Unit of Study MEDC2001 Immunology (2025)

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Unit Snapshot

Unit type

UG Coursework Unit
Credit points

12
Faculty & College

Faculty of Health
Placement

No

Pre-requisites

BIOL1006 - Introduction to Medical Science AND HBIO1010 - Integrated Anatomy and Physiology OR HBIO1008 - Human Physiology II AND; either HBIO1001 - Human Anatomy OR HBIO1003 - Systemic Anatomy

Enrolment information

This unit contains Work Integrated Learning (WIL) that requires students to meet mandatory fit to practice obligations prior to attending. Failure to comply by the fit to practice deadline will result in the cancellation of your WIL and you will not be permitted to continue in this unit. Full details are available at www.scu.edu.au/health/work-integrated-learning.

Unit description

Extends students' knowledge of the immune system, including concepts of innate and acquired immune responses and how specificity, diversity, memory and tolerance develop. Students gain an understanding of various types of immune functions and dysfunctions, and explore these in laboratory investigations. Herein, students learn how to generate, analyse and interpret immunological data to support the clinical diagnostic process.

Unit content

Foundation concepts of the immune system, including communication, integration and innate and adaptive immunity
Organisation, expression and function of the complement system and immune receptors, including B cell receptors, antibody, T cell receptors and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
Humoral and cellular immunity, including B and T cell development, activation, differentiation and memory, with an understanding of the regulation involved
Immune responses to infectious diseases, and an overview of vaccine development
The development of tolerance with the microbiome, and the importance of immune tolerance in tissue transplantation
Overactive and underactive immune system dysfunctions, including allergy, hypersensitivity, chronic inflammation, autoimmunity and immunodeficiency

Availabilities

Location	Domestic	International
Gold Coast	Term2	Term2

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

effectively communicate and compare the immune system development, generation of immune memory and tolerance, and the innate and adaptive divisions and their role in immunity

compare immune cell activation, differentiation and effector responses, including the influence different antigens have on these processes, and on vaccine development

participate with proficiency in a group setting to investigate dysfunctions of the immune system

generate, analyse and interpret experimental immunological data to solve scientific problems in the biomedical setting, individually and in collaboration

Teaching and assessment

Teaching method

Tutorial 2 hours (Weekly)

Laboratory 4 hours (Weekly)

Assessment
Infographic	30%
Quiz	30%
Workbook	40%

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts

Prescribed text information is not currently available.

Prescribed Resources/Equipment

Prescribed resources/equipment information is not currently available.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.

Fee information

Domestic

Commonwealth Supported courses
For information regarding Student Contribution Amounts please visit the Student Contribution Amounts.

Fee paying courses
For postgraduate or undergraduate full-fee paying courses please check Domestic Postgraduate Fees OR Domestic Undergraduate Fees.

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