Immunology at Eye Level: An Artistic View of the Immune System

Frontiers in Immunology, 2019

Immunology has its developmental roots in understanding protection of the host from pathogens, leading to the development of vaccines and subsequently identification of soluble and cellular components of the immune system. Thus, immunology education has historically been tightly linked to infectious disease. Decades of research have demonstrated that the complexity and intricacies of the immune system are far greater than perhaps was once imagined. As a system that interfaces with all other organ systems in the body, it plays a key role in both maintaining health and causing lifethreatening disease, thereby solidifying its importance in several clinical specialties beyond protective immunity. In the past decade, tremendous advances have taken place in which scientists and physicians have begun to harness the power of the immune system to create immunotherapies to fight cancer, inflammatory syndromes and autoimmune diseases. Thus, the argument can be made that training individuals in the field of immunology is becoming increasingly important. However, immunology is a highly conceptual discipline and understanding how the multiple cellular and soluble components of the immune system work in concert requires knowledge in a number of disciplines, including molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Time is needed for students to process, evaluate, and apply this information in meaningful ways. Concomitantly, knowledge in the field of immunology is expanding rapidly, bolstering the need for increased time in the curriculum to facilitate the ability of educators to convey information so that it can be effectively understood and applied. We propose that it is time for a renaissance in immunology education at the undergraduate level to better prepare individuals who will subsequently pursue careers in medicine, related health professions, and research. The purpose of this article is to discuss the current state of undergraduate immunology education with respect to its prevalence and how this compares to other biological disciplines, the need to develop robust immunology curricula at the undergraduate level and the importance of such programs in preparing students for pursuing postgraduate training in the health professions, and researchintensive careers.

The Immunology is a recent scientific discipline. The complexity of its concepts and their ever-changing could present educational challenges for teachers and barriers to learning for learners. In this article, we have tried, through an investigation by a survey, to highlight the views of a group of students for some immunological concepts concerning vaccines and vaccination. The analysis of the survey's results allows us to assess whether these perceptions can represent potential obstacles to the further acquisition of knowledge in Immunology.

Nature Immunology, 2008

Medical Science Educator, 2021

Introduction Medical students find immunology difficult to understand and relate to clinically and are often frustrated by the amount of detailed material. We created PRIME Immunology: Preview or Review of Important Material for Everyone: (i) video modules, (ii) Instagram site, and (iii) vocabulary files called Immunology Language. Methods The self-paced modules introduced key topics in immunology for students to complete prior to their instructional block. Results and Conclusions Use of PRIME Immunology during a 3-year period suggested that providing students with an overview of key topics before the start of their course may (i) reduce student angst about immunology and (ii) improve retention of immunology.

Journal of microbiology & biology education, 2016

Immunology is a domain looking first of all to understand how the human body protect himself face to the various micro-organisms present in the environment [5]. It’s considered as one of the most domains that provide a research challenge due to the complexity, the adeptness and the high distributiveness features that it characterizes. In the present chapter we are looking for giving an immunology background; in which we present an overview of the main components (organs, cells, molecules …) that belongs to the immune system with the functionalities of each one.

Journal of the History of Biology, 1994

Clinical immunology is relevant to all medical disciplines and all healthcare professionals need a basic understanding of the subject. This textbook offers the healthcare professional in training or practice a clear and simple introduction to immunology. It covers: ◆ Essential basic immunology ◆ Clinical immunology ◆ Laboratory investigations of immunological disorders ◆ Treatments used in immunological disorders Concise Clinical Immunology for Healthcare Professionals focuses on clinical problems seen in practice. It includes self-assessment questions and case histories to aid learning and understanding. It is suitable for doctors, undergraduate medical students, undergraduate and postgraduate biomedical scientists as well as nurses, nutritionists, pharmacists and physiotherapists working in specialist areas.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 2020

Philosophy of immunology is a subfield of philosophy of biology dealing with ontological and epistemological issues related to the studies of the immune system. While speculative investigations and abstract analyses have always been part of immune theorizing, until recently philosophers have largely ignored immunology. Yet the implications for understanding the philosophical basis of organismal functions framed by immunity offer new perspectives on fundamental questions of biology and medicine. Developed in the context of history of medicine, theoretical biology, and medical anthropology, philosophy of immunology differs from these related branches of study in its focus on traditional philosophical questions concerning identity, individuality, ecology, cognition, scientific methodology and theory construction. This broad agenda derives from immunology’s multifaceted research program that has developed from its initial clinical challenges of host defense, transplantation, autoimmunity, tumor immunology, and allergy. In addition to these well-established research areas, immunity is now understood to play a central role in other physiological functions, development, ecology, and evolutionary mechanics. Holding together these diverse domains of inquiry lie philosophical commitments oriented by organismal identity. In this regard, pertinent issues are raised concerning cognition (organization of immune perception and information processing), the character of individuality (framed by the ecological context of immune-mediated assimilation and rejection), and the dynamics of complex systems (understood as holistic systems biology). Indeed, immunology, in the context of cognitive science, evolutionary biology, environmental sciences, and development provides multi-focal perspectives for philosophy of science.