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January 28, 2025
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This course is part of Immunology: The Immune System and its Failures Specialization
Instructors: Sophie Rutschmann
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(117 reviews)
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Intermediate level
This course is intended for those learners with basic knowledge in biology, genetics, microbiology or related fields.
(117 reviews)
Recommended experience
Intermediate level
This course is intended for those learners with basic knowledge in biology, genetics, microbiology or related fields.
You will identify key innate immunity cells, molecules, and direct defence mechanisms.
You will also learn how our microbiota, the overall micro-organisms found in our body, influences our innate immune response.
Finally, you will understand how our innate immune cells inform our adaptive system of the presence of a threat.
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Our immune system relies on an innate and an adaptive arm that communicate and collaborate to provide us with an optimal response against pathogens. This course focuses on our innate immunity which provides us our first, fast and inherited defence against infections.
In this course, you will take a closer look at the mechanisms and cellular components involved in this swift response that occurs within minutes of exposure to a threat. Throughout the course, and guided by our active researchers, you will have opportunities to recognise its key protective mechanisms and to explain their importance for our overall health. You will learn about the mechanisms it uses to inform our adaptive immune system of the presence of a threat, and understand how some environmental factors, such as our own internal microbiome, influences it. Finally, you will have opportunities to reflect on current related issues and controversies in this fascinating field of research.
In module one, we will explore the main component of the innate immune system. We will start by looking at the surfaces that are first exposed to potential pathogens and how they prevent most pathogens from entering our body. We will then learn about our main innate protective mechanisms and discuss how this inherited system is able to recognise and combat infection. By the end of this module, learners will be able to describe these actors and mechanisms in detail.
4 videos5 readings2 assignments
In module two, we will explore a key soluble component of our innate immune system: the complement. We will learn about its main components, how it gets activated by pathogens and how the outcome leads to pathogens destruction. We will also explore how the complement system contributes to other innate immune activities, such as phagocytosis, that is the uptake of microorganisms by immune cell for destruction.
1 video3 readings1 assignment
In module three, we will investigate how our microbiota plays a protective role in our health. We will first define the human microbiome in more details and explore its influence on various common pathologies such as asthma, diabetes or cancer. The module ends on an opportunity for learners to reflect and share with others on the effects of pro-biotics on our health.
3 videos2 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
In module four, we will understand how the innate system communicates with the adaptive immune cells. We will explore which cells oversee this essential function and how they capture, digest and present pathogenic molecules to the adaptive immune cells to for their activation. Importantly, we will also investigate how the innate immune response helps this second phase of response to ‘adapt’ to the nature of the infection.
3 videos1 reading2 assignments
In module five, we will look at one example of innate cells, called Natural Killers, that are directly able to destroy infected and tumour cells. We will explore how they interact with other immune cells, how they recognise their target cells and the mechanisms they use to lead to their death. Importantly, we will also discover the mechanisms that prevent their mis-activation to prevent the disastrous destruction of health host cells.
1 video3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
Imperial College London is a world top ten university with an international reputation for excellence in science, engineering, medicine and business. located in the heart of London. Imperial is a multidisciplinary space for education, research, translation and commercialisation, harnessing science and innovation to tackle global challenges. Imperial students benefit from a world-leading, inclusive educational experience, rooted in the College’s world-leading research. Our online courses are designed to promote interactivity, learning and the development of core skills, through the use of cutting-edge digital technology.
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Reviewed on Aug 11, 2023
Overall Good. But video has a problem. Audio has echo that cause headache
Reviewed on Apr 17, 2023
Perfect for my Internal Medicine Veterinary Board review. Much less abstract than written notes. Thank you :)
Reviewed on Feb 16, 2024
The best way of teaching helped me to understand the Immunology Subject very well!! Thanks to all the teachers for this wonderful course. Looking forward for more such interesting courses.
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