers from the current research literature in order to become familiar with experimental protocols, and develop skills in interpreting immunological data, critique of experimental designs, and formulation of new hypotheses.

3. Interpret immunological data.

4. Design immunological experiments to test a given hypothesis.

Course Material

Handouts, PowerPoint presentations, and other course material will be posted at a Canvas web site (login with Gatorlink ID and password).  All registered students will automatically be enrolled at the site during the first week of classes.

The following textbook is REQUIRED for Spring 2025:

NEW “Janeway’s Immunobiology” 10th Edition, by Kenneth Murphy, Casey Weaver, and Leslie Berg, 2022, W.W. Norton

Book cover

 

Preparation for Team-Based Learning (TBL) Sessions

Teams will be set up at the beginning of the semester, and will work together throughout the semester.  Your assignment before each TBL session is to review the assigned reading, lecture presentation, and your notes relevant to the topic of that session.

Session schedule:
9:35 am – Individual Readiness Assurance Test
9:50 am – Team Readiness Assurance Test
10:05 am – Team Application Exercise – Team discussion of case studies and questions, followed by class discussion
11:30 am – Adjourn
Readiness Assurance Tests will consist of up to 10 multiple-choice questions (closed book) based on the material you have studied for that session.  Individual Readiness Assurance Tests will be completed individually, and answers will be collected using an answer sheet that is provided.  Team Readiness Assurance Tests (closed book) will consist of the same questions as the Individual Readiness Assurance Test, and team answers will be recorded on scratch-off cards that will be provided.  It is important to arrive on time!  You will not be given extra time for the individual test if you are late.

Grading

The final course grade will be based on an average of three exams (75%) and your average scores on the TBL readiness assurance test (25%)Final  grade cut-offs will be based on the final class score distribution. They will be set no higher than the following, and may be adjusted lower depending on the final score distribution.  Final % score A 90%-100%; A- 85%-89%; B+ 80%-84%; B 75%-79%; B- 70%-74%; C+ 65%-69%; C 60%-64%; C- 55%-59%.  Letter grades will affect student grade point averages according to UF grading policies.
https://catalog.ufl.edu/UGRD/academic-regulations/grades-grading-policies/ 

Academic Honesty

Students are expected to act in accordance with the University of Florida policy on academic integrity (see Student Conduct Code, the Graduate Student Handbook or these web sites for more details:
https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/process/student-conduct-code
https://sccr.dso.ufl.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2020/12/Orange-Book-Web-Version-2020.pdf
http://graduateschool.ufl.edu/media/graduate-school/pdf-files/handbook.pdf

Cheating, lying, misrepresentation, or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable and inexcusable behavior, and will result in a score of zero for the assignment and reporting to the UF Dean of Students Office.  We, the members of the University of Florida community, pledge to hold ourselves and our peers to the highest standards of honesty and integrity.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to read all assignments prior to class, and to be prepared to attend and participate in all sessions. Personal issues with respect to class attendance or participation will be handled on an individual basis.

Exam or Other Work Make-up

Make-up assignments will be provided for excused absences from paper discussions and team-based learning sessions, and must be completed by mutually agreed upon dates. Alternate dates will be arranged for exams with excused absences or extenuating circumstances (e.g., child care issues in the evening).

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who experience learning barriers and would like to request academic accommodations should connect with the disability Resource Center by visiting https://disability.ufl.edu/students/get-started/. It is important for students to share their accommodation letter with the course director and discuss their access needs, as early as possible in the semester.

Counseling and Student Health

Students may occasionally have personal issues that arise in the course of pursuing higher education or that may interfere with their academic performance. If you find yourself facing problems affecting your coursework, you are encouraged to talk with an instructor and to seek confidential assistance at the UF Counseling & Wellness Center, 352-392-1575. Visit their web site for more information: (http://www.counseling.ufl.edu, see also link therein for Emergency Assistance). Crisis intervention is always available 24/7 from the Alachua County Crisis Center at (352) 264-6789. Do not wait until you reach a crisis to come in and talk with us. We have helped many students through stressful situations impacting their academic performance. You are not alone, so do not be afraid to ask for assistance.

Course Evaluation

Students are expected to provide professional and respectful feedback on the quality of instruction in this course by completing course evaluations online via GatorEvals. Guidance on how to give feedback in a professional and respectful manner is available at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/students/. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete evaluations through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under GatorEvals, or via https://ufl.bluera.com/ufl/. Summaries of course evaluation results are available to students at https://gatorevals.aa.ufl.edu/public-results/.