DIAGNOSTIC MICROBIOLOGY AND MOLECULAR IMMUNOLOGY

Diagnostic microbiology

Microbiology and pharmaceuticals
GMP and regulations
Laboratory management and design
Microbiological culture media
Microbiology laboratory techniques
Bioburden determination
Specified and objectionable microorganisms
Microbial identification
Assessment of pharmaceutical water systems
Endotoxin and pyrogen testing
Sterilization and sterility assurance
Biological indicators: Measuring sterilization
Antibiotics and preservatives
Cleaning and disinfection
Cleanrooms and environmental monitoring
Rapid microbiological methods
Risk assessment
Manufacturing and validation
Microbiological data
Auditing the microbiology laboratory
Microbiological challenges to the pharmaceuticals and healthcare
Mycetes: general concepts and guidelines for identification and culture
Biofilms and Quorum Sensing
Study of complex microbial commuities

Molecular Immunology

Characteristics of the immune system. Innate and adaptive immunity. Identification of the pathogen by the cells of the innate system: PAMP and PRR. Toll-like receptors. Origin of the cells of the immune system. Recruitment of the leukocytes to the infection site. Natural killer cells and their role in the immune system.
Major histocompatibility complex: gene organization, protein structure and biological function. HLA typing.
Antibody structure. Monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, generation of monoclonal antibody and their use in the lab and in the clinic. Evolution of monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies as drugs. B cell activation and antibody production: signal transduction and functional responses.
The innate response to viral infections.
Immunological tolerance: T Cell Development, Repertoire Selection and Immune Self Tolerance.
Transplantation immunology, Types of tranplant. Immune responses to allografts. Recognition of antigens, activation of alloreactive lymphocytes. Patterns and mechanisms of allograft rejection. Immunosuppressive drugs.
Maturation of T lymphocytes and signals for T cell activation. Balancing T cell activation and control. Functional responses of T lymphocytes: Th1, Th2, Th17. Decline of T cell responses.
Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases. Mechanisms of autoimmune diseases.
Immunity to tumors. Immune responses to tumors. Tumor antigens. Evasion of immune responses by tumors. Immunotherapy for tumors. Recent advances in the immunotherapy of cancer.
Flow cytometry: principles and application in immunology