Registry

Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2012 - 2013
Please note that this information is subject to change.

Module Title	Cell Recognition and Targeting
Module Code	BE518
School	School of Biotechnology
Online Module Resources
Module Co-ordinator	Semester 1: Dermot Walls Semester 2: Dermot Walls Autumn: Dermot Walls
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	7.5
Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

Description

To provide the student with an understanding of how cell surface molecules of the immune system can be exploited for targeting of therapeutics.To provide the student with an understanding of how manipulation of cell surface molecules can be used in therapeutic intervention.To give the student the relevant background and expertise to understand how antibodies are generated and applied for cell recognition and the delivery of therapeutics.To provide the student with the relevant background information necessary to understand how genes of therapeutic interest are delivered to specific cell subtypes using antibody and viral-based systems.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe the cells involved in innate and adaptive immunity.
2. Describe key cell surface molecules that are important in cell interactions in the immune system.
3. Identify how targeting receptors involved in antigen recognition can be used for therapeutic benefit.
4. Describe case studies which demonstrate the use of cell surface molecules in therapeutic intervention.
5. Describe antibody production
6. Discriminate how various antibody-based molecules can be derived by chemical and recombinant approaches.
7. Identify the problems associated with targeted delivery and how they may be overcome
8. Identify the rationale in designing specific targeting approaches and their selection
9. Explain transgene delivery using viral vectors
10. Describe the background to and construction of recombinant viral vectors

Workload	Full-time hours per semester
*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Lecture	20	No Description
Tutorial	6	No Description
Lecturer supervised learning	8	No Description
Independent learning	153	No Description
Total Workload: 187

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Indicative Syllabus:.
Overview of innate and adaptive immunity.Cell surface markers of the immune system.Manipulation of cell surface markers for therapeutic intervention. Use of cell surface markers for targeting to immune cells. Overview of antibody production. Recombinant antibodies and antibody fragments. Targeting: antibody-based strategies and their associated problems. Procedures for labelling antibodies. Cell recognition; selection of surface markers and value for antibody targeting. Problems associated with antibody use in targeting; in vitro and in vivo and how they may be overcome. Case studies to illustrate rationale used. Case studies where students must work singly and in groups to design a strategy for targeting. This will relate specifically to research projects associated directly with the overall focus of the graduate school and its research aims.Overview of transgene delivery using recombinant viruses. Recombinant Adenoviral vectors: design, construction and applications. Recombinant Lentiviral vectors: design, construction and applications. Targeted transduction strategies for recombinant Lentiviral vectors. Transcriptional targeting of recombinant viral vectors. Gene silencing using recombinant viral vectors. Candidate disorders for therapeutic intervention (selected topics).

Indicative Reading List:.
Roitt, I. et al. Essential Immunology, Blackwell, 2006.Wilson, K. and Walker J. Principles and Techniques of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 6th Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2005.An up-to-date list of relevant reviews articles from scientific journals will be provided annually.

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment	0%	Examination Weight	100%

Course Work Breakdown
Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assignment	Presentation/case study	25%	n/a
Assignment	Presentation/case study	25%	n/a
Assignment	Presentation/case study	25%	n/a
Assignment	Presentation/case study	25%	n/a

Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; 1 = A resit is available for all components of the module 2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module 3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
This module is category 1

Indicative Reading List

Other Resources

None

Array

Programme or List of Programmes

AMPD

PhD

AMPM

MSc

AMPT

PhD-track

BTPD