After this course you will be able to:
- Use the knowledge of which cells and mediators are key in the development of disturbed immune response that leads to disease.
- Understand the criteria used to assess whether or not endogenous substances may be described as mediator of a disturbed immune system associated with disease.
- Be able to explain the mechanism of action of drugs and medical food concepts which are used to target the disturbed immune system associated with disease.
- Appreciate current trends in inflammatory mediator and research on drugs and medical food concepts targeting the immune system.
- Understand in particular the pathology of particular immune-related diseases and the therapeutic approaches towards these diseases.
- Develop your skills in literature searches, literature/research evaluation, study design, performing lab work and presentations of your projects.
|
|
Immunopharmacology is a very important field of work within drug discovery and development. The rapid development in immunology in recent years have expanded our knowledge of host defense mechanisms and what goes wrong during disease. As our knowledge of human disease increases, it is becoming evident that inflammation in other words deficits in our immune system plays a significant part in many pathologies. The diseases in which the immune system has a major role, not only includes the classical inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, arthritis, allergies and the autoimmune pathologies, but also atherosclerosis, ischemic-reperfusion injury, sepsis/multiply organ failure and COPD. Inflammation is also an important component of metabolic diseases, many cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and transplantation rejection.
The aim of immunopharmacology is to provide up-to-date information on the pharmacology of the mediators and cells which drive inflammation, how they interact to provide a robust response, and how dysfunctions in these pathways lead to pathology. The course will also describe currently used drugs and medical food concepts targeting the immune system and investigate future trends in this area of pharmacological research.
|
 |
|