50.343:  IMMUNOLOGY

Bloomsburg University

 Biological and Allied Health Sciences

Spring Semester- 2008

MWF- 1:00 – 1:50 pm

Meeting Place: HSC 025

 

Instructor: Kris Brubaker, Ph.D.

                    Office: HSC 177

                   Phone: 389-4137

                   Office Hours: Monday 9-10 am and 2-3 pm; Tuesday 9 am- 11 am; Wednesday 2-3 pm.

Contact Information: Email: kbrubake@bloomu.edu

 

Course Description: Immunology is the study of how the body responds to infections by bacteria, viruses and other foreign materials.  This class will focus on the mechanisms involved in the immune response.  We will address aspects of cell-mediated immunity in health and disease.

 

Prerequisites: 50.271 Cell Biology and a background in genetics, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and/or infectious diseases recommended.

 

General Information and important dates: This is a 3 credit lecture only class. 

Late Registration & Drop/Add Ends Friday January 18th
Spring Break: Saturday March 10th - Sunday March 16th
Last day to withdraw from a class: March 31st

 

Required Textbook: The Immune System, 2nd Edition; Peter Parham, Garland Science, 2005.

 

Journal Paper Review and Presentation: Each student will do a short classroom presentation (10- 15 minutes) on a topic in the field of immunology.  Topics will be discussed in class.  You will provide/pass out a 1-2 page handout which is an outline on your topic for your classmates.  You will also choose a research article (not a review), which must approved by the instructor 2 weeks prior to your presentation date or you will be docked 10 pts, to be used in your presentation.  The article must be written within the last 5 years and published in a reputable journal such as Immunology, Journal of Immunology, BMC Immunology, Science, Cell or Nature.  Presentations will be done in Microsoft PowerPoint.  Part of your grade will be determined by your participation in discussions after each presentation.  The information from the presentations is fare game on the exams. 

 

Discretionary Points: There are 40 discretionary points which are based on class attendance, participation and preparedness.  It is a good idea to come to class and participate regularly.  I will take attendance every day.

 

Grading:  We will have a total of four examinations (three tests and a cumulative final) each worth 100 pts.  Your presentation will be worth 50 points and the participation in the discussions following the presentations will be worth 10 pts.  There will also be a few unannounced quizzes at the beginning of a few classes, of which the five highest scores will count.  If you miss a quiz then it will be one of the dropped quizzes, there are no make-up quizzes.  You can earn a maximum of 550 points.  The grading scale for the course is as follows:

 

Points               Percentage                    Letter Grade                 

504-550            92-100%                                   A                                 

487-503            89-91                                        A-                                

465-486            85-88                                        B+                               

449-464            82-84                                        B                                 

432-448            79-81                                        B-                                

410-431            75-78                                        C+                               

394-409            72-74                                        C                                 

377-393            69-71                                        C-                                

355-376            65-68                                        D+                               

322-354            59-64                                        D                                 

0-321                0-58                                          E                                  

 

Discretionary Pts:                                     40 pts total

Presentation/Discussion:                           60 pts total

Tests:                                                    300 pts total

Final:                                                     100 pts total

Quizzes:                                                  50 pts total

Total pts:                                               550 pts

 

Make-up examinations are not given except when a University acceptable excuse (i.e. illness warranting a physician’s care, death in the immediate family, and sanctioned varsity athlete’s events) is supplied with documentation.  A makeup exam can be an oral exam. 

 

Academic Integrity Policy: (taken in part from the BU policy # 3512; please see The Pilot, Student Standards for the full policy):

          “Academic in integrity refers to the adherence to agreed upon moral and ethical principles when engaging in academic or scholarly pursuits….  Personal integrity is vital to our pursuit of educating and becoming educated…..”  Examples listed in the policy include, this is not an exhaustive list:  cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, misrepresenting circumstances, impersonation, obtaining an unfair advantage, aiding and abetting academic dishonesty, falsification of records and official documents, and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records or systems.

          The Academic Integrity Policy will be adhered to strictly.  All infractions will be reported to the Office of Student Standards as described in Policy #3512.  I do not tolerate cheating!

 

Code of Conduct: Any behavior which is disruptive to the classroom, including talking, cell phone use (turn it off), pagers (turn to vibrate), sleeping or cursing will not be tolerated and will result in my asking you to leave the classroom.  Police services will be called if warranted.

 

Compressed Scheduling Time: In the event of bad weather our compressed time is scheduled for 2:10- 2:50 pm.  If I am late for class, do not leave the classroom until you have contacted the department office and sent a student to my office to find out why I am not present in the classroom.  UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO YOU JUST LEAVE.  If an exam is scheduled on a “compressed” day, the exam will be given on the next regular class day.  A lecture will still be held on the compressed day.

 

Tentative Class Schedule: I reserve the right to change dates/ lecture topics.

 

Dates                           Topic                                                                            Reading

 

1/14-1/18                       Introduction, Cells/Organs of the

Immune System                                                                     Chapter 1

 

1/23- 1/25                      Antibody Structure; B-cell Diversity                                Chapter 2

                               

1/28- 2/1                       B Cell Diversity/ T cell recognition                                  Chapters 2/3

 

2/4                                Exam #1

 

2/6-2/11                        B cell Development                                                        Chapter 4         

                                    

2/13- 2/18                      B/T -cell Development                                                    Chapters 4/5       

 

2/20- 2/25                      T-cell mediated Immunity                                               Chapter 6

 

2/27                              Exam #2

 

2/29-     3/5                    B- cell mediated Immunity                                              Chapter 7            

 

3/7- 3/19                       The Body’s Defenses                                                     Chapter 8

 

3/21- 3/24                      Failures of the Body’s Defenses                                     Chapter 9

 

3/26                              Exam #3

 

3/28                              Presentations 1, 2, 3

 

3/31                              Presentations 4, 5, 6

 

4/2                                Presentations 7, 8, 9

 

4/4                                Presentations 10, 11, 12

 

4/7                                Presentations 13, 14, 15

 

4/9                                Presentations 16, 17, 18

 

4/11                              Presentations 19, 20, 21

 

4/14                              Presentations 22, 23, 24

 

4/16                              Presentations 25, 26, 27

 

4/18                              Over Reactions of the Immune System                           Chapter 10

                                     Presentation 28

 

4/21-4/23                       Over Reactions of the Immune System                           Chapter 10

           

4/25- 4/28                      Disruption of Healthy Tissues                                         Chapter 11

                                    

5/5                                Final Exam: from 1 pm – 3 pm

 

Make note:  I do not discuss grades, exams, contents of exams or alternative exam dates over the phone or through email; you must talk with me during my office hours about these kinds of issues.