Calendar

WEEK # TOPICS KEY DATES

1

Introduction of Instructor and Students

Overview and Discussion of the Syllabus

Aim of the Course

How to Read a Scientific Paper

Literature and Database Searching

Introduction to Next Week's Topic

Part I: Defense Mechanisms Developed by Unicellular Organisms

2

Recognition of Foreign Nucleic Acids

The Restriction/Modification (R-M) System

3

Recognition of Foreign Nucleic Acids

RNAi

4

Anti-microbial Peptides

5

Altruistic Death

Part II: The Transition to Multi-Cellularity Resulted in Cell Specialization

6

How are pathogens recognized by multi-cellular organisms?

Pattern Recognition and Missing Self

Assignment 1 due

7

How do multi-cellular organisms destroy pathogens?

Phagocytosis

8

How do multi-cellular organisms destroy pathogens?

Complement and Reactive Oxygen

Part III: An Evolutionary Milestone: The Origin of an Adaptive Immune System

9

Receptors of the Adaptive Immune System

Antigen Recognition by Cells of the Adaptive Immune System Involves the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC)

10

Clonal Selection and Immunological Memory

11

How does the adaptive immune system interact with the innate immune system?

12

Change or Die

13

Student Oral Presentations

Course Evaluations

Assignment 2 due