Curricular Unit:			Code:
Immunology			845IMUN
Year:	Level:	Course:	Credits:
2	Undergraduate	Nutrition Sciences	4 ects
Learning Period:		Language of Instruction:	Total Hours:
		Portuguese/English	52
Learning Outcomes of the Curricular Unit:
This unit will give an approach of the physiological basis of the immune system. Students will learn about the immune system components and understand how the immune response is achieved with the participation of those components. Immune system pathologies, which result from a failure in homeostatic balance, will also be addressed. The interaction between nutrition and immune response will be studied, namely its relationship with modulation of the intestinal microbiota. At the end of this unit, the student should also be able to discuss the technological bases and the uses of immunological techniques in clinical assessment. Skills and capacities: Provide the student with practical skills to design, execute, interpret and validate immunology lab results, as well as to be able to understand and present scientific papers.
Syllabus:
Theoretical program: basic notions about the imune system: acute phase response and Complement system; T and B lymphocytes- maturaction, activation and diferentiation; T and B cells populations;Immunoglobulins; Antigen presenting cells (APC) and dendritic cells; MHC- functions, structure and modulation; Cytokines- actions and main functions; Integrated actuation of the imune system; infections- the imune response; Immunization- active and passive; Primary and secondary immunodeficiencies; Hipersensibilities; Tumors- types and development; tolerance and autoimmunity; Pratical programm: Cell culture and cell separation tecnhiques; antibodies as tools of diagnostic in the laboratory; cytologic and serologic tecnhiques; blood cell separation and counting; immunofluorescence; immunocytochemistry; Indirect ELISA and antibodie detection; plasmatic protein separation; Flow cytometry; diagnosis of pathologies associated with a deficitary nutrition.
Demonstration of the Syllabus Coherence with the Curricular Unit's Objectives:
The students should understand the immune system components (cells, molecules and organs) and all cellular processes involved in the generation of the immune response. They should, progressively, be able to describe all the structural properties of the antigenic response receptors and how to manipulate them for therapeutical purposes. Students should understand how the immune systems works and be aware of possible imbalances in this process that might lead to immunodeficiencys, hypersensitivities, tumours, autoimmunity and transplants. In paralell with the global presentation of the concepts, and, from a practical point of view they should learn the basic immunologic techniques to evaluate the immune response and diagnose simple pathologies. We will also focus the current investigation in nutritional science in the context of the discipline.
Teaching Methodologies (Including Evaluation):
The Theoretical Classes will cover all the programmatic contents. During the theoretical sessions students participation will be encouraged for questions and debate. The program contents will be transmitted progressively, building on previous information. In the Pratical Classes the lab work will be developed in order to give to the student the adequate skills in a immunology laboratory. Evaluation of this Unit is according to the Pedagogical Regulation Manual- 80% of the final grade will result from the theoretical tests (2 writen evaluations) medium; 20% of the final grade will result from the practical component (Oral presentation of a scientific paper- 60%, a test- 30% and individual participation-10%)
Demonstration of the Coherence between the Teaching Methodologies and the Learning Outcomes:
Theoretical Component- the student and the teacher will discuss the information included in the main text book and concepts associated; short questions will evaluate if the student is making progresses and the tests will evaluate his/her performance. The classes will be supported by periods of individual or group tutorial sessions that will help to clarify the contents transmitted in the classes. Pratical Component- The student should be able to adapt to the laboratorial environment and equipments used in the several immunologic diagnostic tecnhiques; he should be able to answer basic questions of the laboratory assays and develop oral presentation tecnhiques, namely of scientific works in nutrition and immunology; he should be able to analyze and present recent scientific papers.
Reading:
1. Arosa,F.A., Cardoso,E.M. Pacheco, F.C. (2012) “Fundamentos de Imunologia” 2ºed., Lidel, Edições Técnicas Lda, Lisboa. 2. Abbas, A.K., Lichtman A.H., Pillai, S. (2017) “Cellular and Molecular Immunology”, 9th ed., Saunders – Elsevier, Philadelphia. 3. Goldsby,R.A, Kindt, T.J., Osborne, B. A. ( 2001) “Kuby Immunology”, 4º ed., Freeman and Company, New York. 4. Parslow, T.G., Stites, D.P., Terr, A.I. , Imboden, J.B. ( 2001) “Medical Immunology”, 10º ed., Lange Medical Book/ McGraw-Hill, USA