Immune System Evasion OpenCourseWare: MIT's Free Undergraduate Biology Class on Immune System Evasion

Published Feb 12, 2009

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Students looking to learn more about how pathogens fight the immune system and cause disease can take the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's free 'Immune System Evasion: How Sneaky Pathogens Avoid Host Surveillance' course. This free OpenCourseWare is for students with a background in general immunology pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology.

Immune System Evasion: Course Specifics

Degree Level Free Audio Video Downloads
Undergraduate Yes No No Yes

Lectures/Notes Study Materials Tests/Quizzes
No Yes No

Immune System Evasion: Course Details

'Immune System Evasion: How Sneaky Pathogens Avoid Host Surveillance' is a free OpenCourseWare class offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Based on lectures originally given by Professor Dina Gould Halme, 'Immune System Evasion' explores how bacteria and viruses manage to sneak past a host's immune system and cause infection. Lectures begin with an explanation of the mammalian immune system and its three phases, including detection, activation and effector functions. Then, the course looks at specific diseases, including Hyman Cytomegalovirus and HIV and examines how they fight against the immune system. Finally, this OpenCourseWare ends with a comparison of the mammalian immune system to that of plants, and a discussion of the applications that these topics can have in other areas. 'Immune System Evasion: How Sneaky Pathogens Avoid Host Surveillance' is part of a Bachelor of Science in Biology curriculum. You should have already taken a class in general immunology before considering this course.

This free OpenCourseWare package includes a syllabus, course calendar, annotated bibliography, descriptions of assignments and guidelines for writing papers and delivering presentations. To learn more, visit the 'Immune System Evasion' course page.

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