Unit IMMUNOLOGICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Course
Molecular and industrial biotechnology
Study-unit Code
55A02006
Curriculum
In all curricula
Teacher
Francesco Grignani
Teachers
  • Francesco Grignani
Hours
  • 47 ore - Francesco Grignani
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2024
Offered
2024/25
Learning activities
Caratterizzante
Area
Discipline per le competenze professionali
Academic discipline
MED/04
Type of study-unit
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
Biotechnologies using immunological tools in the study, diagnosis and therapy of human pathology, with a selection of the most advanced immunological, cellular and molecular tools.
Reference texts
Janeway's Immunobiology Garland Science Abbas, Lichtman, Pillai: Cellular and Molecular Immunology
Educational objectives
Basic knowledge of the immune system and the main immunological approaches in the biotechnological sector. In particular, knowledge of classic and modern polyclonal and monoclonal antibody production strategies; on the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of antibodies in oncology, rheumatology and cardiology; on the fundamental immunochemical and immunofluorescence techniques, including the flow cytometer; on the main applications in research of Immunoprecipitation technologies for the analysis of proteins, RNA, and chromatin.
Prerequisites
Cell biology and signaling transduction. Innate and specific immune system cells. Basic mechanisms of immune reactivity.
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussions, visualization and commentary of images and laboratory procedures. Viewing movies. Work in a group. Inverted classes. Peer to peer teaching
Learning verification modality
Classroom discussion. Presentation of specific topics and insights and Bibliographic searches, as constituents of the oral exam. The exam tends to verify knowledge in the field of Molecular Immunology, the ability to communicate knowledge, the ability to expand knowledge with bibliographic research, the ability to apply knowledge to a concrete case represented by a research problem and the ability to create links between different topics and the ability to work in a team. The exam includes the autonomous construction of an original paper and the presentation of its content in a specified time of 20 minutes.
Extended program
- Basic immunology: innate and acquired immunity. Antigens and antigenic recognition by B and T lymphocytes. The antibody response. I-IV hypersensitivity reactions such as allergies and diagnostic tests. - Structure and function of antibodies (Ab) or immunoglobulins (Ig). - Protein immunoprecipitation: principles and uses. - Immunological assays and methods based on the antigen-antibody reaction: precipitation (in solution and agarose gel) and agglutination. Some applications in the biomedical diagnostic field: blood typing, bacterial typing, pregnancy test, Coombs test. Nephelometry, Turbidimetry - Polyclonal antibodies: production of an antiserum and its applications. - Monoclonal antibodies (mAb): production of murine, chimeric, humanized, human mAb (using phage display technology, transgenic animals and other technologies). - Applications of mAb in the diagnostic and therapeutic biomedical field. - Mechanisms of therapeutic antibody activity - Bispecific antibodies, BITEs and Single Chain Variable Fragments (scFv) - Chimeric antigenic receptors (CARs) - Antibodies used in anti-inflammatory therapy and in immune pathologies - Antibodies used in cholesterol lowering therapy - Immune response to tumors and tumor immunotherapy. - Signal transduction of growth factors and main types of receptors. - Antibodies active on proliferative and angiogenetic signaling - Antibodies useful for activating anti-tumor immunity (CTLA-4 system, PD-1 PDL, others) - Cellular immunotherapy and CAR-Ts - Immunotherapeutic combinations. - Chromatin structure and epigenetic regulation of gene expression - Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) - ChIP Sequencing and ChIP on chip - RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) - RIP-Sequencing - Direct and indirect immunofluorescence techniques for the identification of surface and intracellular antigens. - Flow cytometry. Its applications in the analysis of the normal and pathological white blood cell phenotype. Elements of cell sorting. - Radio Immunological Assays (RIA, radio immuno-assay) and Immuno-Enzyme Adsorption ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), for the identification and dosage of antigens and antibodies. Some applications in the biomedical diagnostic field - Transplants and transplant rejection: tissue typing and donor-recipient compatibility tests. - Immune response to infections and strategies for vaccine development.
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