Clinical Immunology
Syllabus of lectures
Syllabus of lectures on Clinical Immunology, Academic year 2025/2026, Summer semester
1.) March 6, 2026. Hypersensitivity reactions - type I. Allergies
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DrSc.
- Allergies. Atopy and anaphylaxis
- Immunopathogenetic mechanisms of type I HR. Allergens, IgE antibodies, Fc receptors, mast cells, basophils and eosinophils
- Primary and secondary mediators of allergic reactions
- Genetics of allergy. Anaphylactic shock and its therapy. Pseudoallergic reactions - non-IgE-mediated allergic reactions
2.) March 13, 2026. Hypersensitivity reactions - types II to V
Juraj Javor, MD., PhD.
- Hypersensitivity reactions types II - V
- Immunopathogenic mechanisms and clinical manifestations
- Drug reactions, post-transfusion reactions, Rh-incompatibility - immunopathogenesis, clinical symptomatology
- Local and systemic type III hypersensitivity reactions. Arthus reaction
- Serum sickness, clinical manifestations, therapy
- Contact dermatitis, photoallergic dermatitis
- Graves’ disease, Hashimoto’s disease, myasthenia gravis
3.) March 20, 2026. Autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DrSc.
- Autoimmunity and autoimmune diseases
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Autoinflammatory diseases
4.) March 27, 2026. Selected autoimmune diseases, II
Juraj Javor, MD., PhD.
- Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of selected autoimmune diseases
- Myasthenia gravis
- Psoriasis vulgaris
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
5.) April 3, 2026. Systemic inflammation. Sepsis and septic shock (online, pdf version)
Michaela Kopčová, MD., PhD.
- Systemic inflammation, MODS, MOF and septic shock
- The role of Th1 and Th2 immunity, and pro- and anti-inflammatory immune response
- SIRS, CARS, MARS and PICS. The role of HPA axis
- History of sepsis definition
- Differential diagnosis of systemic infectious and non-infectious inflammation
6.) April 10, 2026. Selected autoimmune diseases, III
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DSc.
- Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of selected autoimmune diseases
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuromyelitis optica
7.) April 17, 2026. Manipulation of immune mechanisms, I
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DrSc.
- Immunoprevention, immunoprophylaxis
- Types of vaccines, vaccination program in Slovakia
- Immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive drugs
8.) April 24, 2026. Transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells, tissues and organs
Assoc. prof. Ivana Shawkatová, Mgr., PhD.
- Nomenclature of transplantations
- Transplantation reactions HvG and GvH. Exceptions from rejections. Kidney, hematopoietic stem cell and umbilical cord blood transplantations
9.) May 1, 2026. Manipulation of immune mechanisms, II (online, pdf version)
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DSc.
- Monoclonal antibodies and cytokines in the therapy of autoimmune diseases, infections and tumors
- Therapy by peptides, fusion proteins and small molecules
- Therapy by CAR T cells and Sipuleucel-T
10.) May 8, 2026. Immunology of pregnancy. Feto-maternal interactions (online, pdf version)
Assoc. prof. Vladimíra Ďurmanová, RNDr., PhD.
- Immunological paradox in pregnancy. Tolerance of the fetus by the immune system of the mother
- The role of HLA-G in pregnancy
- Immune system development in fetus and newborns
11.) May 15, 2026. Tumors and anti-tumor immunity
Assoc. prof. Vladimíra Ďurmanová, RNDr., PhD.
- Etiology of malignant transformations of cells (causative physical, chemical and biological factors)
- Immunoediting and the role of inflammation in cancer
- Anti-tumor immune mechanisms
- Escape mechanisms of tumor cells from immune surveillance
- Tumor microenvironment. Metastatic processes
- Immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy of tumors
12.) May 22, 2026. Immunodeficiencies. AIDS
Juraj Javor, MD., PhD.
- General hallmarks of immunodeficiencies
- Overview of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, occurrence rates
- Primary deficiencies of cellular and humoral innate immunity
- Adaptive cellular, humoral and combined immunodeficiencies
- Secondary immunodeficiencies. AIDS. Nomenclature of AIDS. Structure of HIV. Interactions between HIV and immune cells
- Clinical stages of AIDS. Epidemiology of HIV infections and prevention. Diagnosis and therapy
Prof. Richard Imrich, MD., DrSc.
Head of the institute
Bratislava, February 6, 2026
The lectures will be held on Fridays between 2.30 and 4.20 p.m. in the library of the Institute of Immunology.
Exam questions
Study literature
Obligatory textbook
Buc M: Basic and Clinical Immunology. 4th revised edition. Bratislava; Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, 2020, 554 p.
Video- and pdf-presentations in MSTeams
Recommended textbooks
Abbas AK, Pillai S, Lichtman, AH, Henrickson, S: Cellular and Molecular Immunology, 11th ed. Elsevier 2025, 600 p.
Murphy KM, Weaver C, Berg L: Janeway's Immunobiology, 10th ed. W. W. Norton & Company 2022, 960 p.
Stranford S, Owen JA, Punt J, Jones P: Kuby Immunology, 8th ed. Macmillan Learning 2023, 996 p.
Information on exam
Dear students,
the immunology exam will take the form of a multiple choice test in Moodle. The test will consist of 40 questions with five options. You can get a total of 200 points. You will have 50 minutes to complete the test.
Rating:
140-150 points: E
151-160 points: D
161-170 points: C
171-185 points: B
186-200 points: A
You should be able to see your result right after completing the test.
prof. Mária Bucová
Head of the Institute