BSc Minor Modulation of the Immune System

Continue to an overview of the minor

Profile

Recent outbreaks of corona viruses and bird flu show that humans and animals are increasingly at risk of being infected with zoonotic diseases. These have increased general interest in immunology, while highlighting the gaps in our knowledge.

Modulation of the immune system is essential, not only for development of vaccines, but also for protection against infections and not-communicable diseases like cancers, auto-immune disorders and cardiovascular diseases.

By enrolling in this minor, you will gain a deep understanding of how pathogens and plant-derived compounds can modulate the immune system, as well as how therapeutic and dietary interventions can enhance its function.

Next, you will learn cutting-edge cellular and molecular techniques to measure how immune cells are modulated on the single level and how to plan and design experiments.

In the final course of this minor, “Immumodulation: Up-close and Personal”, students will teach each other about an immunomodulatory topic of their choice.

This approach not only fosters a deeper understanding of immune system modulation, but also develops critical academic and transferrable skills needed in both industry and academia.

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of this minor students are expected to be able to:

• Define and memorize the basic aspects of customized immune defence reactions against pathogens
• Explain the mechanisms on how plant-derived components, pathogens and dietary interventions can modulate the immune system
• Read primary scientific literature, and share the knowledge with others in a useful manner
• Apply acquired knowledge from courses throughout the minor and extend this to a more advanced level in a topic of choice, related to the course
• Obtain an overview of a variety of modern immunological laboratory methods and perform basic cell culture, cell stimulation/modulation and evaluate immune cell effector functions
• Design in vitro experiments to study and prove or exclude an immunomodulatory properties of plant-derived components, pathogens and dietary compounds
• Share knowledge with peers by giving lectures and leading classes

Target group

This minor is interesting for bachelor students from the programmes: Nutrition
and Health, Biology,  Animal Sciences, Biotechnology, Molecular Life Science and students from Applied Science (HBO) with a biomedical background.

Assumed Knowledge

Bachelor students from the programmes: Nutrition and Health, Biology, Animal Sciences, Biotechnology, Molecular Life Science or comparable BSc programmes from other universities and students from Applied Science (HBO) with a biomedical background.

Language

English

Semester

Second semester (period 4, 5 and 6)

Programme or thematic

Thematic minor