Learning objectives (reached at the end of the course):

• Using the basal immunological principles, you can precisely identify, and eventually design, molecular and cellular targets of immunotherapeutics that can be applied to restore the balance of the immune system in the case of allergy, autoimmunity, graft rejection, infection and cancer.
• Using the basal immunological principles, you can describe and reason, in molecular and cellular detail, how the balance of the immune system is disturbed in the case of allergy, autoimmunity, graft rejection, infection and cancer. 
• You can describe in molecular and cellular detail the roles of humoral and cellular immunity in the effector phase of an immune response.
• After encounter by the immune system of an antigen, you can describe in molecular and cellular detail how an initial immune response is regulated, and you can reason how an initial immune response may lead to either immunity or tolerance.
• You know all the differences between the innate and adaptive immune system, and you can describe in molecular and cellular detail the interaction between the innate and adaptive immune system, during an immune response.
• You can fully describe the tissues, cells and humoral components of the healthy immune system in the human body.

The immune system consists of innate and adaptive defense mechanisms against (pathogenic) microorganisms. Both humoral and cellular factors contribute to an immune response. Insight in the immune system is important to understand its disturbed balance in immune-related disorders, such as autoimmunity, graft rejection, infection and tumor formation. Insight in the immune system is also important to understand how therapeutic manipulation of the system in the aforementioned immune-related disorders may restore its disturbed balance.

The teachers in the course are basic scientists and clinicians from several pre-clinical and clinical departments of the Radboudumc. The course language will be English. The themes will be globally introduced by an introduction lecture (HC). Using the text book, the course manual, and self study assignments, the knowledge of themes will be further advanced during a responsive lecture (RC). Some themes will include a wet practical assignment or a PC-assisted practical assignment (COO), mostly in groups of 2-4 students. A literature assignment in groups of 4 students is part of the course as well. Grading is based on assignment reports (25%) and a final multiple choice test (75%). After finishing the course, the student has obtained a solid basis in immunology, which is required for an immunology-related internship at a later phase in the study path of the student.