Clinical Immunology
Syllabus of lectures
Syllabus of lectures on Clinical Immunology, Academic year 2024/2025, Summer semester
1.) March 7, 2025. Hypersensitivity reactions - type I. Allergies
Assoc. prof. Mária Bucová, MD., PhD., extraordinary prof.
- 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 14, 2025. Hypersensitivity reactions - types II to V
Assoc. prof. Mária Bucová, MD., PhD., extraordinary prof.
- 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 21, 2025. Autoimmunity, autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DSc.
- Central and peripheral tolerance
- Pathogenic mechanisms of autoimmune processes and their genetic and hormonal predisposition
- Crohn’s disease
- Ulcerative colitis
- Autoinflammatory diseases
4.) March 28, 2025. Selected autoimmune diseases, II
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DSc.
- Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of selected autoimmune diseases
- Type 1 diabetes mellitus
- Multiple sclerosis
- Neuromyelitis optica
5.) April 4, 2025. Selected autoimmune diseases, III
Juraj Javor, MD., PhD.
- Immunopathogenesis and immunotherapy of selected autoimmune diseases
- Myasthenia gravis
- Psoriasis vulgaris
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Systemic lupus erythematosus
6.) April 11, 2025. Systemic inflammation. Sepsis and septic shock
Assoc. prof. Mária Bucová, MD., PhD., extraordinary prof.
- 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
7.) April 18, 2025. 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
8.) April 25, 2025. Immunology of pregnancy. Feto-maternal interactions
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
9.) May 2, 2025. Manipulation of immune mechanisms, I
Prof. Milan Buc, MD., DSc.
- Immunoprevention, immunoprophylaxis
- Types of vaccines, vaccination program in Slovakia
- Immunostimulatory and immunosuppressive drugs
10.) May 9, 2025. Manipulation of immune mechanisms, II
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
11.) May 16, 2025. Tumors and anti-tumor immunity
Assoc. prof. Vladimíra Ďurmanová, RNDr., PhD.
- Etiology of malignant transformations of cells (causative physical, chemical and biological factors)
- Immunological surveillance, hallmarks of cancer. Immunoediting
- Anti-tumor immunity
- Escape mechanisms of tumor cells from immunological surveillance
- Tumor microenvironment. Metastatic processes
- Role of inflammation in carcinogenesis and the metastatic process
- Immunodiagnosis and immunotherapy of tumors
12.) May 23, 2025. Immunodeficiencies. AIDS
Assoc. prof. Mária Bucová, MD., PhD., extraordinary prof.
- 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
Assoc. prof. Mária Bucová, MD., PhD., extraordinary prof.
Head of the department
Bratislava, February 4, 2025
The lectures will be held on Fridays between 2.30 and 4.20 p.m. on Moskovská street n. 2, room 203.
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, Lichtman, AH, Pillai S: Cellular and molecular immunology. 6th ed. New York: WB Saunders Comp., 2007, 566 p.
Murphy K, Travers P, Walport M: Janeway´s Immunobiology. 7th ed. New York: Garland Science, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2008, 887 p.
Kindt TJ et al.: Kuby´s Immunology. 6th ed. New York: W. H. Freeman Comp. 2007, 574 p.
Delves PJ, Martin SJ, Burton DR, Roitt I: Roitt´s Essential Immunology. 11th ed. London: Blackwell Publishing Limited 2006, 496 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