The courses listed below are primarily designed for graduate students. The student should decide, in consultation with his/her committee and course instructors, whether his/her background is appropriate for the content of the course.
142. Advanced Cellular and Molecular Immunology
10F: Arrange Offered in alternate years
Advanced immunology including contemporary topics of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Development and differentiation, lymphoid sub-populations, cell cooperation, cytokines, immunogenetics and major histocompatibility restriction, antigen receptor systems, antigen processing pathways, clinical aspects, including the interactions of retroviruses, particularly the AIDS (HIV) virus, with the immune system, and the use of immunologic systems to study gene regulation, receptor-ligand interactions, and other fundamental molecular processes.
Lectures and discussion. Prerequisite: Biochemistry 102 or an equivalent, or permission of the instructor. Noelle and associates.
145. Human Genetics (Identical to Genetics 145)
11S: Arrange Offered in alternate years
This course will consider the structure, organization and function of the human genome, with an emphasis on how human genetics will develop now that the genome of humans and many other organisms have been sequenced. The mouse and other model organisms will also be discussed in regard to how they may genetically differ or be similar to humans. The course will have two sessions a week (110 minute sessions). Each session will cover a specific topic and for most sessions the topic will be presented by one of the students enrolled in the course.
Prerequisite: Permission of the instructor. Fiering.
146. Immunotherapy
10S: Arrange Offered in alternate years
This course will consider both basic scientific and therapeutic aspects of three important areas of immunology: vaccination, tumor immunology, and autoimmunity. The vaccination module will consider current vaccination strategies and new advances in vaccinology. The tumor immunology module will consider the challenges of tumor antigen identification and mechanism of delivery to the immune system to combat malignancies. Autoimmunity will be discussed to describe basic mechanisms behind the disease and what can be done to modulate the immune response to prevent or treat such diseases. Sessions will consist of a faculty-lead discussion of the primary literature relating to each topic, interspersed with student lead presentations on selected areas.
Prerequisite: A previous immunology course and/or permission of an instructor. Usherwood and associates.
148. Advanced Molecular Pathogenesis
09F, 11F: Arrange Offered in alternate years
An advanced course in molecular pathogenesis with emphasis on genetic aspects of host-microbe interactions and modern model genetic systems for the study of important human pathogens. Each session will begin with a 50- to 80-minute lecture pertaining to the topic area and will be followed by a 1.5- to 2-hour discussion of current papers (assigned reading) pertaining to the topic area. Discussion of the assigned reading for a particular session centers around a set of questions developed by the student presenter in collaboration with the instructor and based upon a short written report that the student has prepared on the topic.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. Bzik, Cheung, and associates.
149. Microbial Physiology and Metabolism
11S: Arrange Offered in alternate years
This course focuses on central concepts of bacterial physiology and metabolism. We focus on a range of strategies that bacteria use to make energy, and general concepts related to nutrient acquisition and utilization. The first class period presents a general overview of metabolism and bacterial phylogeny. In subsequent classes, students present a 30 minute lecture on an assigned topic. One paper is discussed each class period on the same topic.
Prerequisite: permission of the instructor. O’Toole and Hogan.
167. The Biology of Fungi and Parasites that Cause Disease
10W, 11W: 2A
This course will focus on the molecular features of fungi and parasites that form the basis of strategies for adhering to and invading human host cells and tissues. The difficulties associated with development of drugs that neutralize eukaryotic fungi and parasites but do not harm mammalian cells, heighten the importance of research on fungi and parasites and emphasize the unique aspects of eukaryotic pathogens compared to bacteria. Fungi, which are major pathogens in AIDS and other immunosuppressed patients, and parasites, such as malaria, which devastate human populations world-wide, will be emphasized. Sundstrom.
169. Supervised Teaching in Microbiology and Immunology
All terms: Arrange
This course is required for all graduate students, based on the assertion that an essential element of graduate education is the experience gained in teaching other students. Such teaching experience is of particular relevance to students interested in academic careers. Students will conduct laboratory or discussion sessions in undergraduate courses under the supervision of the course faculty. The faculty and student teaching assistant work very closely to develop lab and discussion assignments. In some cases, the students are encouraged to present lectures for which they receive detailed feedback on their teaching style. In all cases students will receive instruction on effective teaching techniques through weekly preparation sessions. Topics for discussion include how to teach the material, how to run a discussion, how to evaluate student responses, and grading. Performance will be monitored throughout the term and appropriate evaluation, coupled with detailed suggestions for improvement, will be provided. This course is not open to undergraduates. Prerequisite: At least one year of graduate study. Staff of the Program.
197. Graduate Research I: Level I
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Staff of the Program.
198. Graduate Research I: Level II
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Staff of the Program.
199. Graduate Research I: Level III
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, prior to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Staff of the Program.
264, 265, 271. Graduate Research Colloquium in Microbiology and Immunology
F, W, S: Arrange
All students must take a journal club/RIP course during each term of residence, except summer. An essential element of scientific training is in the critical analysis and communication of experimental research in an oral format. Evaluation will be based on quality of the work described, quality of critical analysis, and on presentation style, including effective use of audio-visual materials. All students will be required to participate in at least one Journal Club/Research in Progress series. Although minor variations in format exist among the several series, all students will make oral presentations that describe work from the current literature. Normally these series meet every other week for two hours. This course is not open to undergraduates.
M/I 264. Immunology
M/I 265. Molecular Pathogenesis
M/I 271. Chromatin Structure
297. Graduate Research II: Level I
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries one course credit and should be elected by students conducting research and also electing two or more other graduate or undergraduate courses. Mentor from the Program.
298. Graduate Research II: Level II
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries two course credits and should be elected by students electing only departmental colloquia in addition to research. Mentor from the Program.
299. Graduate Research II: Level III
All terms: Arrange
An original individual experimental or theoretical investigation beyond the undergraduate level in Microbiology and Immunology. This course is open only to graduate students, subsequent to passing their qualifying exam; it may be elected for credit more than once. This course carries three course credits and should be elected by students conducting research exclusively in any one term. Mentor from the Program.