Immunology is the study of defence mechanisms that protect individuals against infections and cancers. Studies in immunology are leading advances in clinical medicine, including understanding allergies, transplant rejection, cancer and autoimmune diseases, as well as the development of new vaccines. In this unit you will explore the essential features of the immune system at the molecular and cellular level, the mechanisms of pathalogical immune processes and immune system dysfunction, mechanisms of immune responses to microorganisms and imunological techniques used in clinical diagnostic and research laboratories. Practical and tutorial sessions are designed to illustrate particular concepts introduced in otther face-to-face activities. Further self-directed learning activities, including online learning activities, will facilitate integratino of fundamental information and help you apply this knowledge to the ways in which the host organism fights disease. Consequently, you will develop skills in problem-solving, evaluation of scientific literature, as well as oral and written communication skills. Upon completion, you will have developed the skills required to follow a career in medical research, clinical and diagnostic services and/or the corporate system that supports the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease.

Clinical Immunology and Serology: A Laboratory Perspective, 3nd Edition Stevens CD. F. A. Davis Company, Philadelphia, 2010. This is a reference book that should not be purchased, and a copy will be available in practical classes and the library. Abul K Abbas, Andrew H Lichtman and Shiv Pillai. Basic Immunology: Functions and Disorders of the Immune System. 5th Ed. 2016. This provides background on the immunopathology of human disease.