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Unit outline_

IMMU3903: Immunology in Human Disease (Advanced)

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

This unit is available to students who have performed well in Introductory Immunology (IMMU2101) IMMU2X11 Immunobiology and MIMI2X02/MEDS2004 Microbes, Infection and Immunity. Advanced students will complete the same core lecture material as students in IMMU3202 but attend a series of specialized seminar and research based tutorial classes.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Department of Medical Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
A mark of 70 or above in (IMMU2101 or BMED2404 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02 or IMMU2X11)
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
IMMU3202
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Allison Abendroth, allison.abendroth@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Allison Abendroth, allison.abendroth@sydney.edu.au
Alexandra Sharland, alexandra.sharland@sydney.edu.au
Jamie Triccas, jamie.triccas@sydney.edu.au
Mainthan Palendira, umaimainthan.palendira@sydney.edu.au
Jessie Lee, jessie.lee@sydney.edu.au
Georges Grau, georges.grau@sydney.edu.au
Helen McGuire, helen.mcguire@sydney.edu.au
James Yun, james.yun@sydney.edu.au
Roger Garsia, r.garsia@sydney.edu.au
Stephen Adelstein, stephen.adelstein@sydney.edu.au
Kylie Shaddock, kylie.shaddock@sydney.edu.au
Carl Feng, carl.feng@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Record+) Type B final exam Final exam
Written exam
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1
Tutorial quiz Quizzes
Practical lab quizzes
5% Multiple weeks 10 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2
Presentation Workshop oral paper presentation
Oral presentation and participation
15% Multiple weeks 12 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO5 LO3
Assignment Practical assignment
Practical assessment
15% Week 09
Due date: 09 Oct 2022 at 23:59
1250 words
Outcomes assessed: LO2 LO3 LO4
Presentation Poster
Poster design and presentation
15% Week 12
Due date: 30 Oct 2022 at 23:59
12 minutes and 250 word abstarct
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO3 LO2
Type B final exam = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction and course overview; Immunology of pregnancy Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 02 Workshop 1. New vaccines for pandemic pathogens Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Neonatal Immunology Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Week 03 Practical 1.Introduction to the IMMU3903 practical class; Viral Case studies - Investigating infection, immunity, and diagnosis of varicella zoster virus infections (part 1) Practical (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
MHC/Genetics of Human Disease; Immunity to infectious pathogens 1: viruses and immune evasion Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 04 Immunity to infectious pathogens: intracellular and extracellular bacteria Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Workshop 2. Challenges of controlling Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Week 05 Practical 2. Viral case studies: investigating infection, immunity, and diagnosis of varicella zoster virus infections (part 2) Practical (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Immunity to infectious pathogens 3. parasites; Immunodeficiency-Acquired immunodeficiency-HIV Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 06 Workshop 3. Oral journal paper presentation Presentation (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Primary immunodeficiences: Molecular basis of primary immunodeficiences Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Week 07 Skin Immunology; Neuroimmunology Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Practical 3. Immunodeficiency case studies: acquired and congenital immunodeficiency cases Practical (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Week 08 Vaccination and novel vaccine approaches Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Workshop 4. Oral journal paper presentation Presentation (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Week 09 Self-tolerance and autoimmunity Autoimmune Diseases Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 10 Practical 4. Immune-mediated case studies; Immune-mediated haemolysis and autoimmune disorders Practical (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Transplantation Immuology Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Week 11 Workshop 5. Using mass cytometry for clinical application of predictive immune signature analysis Workshop (2 hr) LO1 LO5
Tumor Immunology and therapy; Allergic Diseases and immunotherapy Lecture (2 hr) LO1
Week 12 Advances in Technology-Omics Era in Immunology of Human Disease Lecture (1 hr) LO1
Poster presentation Presentation (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3
Week 13 Practical 5. Allergy/snake bite and immunotherapies Practical (4 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Aging immune System and Immunosenescence; Make up lecture slot/Revision Lecture (2 hr) LO1

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Satisfactory attendance at all workshops and practical classes is therefore a requirement to pass this course. For Immunology in Human Disease, satisfactory attendance is defined as ≥ 80% which means that if you miss more than 2 workshops or 2 practical classes without approved special consideration for illness or misadventure, or pre-approved Special arrangement, you will not be allowed to pass this unit of study. Students who arrive more than 30 minutes late to a workshop or practical class will be recorded as being absent.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed through the Library eReserve, available on Canvas.

  • Cellular & Molecular Immunology, 9th Ed 2018, AK Abbas, AH Lichtman & Pillai, Elsevier.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. understand how principles of immunology are applied to the understanding and treatment of human diseases
  • LO2. demonstrate effective skills in retrieving, analysing, and interpreting scientific information from current literature sources
  • LO3. demonstrate advanced oral and written communication skills
  • LO4. demonstrate knowledge of and training in analysis and interpretation of laboratory based experiments.
  • LO5. To demonstrate the capacity to work in a tutorial setting to question key aspects of current immunology in human disease research

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

minor changes to tutorial/seminars

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.