Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis

This course is for students who have completed the Fundamental Immunology course. The intent is to acquaint participants with the latest developments in the field of immunobiology and microbial pathogenesis, and to provide guidance for honing skills in scientific discussion and critical thinking. Over the years IMP has developed a portfolio of six-week mini-courses on a variety of front-line topics. Under the motto of learning from each other, each academic year faculty and students choose up to four topics from the repertory or design new ones. While faculty will recruit lecturers from within their own ranks, our sister programs and experts from neighboring institutions, students will actively participate in the course organization and run the discussion sessions following each of the didactic lectures given by the faculty member. Selected topics will be studied in great depth, covering historical perspectives, underlying principles, current status, significance for contemporary immunology and prospects for translational application. Moreover, attempts will be made to connect immunological specialization with general principles of biology and biochemistry.

Course Director: Julie Magarian Blander

Term: Fall 2021

Dates: September 15- December 8, 2021

Day/Time: Wednesdays from 1:00-4:00 PM 

2021 Advance topics in Immunology Course Offering:

• Advance topics in Immunology: Module 1: Host-microbiome Interactions 
• Course Syllabus:  fall_2021_advanced_topics_in_immunology_-_module_1.pdf

1. Module Director: Gregory Sonneberg                                      

• Advance topics in Immunology: Module 2: Cancer: Immunity and Immunotherapy
• Course Syllabus:  fall_2021_advanced_topics_in_immunology_-_module_2.pdf

1. Module Director: Niroshana Anandasabapathy                               

Quarters I and II of this course provide a comprehensive overview of basic immunology beginning with the innate immune responses, followed by a study of the main aspects of acquired immunity. Specific interactions of target cells and T cells that are regulated by the MHC molecule and peptide antigens on the target cell and the antigen specific T cell receptor are studied. The generation and molecular structure of B and T cell antigen receptors, and signaling through immune receptors are covered in detail. Additionally, the development of antigen specific T and B cells and specific roles for some cytokines/lymphokines are also explored. Quarters III and IV of the course cover in more depth T and B cell-mediated immunity and topics of clinical relevance, such as microbial immunity, allergy, autoimmunity, tumor immunology, congenital and acquired immunodeficiencies, transplantation immunology, and immunotherapy. All the topics are studied through lectures and in-depth review of selected articles.

Course Director: Ming Li

Term(s): Fall 2023, Spring 2024

Day/Time: Tuesdays & Fridays from 1:15 PM-4:15 PM 

Course Syllabus:  2023-2024_fim_syllabus.pdf

This course is designed to provide all IMP students with the opportunity to present their thesis research to a critical audience  of their peers, postdoctoral trainees and faculty. The experience gained is invaluable for developing into an independent scientist.

Course Director: Andrea Schietinger

Course Schedule:  imp_rip_schedule_oct_2021_-_june_2022.pdf

Term(s): Fall 2021, Spring 2022

Day/Time: Thursdays from 12:00-1:00 PM

This course provides an overview of bacterial, protozoan, and metazoan pathogens, and the diverse mechanisms by which they elicit disease in humans. Select topics will also be presented on the evolution and diversity of cellular and genetic systems in human pathogens. The course includes a discussion of pathogen immune evasion strategies and will therefore assume Fundamental Immunology as a pre-requisite or concurrent course.

Spring 2022 Microbial Pathogenesis- Rockefeller University 

Infectious diseases continue to be a leading cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide as well as an important cause of economic loss and the ‘poverty trap’ in developing countries. Microbial Pathogenesis focuses on the molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions and pathogenesis of representative bacterial, fungal, and protozoan diseases. Topics include malaria, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, selected gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial infections, pathogenic mycobacteria, opportunistic mycoses, the evolution of pathogenicity, and the impact of the host microbiota during microbial pathogenesis, and the development of antimicrobials and vaccines. The course is taught by Rockefeller and Cornell faculty and selected guest speakers. Each class includes a lecture followed by an in-depth discussion of assigned papers with the lecturer. The discussion can be continued at lunch with the speaker. 

Each class includes a lecture, followed by one or two (depending on the number of students) 20- minute presentations by students on a paper suggested by the speaker in which they outline follow-up experiments. Lunch with the speaker follows for a set of interested students. Course requirements include attendance, participation in the discussions, individual presentations, and a three-page research proposal at the end of the course.

Course Directors: Luciano Marraffini and Jeremy Rock 

Drs. Marraffini and Rock will offer Microbial Pathogenesis in Spring 2022. 

Stay tuned for the Microbial Pathogenesis course syllabus. 

Dates: March 4– June 17, 2022

Day/Time: Fridays from 10 am -12:00 pm

Location: Carson Auditorium

This course will prepare students to apply quantitative techniques to the analysis of experimental data and the modeling of biological systems. To emphasize both practical and theoretical skills, the material will be presented whenever possible in a hands-on workshop style, and the completion of several projects by the students will be required. Topics include: practical aspects of data formatting and management; communication of quantitative concepts (verbal, graphical and mathematical); a review of statistics, with emphasis on the selection of appropriate statistical tests; the use of modern software packages; the interpretation of results; the formulation, evaluation and analysis of mathematical models of biological function, with an emphasis on linear and non-linear regression, determination of model parameters; and the critical comparison of alternative models with regard to over-parameterization. The formal components will introduce (and demystify) ordinary and partial differential equations and basic principles of non-linear dynamics, in order to enable quantitative modeling in biological arenas such as neural function, enzyme kinetics, cardiac dynamics and signaling pathways. Additional special topics will also be presented (e.g., control theory, machine learning, information theory, and image analysis) and their application will be illustrated with ongoing research in the laboratories of participating faculty.

2021 Quantitative Biology (Qbio) Course Registration

Non-PBS students may now satisfy the Quantitative Biology course requirement by taking IDPT 9001 01, Applied Quantitative Techniques for Biological Sciences.  PBS students should register for PBSB 5005 01, Quantitative Understanding in Bio 1.  

If any non-PBS student including students in the Tri-Institutional programs wishes to enroll, please email Dr. Lucy Skrabanek to request permission to enroll.  

Applied Quantitative Techniques for the Biological Sciences

There is a new course this Fall substituting the traditional Quant Bio course. The new course is entitled Applied Quantitative Techniques for the Biological Sciences. This course will be delivered to students of all programs including Neuro, Pharmacology, IMP, and BCMB. 

Dates: August 23, 2021- October 22, 2021

Day(s)/Time: Tuesday and Thursday, 5:30pm – 7:00pm

Syllabus:  2021_applied_quantitative_techniques_for_biologicial_sciences_syllabus.pdf 

If you are interested in enrolling in the course please contact: Chun-Jun Guo 

The objectives of this course are to: heighten students' awareness of ethical considerations relevant to the conduct of research; inform students of federal, state, and institutional policies, regulations, and procedures; and provide students with critical analysis and problem-solving skills for ethical decision-making.

Required Year 1 and Year 5.

2021 Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Course

We are excited to continue the use of the Saba /MyLearning Platform for the delivery of the Fall 2021 RCR course! All course modules, videos, slides, and case studies within this platform. Participants' status updates and completion will be monitored and updated within the Saba/MyLearning platform.

Enrollment for the Fall 2021 Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) course is currently underway. Click here to REGISTER. REGISTRATION ENDS August 30, 2021.

Trainees required to complete RCR training will receive an email with instructions and important information for Saba Could registration and password creation. If you are interested in taking the RCR course, but not on the “required” list,  please contact the RCR Course Director, Maika G. Mitchell, PhD at mitchem2@mskcc.org, or the RCR Course Coordinator, Patrice Best-Second at bestsecp@mskcc.org for more information and explore the external web page at www.mskcc.org/rcr.

Out of the abundance of precaution, participants must complete 8 hours of “face-to-face” class hours via Zoom Virtual Meeting.

Orientation: Wednesday, September 8, 2021, from 4-6 PM.

Makeup Orientation: Wednesday, September 15, 2021, from 10 am-12 pm.

Small-Group Session #1: Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 4-6 pm         

Small-Group Session #2: Thursday, November 4, 2021, 4-6 pm

Small-Group Session #3: Tuesday, December 7, 2021, 4-6 pm

Additional REQUIRED Workshop as per RCR Policy: “Reproducibility, Replication, Rigor, and Transparency in the Scientific Enterprise” – recording and slides are embedded in the Saba Online Course.

Questions on course content, your obligation to participate, or waivers can be addressed to RCR Course Director: Maika Mitchell, Ph.D. at mitchem2@mskcc.org  or Patrice Best-Second bestsecp@mskcc.org.

The course is a collaborative effort of Memorial Sloan-Kettering, Rockefeller University (RU), Weill Cornell Medicine (WCM), and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).

This course is designed to offer all graduate students in the program an exposure to cutting-edge research by national and international leaders in all fields of immunology, including natural immunity, B and T cell biology, immunity to infectious agents and tumors.

To see a full list of our current and previous RSS speakers please press on the links below:

2021-2022 IMP RSS:  imp_rss_fall_2021_flyer.pdf

2020-2021 IMP RSS: 

2019-2020 IMP RSS:  rss_fall_2019-_spring_2020.pdf

2018-2019 IMP RSS:  rss_fall_2018-_spring_2019.pdf