Course catalogue doctoral education - VT24
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| Title | Clinical and experimental neuroimmunology |
|---|---|
| Course number | 3200 |
| Programme | 1-Included in several programmes |
| Language | English |
| Credits | 1.5 |
| Date | 2019-10-14 -- 2019-10-18 | Responsible KI department | Department of Clinical Neuroscience |
| Specific entry requirements | |
| Purpose of the course | The purpose of this course is to enable doctoral students and other participants to gain an understanding of the major neuroinflammatory diseases and the key players involved, including the interaction between the central nervous and immune systems. An additional purpose is that those who participate in the course learn to understand critical aspects of creating and using experimental systems to model neuroinflammatory diseases. |
| Intended learning outcomes | After this course the students should be able to: (i) describe the basic clinical characteristics of the major neuroinflammatory diseases; Multiple Sclerosis (MS), Myasthenia Gravis (MG) Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS), and Narcolepsy, (ii) explain how to create experimental models for neuroinflammatory diseases in rats and mice, compare models and discuss their advantages and limitations, (iii) evaluate and interpret new findings and recent scientific papers in the field in relation to main previous findings and (iv) speculate on molecular mechanisms underlying neuroinflammatory disease and hypothesize how knowledge on these mechanisms can enable therapy and prevention. |
| Contents of the course | The course includes an overview of clinical symptoms, signs, pathology, treatments and diagnostic criteria for the most important neuroimmunological diseases including MS, MG GBS/CIDP and Narcolepsy. Also included is an overview of experimental models of neuroimmunological diseases, with an emphasis on techniques for genetic analysis (intercrosses, congenics, transgenics etc). Key molecular concepts in neuroinflammation are covered such as immune mechanisms (the blood-brain barrier (BBB), major cell players, MHC-TCR interaction, costimulation, chemoattraction) as well as key tissue degeneration/regeneration. Different techniques used to study neuroinflammation are discussed including imaging, high-throughput genotyping, expression analysis and proteomics. |
| Teaching and learning activities | The course combines: (i) traditional lectures (usually in the morning), given by the experts in the field, (ii) an afternoon with video demonstrations of experimental models, (iii) a structured discussion in small groups to design an experimental model for one of the major neuroinflammatory diseases with a short presentation to the class, followed by the evaluation of strengths and weaknesses of an experimental model proposed by another group and (iv) an individual assignment followed by an interactive presentation/discussion on the last day. The assignment will consist of a presentation of a high-impact scientific paper relevant to the student's own research topic and that is of importance for the neuroimmunology field. |
| Compulsory elements | All lectures, demonstrations and group tasks are compulsory. Compensation for absence can be discussed with the course directors, and may involve literature reviews with written reports on the topic missed. |
| Examination | Examination will be based on the groups assignment/discussion and the individual assignment, including the subsequent discussions (please see ""Teaching and learning activities"") and the feedback given to other students on their assignments. In their presentations, students should be able to comment on the design of their experimental model for one of the major neuroinflammatory diseases or article of choice in the context of the items described above under ""learning outcomes"". Guidelines for the preparation of the assignments will be sent out to the students two weeks before the start of the course. |
| Literature and other teaching material | Course litterature will consist of lecture handouts and current scientific papers (and reviews) handed out during the course. |
| Number of students | 10 - 30 |
| Selection of students | Selection will be based on 1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant's doctoral project (according to written motivation), 2) date for registration as a doctoral student (priority given to earlier registration date) |
| More information | The course will run Monday - Friday, 8:30/9:00 - 17:00. The course will be located at CMM on the Universityhospital campus in Solna: Building L8, Karolinska Vägen 6, 171 76 Solna. The course is given jointly by the doctoral programmes Allergy, immunology and inflamation (Aii) and Neuroscience (Neuro). See: https://ki.se/en/staff/doctoral-programmes. |
| Additional course leader | |
| Latest course evaluation | Not available |
| Course responsible |
Pernilla Strid Department of Clinical Neuroscience Pernilla.Strid@ki.se |
| Contact person |
Manuel Zeitelhofer Institutionen för medicinsk biokemi och biofysik Manuel.Zeitelhofer@ki.se Milena Zeitelhofer-Adzemovic Institutionen för klinisk neurovetenskap Milena.Zeitelhofer-Adzemovic@ki.se |
