Program Overview

Immunotherapy 2

Course Type

The Immunotherapy 2 module is a postgraduate course offered by the University of Birmingham.

Course Details

The module builds on basic knowledge provided in previous modules, focusing on applied immunology and translating basic science into safe and effective therapeutics. The module is divided into three sections:

• Week 1: Approaches to Immunotherapy This week focuses on immunotherapy in several different disease areas, emphasizing different immunotherapeutic approaches, including peptides and targeting immunometabolism.
• Week 2: Immunotherapy for Autoimmunity The focus of this week is immunotherapy for autoimmune diseases, using rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis as exemplar diseases. Current treatments are discussed in the context of the mechanisms of disease, along with pipeline or potential future therapeutic approaches.
• Week 3: Systemic Autoimmunity This week concentrates on two complex systemic autoimmune diseases: Sjogren’s syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Both small molecule and biological immunotherapies are discussed in the context of our current understanding of the immunopathogenesis of these conditions.

Module Attendance

The module consists of three weeks of lectures and small group tutorials delivered in person.

Assessment

The module is assessed through:

• Examination (50%): One written essay out of two related to topics covered in this module (1.5 hour closed book on campus)
• In-course assessment (50%): A description of a piece of research (2000 words) with the aim of communicating the major concepts or conclusions to a lay audience. Students are given a research paper relevant to immunotherapy to describe in plain English, suitable for publication in a broadsheet newspaper.

Academics Involved

The module is delivered by Dr. John Reynolds (Institute of Inflammation and Ageing) and Professor Ben Fisher (Institute of Inflammation and Ageing), along with other academic staff from the College of Medical and Dental Sciences, including Professor Andy Clark, Professor David Wraith, Professor David Thickett, Professor Adam Croft, and Professor Claudio Mauro.

Module Status

This module is a compulsory part of the MSc Immunology and Immunotherapy program.