Undergraduate - Area of Study Immunology

NOTE: This area of study has had one or more changes made to it since publication on 1 October 2011. For details of change/s, please consult the change register at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2012handbooks/2012-change-register.html.

The immune system is central to many key areas of health and disease. It provides the host with a highly sophisticated strategy for defence against invading micro-organisms including viruses, bacteria and larger parasites but is also responsible for allergies, autoimmunity and rejection of tissue transplants. The study of immunology provides a framework for examining how our immune system is structured and generated and how it provides defences against foreign invaders such as viruses and bacteria. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of the immune system leads to vaccine development and also therapy of immune disorders such as allergy, autoimmunity and transplant rejection. There is also evidence that the immune system can target cancer cells and thus has an important and fundamental role in maintaining host health and homeostasis.

Evidence of the importance of the immune system is abundant. It is the basis of vaccination against common pathogens that cause diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus, hepatitis, cervical cancer etc, so we are protected upon future exposure. Allergic diseases such as hay fever and asthma are examples of diseases associated with dysregulation of the immune response, as are autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. In transplantation of tissues such as heart, lung and kidney, the immune system must to be controlled to prevent rejection. These are examples of immunity in our everyday lives and for which there are still questions and problems to overcome to improve treatments.

Knowledge of the mechanisms for coordination and regulation of the immune system is an exciting and rapidly advancing frontier in many areas of human health. A better understanding of how the immune system functions, and can be manipulated, will have major implications for many research areas such as improving vaccine development for diseases such as AIDS, influenza, malaria and cancer as well as devising targeted cures for autoimmune diseases and allergy, overcoming immunodeficiencies and preventing tissue rejection following transplantation.

An understanding of immunology complements a number of branches of biomedical science such as pathology, biochemistry and microbiology.

Objectives

Immunology sequence

On completion of the major sequence in immunology students will be able to:

• define the structural and cellular components of the immune system
• describe in detail how the immune system generates specificity and diversity
• describe the cellular and molecular interactions and regulation of the immune response
• apply knowledge of immune defences to host control of pathogenic infections
• define the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of disorders associated with an excessive, defective or unwarranted immune response
• demonstrate proficiency in immunological techniques
• plan, execute and report a mini-research project
• demonstrate graduate attributes of effective communication, quantitative literacy, information and communication literacy, inquiry and critical thinking, and ethical, social and international understanding.

Immunology and human pathology sequence

On completion of the major sequence in immunology and human pathology, students will be able to:

• define the key structural and cellular components of the immune system
• describe how the immune system generates specificity and diversity
• describe mechanisms for regulation of the immune response
• apply knowledge of immune defences to host control of pathogenic infections
• understand and describe the principles of immunological techniques
• understand and describe basic pathological processes
• recognise and describe pathological changes associated with inflammatory, immunological, vascular and neoplastic diseases
• understand and describe tissue pathology associated with important diseases of the cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, urinary, haematopoietic, female and male genital systems
• demonstrate proper use the microscope to identify normal and abnormal tissue histology
• demonstrate skills in problem solving relating to specific diseases and disease processes and be able to relate these to the clinical presentation
• demonstrate graduate attributes of effective communication, quantitative literacy, information and communication literacy, inquiry and critical thinking, and ethical, social and international understanding.

Level two

• IMM2011 Basic immunology: The body's defence system
• IMM2022 Immunology in health and disease

Level three

• HUP3011 Human pathology 1: Understanding disease processes
• HUP3022 Human pathology 2: Pathology of human diseases
• IMM3031 Molecular and cellular immunology
• IMM3042 Clinical immunopathology
• IMM3051 Principles of applied immunology
• IMM3062 Clinical and research laboratory immunology
• IMM3990 Immunology in action research project

Minor sequence in immunology (24 points)

• BIO1022 and one of CHM1011, CHM1031 or CHM1022
• IMM2011 and IMM2022

Major sequence in immunology (48 points)

• BIO1022 and one of CHM1011, CHM1031 or CHM1022
• IMM2011 and IMM2022
• IMM3031, IMM3042, IMM3051 and one of IMM3062 or IMM3990

Major sequence in human pathology (48 points)

• BIO1011 and BIO1022
• MOL2011 and one of DEV2022* or IMM2022*
• HUP3011 and HUP3022
• two of DEV3022, BCH3021, BCH3042, IMM3042, MIC3022, MIC3032 or MIC3041

Major sequence in immunology and human pathology (48 points)

• BIO1022 and one of CHM1011, CHM1031 or CHM1022
• IMM2011 and IMM2022
• HUP3011*, HUP3022, and two of IMM3031, IMM3042, IMM3051, IMM3062 or IMM3990 (but not IMM3062 and IMM3990)

Double major sequence in immunology and microbiology (72 points)

• BIO1011 and BIO1022, or 12 points of level one chemistry
• IMM2011, IMM2022, MIC2011 and MIC2022
• IMM3031, IMM3042, and one of IMM3051, IMM3062 or IMM3990
• MIC3032, MIC3041, and one of MIC3011, MIC3022 or MIC3990

Details of the BCH, DEV, GEN, MIC, MOL and PHY units, and some related sequences, are described in the 'biochemistry and molecular biology', 'developmental biology', 'genetics', 'microbiology' and 'physiology' entries in the Science areas of study section of the Handbook.

* Note: DEV2022 and MOL2011 are prerequisites for HUP3011; DEV2011 is a prerequisite for DEV2022; and IMM2011 is a prerequisite for IMM2022.

Requirements for honours in immunology and medical biology

• 24 points of relevant level-three units, of which normally 18 points are from units listed above

Additional information

Level two

An introduction to immunity and the immune system is offered through the semester one, level two unit (IMM2011). A second semester unit (IMM2022) provides students with exposure to key areas of immunity and the role that the immune system plays in health and disease. Together, these units provide a foundation in Immunology leading into level three units or grounding in immunological principles that may be useful across many areas of biological science.

Level three

The Department of Immunology offers five immunology units at level three. In each semester, students can take one theory-based immunology unit (IMM3031/IMM3042) and one practical-based unit (IMM3051/IMM3062) or research-based unit (IMM3990). Together, these units provide an excellent coverage of all aspects of immunology, and students will be well equipped to undertake a career in research, applied or diagnostic immunology.

Honours

The honours program is offered by the Department of Immunology and affiliated institutes. In addition to the requirements listed above, students must meet the entry requirements for the Science honours program relevant to their course of enrolment. See the entries for:

• 3520 Bachelor of Science Advanced with Honours
• 0051 Honours degree of Bachelor of Science
• 2188 Honours degree of Bachelor of Science (Science Scholar Program)

Full details regarding the course structure for honours in this area of study are outlined in course 0051 Honours degree of Bachelor of Science.

Single degrees

• 0050 Bachelor of Science
• 3520 Bachelor of Science Advanced with Honours
• 1120 Bachelor of Science (Science Scholar Program)

Double degrees

• 0530 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science
• 3537 Bachelor of Arts (Global) and Bachelor of Science
• 1469 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science
• 3517 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Computer Science
• 3711 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education
• 1633 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Education
• 3278 Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering and Bachelor of Science
• 3282 Bachelor of Mechatronics Engineering and Bachelor of Science
• 0085 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Engineering
• 0086 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Laws

Honours degrees

• 0051 Honours degree of Bachelor of Science
• 2188 Honours degree of Bachelor of Science (Science Scholar Program)