BIOL405 - First Line of Defense: the Role of Innate Immunity in Disease

All organisms, from bacteria to humans, rely on innate, non-specific defense systems to protect against infection and mediate damage. Even in organisms that can generate highly specific and efficient adaptive responses, such as humans, defects in innate immune system components can be fatal. In this course, we will examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms of the components of the innate immune system through discussion of primary literature. We will explore how the innate immune system influences the course of infections and cancer, as well as autoinflammatory disorders that lead to host tissue damage. Though our focus will be on mammalian immunity, we will also explore the evolutionary development of innate immunity through comparison of systems in different organisms.