| WEEK # | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Introduction of Instructor and Students Overview and Discussion of the Syllabus Aim of the Course How to Read a Scientific Paper Literature and Database Searching Introduction to Next Week's Topic |
|
Part I: Defense Mechanisms Developed by Unicellular Organisms |
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2 |
Recognition of Foreign Nucleic Acids The Restriction/Modification (R-M) System |
|
3 |
Recognition of Foreign Nucleic Acids RNAi |
|
4 |
Anti-microbial Peptides |
|
5 |
Altruistic Death |
|
Part II: The Transition to Multi-Cellularity Resulted in Cell Specialization |
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6 |
How are pathogens recognized by multi-cellular organisms? Pattern Recognition and Missing Self |
Assignment 1 due |
7 |
How do multi-cellular organisms destroy pathogens? Phagocytosis |
|
8 |
How do multi-cellular organisms destroy pathogens? Complement and Reactive Oxygen |
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Part III: An Evolutionary Milestone: The Origin of an Adaptive Immune System |
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9 |
Receptors of the Adaptive Immune System Antigen Recognition by Cells of the Adaptive Immune System Involves the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) |
|
10 |
Clonal Selection and Immunological Memory |
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11 |
How does the adaptive immune system interact with the innate immune system? |
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12 |
Change or Die |
|
13 |
Student Oral Presentations Course Evaluations |
Assignment 2 due |
