Immunology (Basics)

Immunology is the study of the immune system. The immune system is the body’s own defence mechanism to protect from various harmful microbial infections. A basic course in immunology is important for those students who opt for undergraduate and post graduate courses in biological sciences. The course focus on understanding basic immunology, and also discuss about various immunotechniques and their applications. The course covers discussions on the various components of the immune system, the activations of those components during immune response and the different types of immune responses. All the components of the immune system whether it’s the cells or organs, the different proteins or the various immuno mediators, they all work together to give a highly co-ordinated and interactive immune response to eliminate any foreign body that may be harmful to the body. The course also has discussions on some of the important immunotechniques like radioimmunoassay, ELISA, western blotting, fluorescence in situ hybridisation etc. It is a comprehensive course covering vast areas of immunology. On undergoing this course, the students will be learning the fundamental knowledge of immunology along with its importance and applications.

Week 1:
1. Introduction to immune system
2. Organs of the immune system
3. Cells of the immune system
4. Antigens and immunogens
Week 2:
5. Structures of immunoglobulins
6. Generation of antibody diversity
7. Antigen-antibody interactions
8. T-Cell receptors (TCR)

Week 3:
9. MHC- molecules
10. Cytokines
11. Complement System –I Classical pathway
12. Complement System –II Alternative pathway

Week 4:
13. Antigen processing and presentation ( Antigen presenting cells-macrophages, dendritic cells)
14. Development of B cells and T cells
15. Types of immune response-I Innate and adaptive immunity
16. Types of immune response-II Humoral and cell mediated immunity

Week 5:
17. Types of immune response-III Primary and secondary immune response
18. Types of immune response-IV Clonal selection theory
19. Immunity to infection (Activation of B and T- cells)
20. Immune response to viruses

Week 6:
21. Immune response to bacteria
22. Immune response to parasites
23. Mediators of inflammation and leukocyte extravasations
24. Inflammation

Week 7:
25. Hypersensitivity reactions
26. Autoimmune diseases
27. Immunodeficiency diseases
28. Transplantation immunology

Week 8:
29. Immunohaematology
30. Immunotolerance
31. Vaccine
32. Immunochemical technique-I : Production of antibodies

Week 9:
33. Immunochemical technique-II: Immunodiffusion test
34. Immunochemical technique-III: Complement fixation test
35. Western blot analysis and Elisa
36. Immunochemical technique-V: Immuno- electrophoresis

Week 10:
37. Immunochemical technique-VI:Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA)
38. Immunochemical technique-VII: Assaya based on agglutination reactions
39. Immunochemical technique-VIII: Purification of immunoglobulins
40. Immunochemical technique-IX: Isolation of lymphocytes and macrophages