Outline

Overview

This study unit builds on the series of lectures that outlined the general properties of the immune system, effector lymphocytes and their functions, delivered in the core courses IMMU2X11 Immunobiology and MIMI2X02/MEDS2004 Microbes, Infection and Immunity, IMMU2101 Introductory Immunology and BMED2404 Microbes, Infection and Immunity (formerly IMMU2001 and BMED2807). In this unit the molecular and cellular aspects of the immune system are investigated in detail. We emphasise fundamental concepts to provide a scientific basis for studies of the coordinated and regulated immune responses that lead to elimination of infectious organisms. Guest lectures from research scientists eminent in particular branches of immunological research are a special feature of the course. These provide challenging information from the forefront of research that will enable the student to become aware of the many components that come under the broad heading 'Immunology'.

Details

Academic unit	Department of Medical Sciences
Unit code	IMMU3102
Unit name	Molecular and Cellular Immunology
Session, year ?	Semester 1, 2021
Attendance mode	Normal day
Location	Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Credit points	6

Enrolment rules

Prohibitions ?	IMMU3902
Prerequisites ?	IMMU2101 or BMED2404 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02 or IMMU2X11
Corequisites ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff and contact details

Coordinator	Kylie Shaddock, kylie.shaddock@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Final exam (Record+)	Final Exam Final exam on unit content	45%	Formal exam period	2 hours
Outcomes assessed:
Tutorial quiz	Pre-practical quizzes Quizzes on content of the practical exercises	5%	Multiple weeks	5 minutes
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Workshop assignment Explain a journal article with a 3 slide poster and 3 minute talk	15%	Multiple weeks	3 slide poster AND 3 minute presentation
Outcomes assessed:
Participation	Animal ethics training Training	0%	Week 06	n/a
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Commentary Article Written commentary style article on a research paper	20%	Week 08	800 words + one figure
Outcomes assessed:
Skills-based evaluation	Practical theory exam Online assessment on theory of laboratory practicals	15%	Week 13	1 hour
Outcomes assessed:
= hurdle task ? = Type B final exam ?

Written assignment: Each student is expected to write a commentary style article focusing on an important discovery in immunology. The manuscript should have no more than 10 references and one figure.
Animal ethics training: Experimentation in animals is a key component of immunological research and is regulated by various organisations to ensure the welfare and wellbeing of research animals. To acquire basic knowledge on the topic, all students must study a slide presentation titled as University of Sydney Animal Ethics and complete a self-assessment quiz. Students must answer every question correctly. They are allowed multiple attempts until they achieve a perfect score. It is a requirement that students successfully complete this quiz in order to pass this unit of study.
Pre-practical quizzes: These are online assessment tasks related to either the practical students are about to perform, or the practical they completed the week before. Students will be permitted to use their practical notes during the quiz.
Practical examination: The practical exam is a closed book online assessment. The questions are designed to test the knowledge of students on the immunological principles of the laboratory techniques learned and ability to interpret the data generated during the previous practical sessions.

Satisfactory performance in each component of assessment is required to pass this course. 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	Mastery of topics showing extensive integration and ability to transfer knowledge to novel contexts; treatment of tasks shows an advanced synthesis of ideas; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is very well presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an outstanding level
Distinction	75 - 84	Excellent achievement, consistent evidence of deep understanding and application of knowledge in medical science; treatment of tasks shows advanced understanding of topics; demonstration of initiative, complex understanding and analysis; work is well-presented; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a superior level
Credit	65 - 74	Confident in explaining medical science processes, with evidence of solid understanding and achievement; occasional lapses indicative of unresolved issues; treatment of tasks show a good understanding of topic; work is well-presented with a minimum of errors; all criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to a high level
Pass	50 - 64	Satisfactory level of engagement with and understanding of topic; some inconsistencies in understanding and knowledge of medical science; work is adequately presented, with some errors or omissions, most criteria addressed and learning outcomes achieved to an adequate level
Fail	0 - 49	Unsatisfactory achievement and engagement with the medical science discipline; inadequate understanding or fundamental misunderstanding of topics; most criteria and learning outcomes not clearly or adequately addressed or achieved; lack of effort/involvement in the unit

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/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.

Special consideration

If you experience short-term circumstances beyond your control, such as illness, injury or misadventure or if you have essential commitments which impact your preparation or performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic honesty, academic dishonesty, 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 dishonesty or plagiarism seriously.

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

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Multiple weeks	Written assignment	Independent study (12 hr)
	Lecture, revision, understanding scientific literature and oral presentation	Tutorial (9 hr)
	Animal research ethics training	Independent study (0.5 hr)
	Pre-practical lab quizzes	Practical (0.5 hr)
Week 01	Course introduction and overview of cells and tissues in immune system	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Development and functions of phagocytes	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Innate immunity	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	MHC structure and function	Lecture (1 hr)
	Processing and presentation of antigen to T cells	Lecture (1 hr)
	Tissue culture and cell counting (groups A and B)	Practical (4 hr)
Week 04	T cell development and the TCR	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Regulation of T cell activation	Lecture (1 hr)
	Cell-mediated immunity I: CD4 T cells	Lecture (1 hr)
	1. Immunofluorescent assay: NF-kB translocation assay (groups A and B); 2. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA): measurement of TNF-a production (groups A and B)	Practical (4 hr)
Week 06	Cell-mediated immunity II: CTL and NK cells	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Innate-like T cells and ILCs	Lecture (1 hr)
	B lymphocyte activation and antibody production	Lecture (1 hr)
	1. Organisation of lymphoid organs in mice (groups A and B); 2. Separation of T cells from a spleen cell suspension and flow cytometric analysis (groups A and B); 3. Demonstration: Immunohistochemical staining of lymphoid tissue	Practical (4 hr)
Week 08	Effector mechanisms of humoral immunity	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Immunological memory	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Cytokines and chemokines	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	Development and regulation of regional immunity	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 10	1. Purification of immunoglobulin from serum (groups A and B); 2. Flow cytometry analysis (groups A and B)	Practical (4 hr)
Week 11	IgE-mediated allergic reactions	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Epigenetic regulation of the immune system	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	What has COVID-19 taught us about the human immune system?	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	1. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE): protein composition of immunoglobulin-containing samples of immunoglobulin samples (groups A and B); 2. Western blotting: identification of immunoglobulins (groups A and B); 3. Collecting crude gammaglobulin fraction (groups A and B)	Practical (4 hr)
Week 13	Revision	Lecture (1 hr)
	Make-up lecture slot	Lecture (1 hr)
	Theory of practical exam (groups A and B)	Practical (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Practical documentations: Students must keep notes, observations, records of raw data and calculations in their lab manual. All results must also be recorded neatly in the manual during the class. Students are permitted to include computer-generated graphs etc. if they wish.
Attendance: Satisfactory attendance at all tutorials and practical classes is a requirement to pass this unit. Satisfactory attendance is defined as ≥ 80% which means that if a student misses more than 2 tutorials or 2 practical classes without approved special consideration for illness or misadventure, that student will not be allowed to pass this unit of study. Students who arrive more than 30 minutes late to a tutorial or practical class will be recorded as being absent.
Reference guide: Students are required to adopt the Havard referencing style for all written assessments.
Attendance will be recorded from students' arrival date on campus or from March 31st, whichever is the earliest. From 1st March (week 1), students enrolled in this unit should engage with and study all online content, as directed in the Canvas site, including the submission of any required formative tasks and completion of any asynchronous activities.

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 on the ‘Reading List’ link available on Canvas.

Abbas, A. K., Lichtman, A. H., and Pillai, S. (2018). Cellular and molecular immunology. (9th ed.), Elsevier.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. demonstrate a thorough understanding of the molecular and cellular components/functions of the mammalian immune system
LO2. develop effective skills in retrieving, analysing, and interpreting scientific information from current literature sources
LO3. foster and develop advanced oral and written communication skills
LO4. demonstrate knowledge of and training in performing, analysing, and interpreting laboratory based experiments.

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
Learning outcomes

Closing the loop

Final exam weight has changed from 55 to 45%

Additional information

Work, health and safety

We are governed by the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 and Codes of Practice. Penalties for non-compliance have increased. Everyone has a responsibility for health and safety at work. The University’s Work Health and Safety policy explains the responsibilities and expectations of workers and others, and the procedures for managing WHS risks associated with University activities.

General Laboratory Safety Rules

No eating or drinking is allowed in any laboratory under any circumstances
A laboratory coat and closed-toe shoes are mandatory
Follow safety instructions in your manual and posted in laboratories
In case of fire, follow instructions posted outside the laboratory door
First aid kits, eye wash and fire extinguishers are located in or immediately outside each laboratory
As a precautionary measure, it is recommended that you have a current tetanus immunisation. This can be obtained from University Health Service: unihealth.usyd.edu.au/

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Scholarships, interest free loans, bursaries, money management
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Learning Centre, faculty and school programs, Library, online resources
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Student Centre, counselling & psychological services, University Health Service, general health and wellbeing

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.

Current students

Overview

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Closing the loop

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect

Current students

IMMU3102: Molecular and Cellular Immunology

Overview

Details

Enrolment rules

Teaching staff and contact details

Assessment

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Special consideration

Academic integrity

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Closing the loop

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

Media

Student links

About us

Connect