The course addresses the applications of advanced and emerging biotechnology techniques in the field of infectious diseases with particular emphasis on innate and adaptive immunity to pathogens and the methodologies employed for their evaluation. Moreover, the student should master the fundamental concepts of vaccinology and passive immunotherapy or prophylaxis of infectious diseases.
Prerequisiti
Students must have passed the following exams: Immunology and General Pathology
Metodi didattici
Traditional ex-cathedra classes, switched classes, seminars, revisions.
Verifica Apprendimento
Multiple choice questions.
Testi
Janeway Immunobiology, 10th edition.
Contenuti
Immunological basis of host's response to pathogens. Immunological techniques for diagnosis and monitoring of major infectious diseases. Molecular and cellular components of iimmune responses to pathogens. Interferons, NK cells, NKT, gamma-delta T cells. Identification of specific antigens and antibodies: ELISA, ELISpot, Western blot, immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence. Phenotypic and functional analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations: flow cytometry, cell sorting, magnetic bead enrichment. T-cell immune responses, MHC restriction and peptide recognition: tetramer/pentamer staining, IFN-gamma ELISpot, intracellular staining of cytokines, T helper cell subsets, Tregs, CFSE staining, cytotoxicity assays: degranulation (CD107a staining). T-cell tolerance to pathogens and exhaustion. Monoclonal antibody development for diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases. Humanized and human monoclonal antibodies from B-cell derived plasmablasts. Properties and fine specificity. Fab technology, bi- tri-specific monoclonal antibodies and engagers. Virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. Development traditional and genetic vaccines for prevention of infectious diseases. mRNA vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Soluble antigen vs particulate antigen immunization. Limitations of traditional vaccine technologies. Recombinat vector assembly for optimization of protective CD8+ T-cell immunity. Single-cell sequencing for transcriptomics.