General Pathology and Immunology
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course focuses on the molecular and biotechnological aspects of general pathology and immunology
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire basic knowledge of the main molecular and cellular mechanisms representing the pathogenic basis of human pathology. The course includes a focused part on immunology and the role of immunomediated mechanisms of disease. Students will also acquire information on potentials and limitations of experimental models available. The journal club sessions will allow them to develop critical reading, presentation, and scientific data discussion abilities.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Formal Teaching
The course is divided into three interconnected chapters covering the following topics:
- General Pathology and Innate Immunity: Cell death, hematopoiesis and immune system cells, acute inflammation, phagocyte biology, pathogen recognition, complement cascade, soluble mediators of inflammation, systemic inflammation, resolution, tissue repair, hemostasis, and atherosclerosis.
- Adaptive immunity: antigen processing and presentation, lymphocyte maturation, antigen receptor generation, TCR signaling and T cell activation, B cell development and activation, antibodies, immune response polarization, effector mechanisms in adaptive immune response, immunity against viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmunity, and congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies.
- Pathogenesis of tumors: neoplastic transformation (causes and effects), deregulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, epigenetic alterations in cancer, and the effect of telomere shortening. neoplastic progression: biological differences between benign and malignant tumors. mechanisms of neoplastic progression: angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. Pathological interaction of tumors with the tumor microenvironment. Tumor immunology: the dual role of the immune system.
Informal Teaching (16 hours)
Students will work in groups of 4-5 to critically analyze a scientific article, ending with the preparation and oral presentation of a report in class.
The course is divided into three interconnected chapters covering the following topics:
- General Pathology and Innate Immunity: Cell death, hematopoiesis and immune system cells, acute inflammation, phagocyte biology, pathogen recognition, complement cascade, soluble mediators of inflammation, systemic inflammation, resolution, tissue repair, hemostasis, and atherosclerosis.
- Adaptive immunity: antigen processing and presentation, lymphocyte maturation, antigen receptor generation, TCR signaling and T cell activation, B cell development and activation, antibodies, immune response polarization, effector mechanisms in adaptive immune response, immunity against viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmunity, and congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies.
- Pathogenesis of tumors: neoplastic transformation (causes and effects), deregulation of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, epigenetic alterations in cancer, and the effect of telomere shortening. neoplastic progression: biological differences between benign and malignant tumors. mechanisms of neoplastic progression: angiogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis. Pathological interaction of tumors with the tumor microenvironment. Tumor immunology: the dual role of the immune system.
Informal Teaching (16 hours)
Students will work in groups of 4-5 to critically analyze a scientific article, ending with the preparation and oral presentation of a report in class.
Prerequisites for admission
Students must have fulfilled all prerequisite requirements outlined in the study plan: general and cellular biology, genetics. Specifically, the following preliminary knowledge is required: types of mutations, epigenetic modifications, loss of imprinting, loss of heterozygosity, phases of the cell cycle and the proteins that regulate them, DNA replication and repair, telomeres, and telomerase.
Teaching methods
The course will be delivered through lectures and Journal Club activities, during which the innovative teaching method of Team-based Learning will be implemented. In this activity, students will be divided into small working groups and will independently choose a scientific article from those proposed by the teacher on topics related to the course program. The final outcome will be the presentation of the selected article, with the aid of visual materials, to classmates and instructors. The presentation may be given in either Italian or English, at the discretion of the group members. For this activity, students will have access to the computer room.
Attendance is mandatory for both lectures and Journal Club activities.
The course utilizes teaching materials (power point files and scientific papers) made available through myAriel or provided directly in class by the teacher.
Attendance is mandatory for both lectures and Journal Club activities.
The course utilizes teaching materials (power point files and scientific papers) made available through myAriel or provided directly in class by the teacher.
Teaching Resources
The reference texts for the course are:
- The pathological bases of diseases, Vol. I, Robbins, Cotran, Publisher Elsevier
- Immunobiology, Janeway, Travers, Walport, Shlomchik. Publisher Norton & Company
Additionally, the materials presented in class (PowerPoint files and scientific articles) will be uploaded to myAriel.
- The pathological bases of diseases, Vol. I, Robbins, Cotran, Publisher Elsevier
- Immunobiology, Janeway, Travers, Walport, Shlomchik. Publisher Norton & Company
Additionally, the materials presented in class (PowerPoint files and scientific articles) will be uploaded to myAriel.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment of the learning levels will occur only at the end of the course, with no intermediate or pre-assessment exams. The evaluation of the expected learning outcomes is conducted through an oral exam consisting of two interviews related to the general pathology and immunology syllabus, carried out by two different teachers.
The assessment evaluates the student's basic knowledge of the subject, her/her ability to engage in critical reasoning about the subject of the studied, as well as the clarity of expression and precision in scientific language. The mark is expressed in thirtieths and is calculated as the mean of the marks obtained in the two interviews, provided that both are sufficient. The final mark will be communicated at the end of the examination.
The assessment evaluates the student's basic knowledge of the subject, her/her ability to engage in critical reasoning about the subject of the studied, as well as the clarity of expression and precision in scientific language. The mark is expressed in thirtieths and is calculated as the mean of the marks obtained in the two interviews, provided that both are sufficient. The final mark will be communicated at the end of the examination.
MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY - University credits: 10
Informal teaching: 16 hours
Lessons: 72 hours
Lessons: 72 hours
Shifts:
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