Course Description
Structure and function of the immune system and therapeutic products of biotechnology that are appropriate in patient counseling and treatment plans.
Athena Title
Immunology and Biotechnology
Prerequisite
Doctor of Pharmacy students
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This course will provide an advanced background for PharmD students in two areas that overlap significantly at the therapeutic level- the use of biological molecules (biologics) in medical treatments. 1. Define and discuss underlying theory, issues, and methodologies in biotechnology and the use of biologics. (Foundational Knowledge) 2. Demonstrate application of biotechnology and the use of biologics to analyze patient counseling and pharmacotherapy scenarios. (Critical Thinking) 3. Define and discuss underlying theory, issues, and methodologies that expand knowledge of biologics to the immune system. 4. Explain to a diverse patient population how biologics and immune-system modulators work. 5. Explain how the immune system operates. 6. Recognize appropriate biologics used to treat specific pathologies of the immune system.
Topical Outline
Biotechnology Cultural and ethical issues in biotechnology Therapeutic biologics Host defenses • Innate immune responses • Adaptive immune responses Antibodies The major histocompatibility complex and antigen presentation Generation of antibody and T cell receptor diversity Maturation and circulation of B and T lymphocytes Innate and antibody-mediated effector functions Cytokines and inflammation Immunological methods Pathologies and treatments • Immunity to infection • Vaccines • Hypersensitivity reactions • Transplantation • Autoimmunity • Aids and other immunodeficiency diseases • Cancer immunology and immunotherapy
Syllabus