| Title: |
Infection & Immunity: Monitoring of immune responses, infections and vaccine research during clinical studies |
| Keywords: |
Drugs and vaccines
Diagnostics
Laboratory
Pathogens
Biosafety
|
| Country: |
Germany
|
| Institution: |
Germany - Center for International Health at the Ludwig-Maximilian-Universität München
|
| Course coordinator: |
Vahuka Valiyakath
|
| Date start: |
2026-01-26 |
| Date end: |
2026-01-30 |
| About duration and dates: |
The course runs for five working days, from 9.00 AM to 18.00 PM. Application deadline: 4 weeks prior to first course day. Pre-reading materials will be distributed 2 weeks prior to course commencement. The post course assignment will be due 2 weeks after the end of the face-to-face course. |
| Classification: |
advanced optional
|
| Mode of delivery: |
Face to face
|
|
Course location:
Institute for Infectious diseases and Tropical medicine, Address :Leopoldstr. 5, 80802 Munich |
|
| ECTS credit points: |
3 ECTS credits
|
SIT:
90 hours SIT:
Self-study hours: 40h pre reading (literature readings, journal club preparation)
face-to-face learning: 40h (50 SWS) = 1 week
Post course assignments: 10h |
|
| Language: |
English
|
Description:
At the end of the module, the student will be able to:
1. Discuss the different types of vaccines and molecular diagnostic approaches, various phases of vaccine and diagnostic development, and recent advancements in the field.
2. Critically appraise the key principles of standard regulatory requirements for assay validation, with a focus on guidelines from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
3. Apply on a basic level laboratory techniques used to assess and diagnose infections through molecular methods, as well as the evaluation of pathogen-specific antibody and T cell responses commonly applied in vaccine trials and observational clinical studies.
4. Apply concepts on how to work safely with human specimens, following the basic requirements of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP), including processing, preservation, and quality assurance procedures. |
|
Assessment Procedures:
The assessment includes both formative and summative parts.
Formative Assessment:
● Students receive informal feedback during practical sessions.
● Each student presents a scientific article related to the course (assigned 2 weeks in advance with pre-readings).Informal feedback is given to the student.
Summative Assessment:
● Multiple-choice test on course theory (50% of final grade). Grade required to pass is 60%.
● Post-course assignment: Exercise on analysis is usually given of a selected pathogen (50% of final grade).
● Students must also complete the online training “Introduction to Good Clinical Laboratory Practice” and submit the certificate.
Re-sit and Failure Policy:
● If a student fails either summative part, one online re-sit of the same type is allowed within 14 days (no grade cap). If failed again, it leads to definitive failure. |
|
Content:
Biosafety & Molecular Detection Techniques
Iintroduced to biosafety procedures and molecular pathogen detection using PCR. Includes lectures on working with human specimens, PCR principles, and diagnostic development. Hands-on PCR practice and result discussion.
Introduction to Immunomonitoring, Vaccine Research & ELISPOT Assay
Covers basic immunology, vaccine trial processes, and specimen handling logistics. Practical sessions include ELISPOT assay to study pathogen-specific T cells. Journal club sessions deepen understanding of vaccine development.
Advanced Immunomonitoring of T Cell Responses
Focuses on innate immunity and advanced ELISPOT techniques across both sessions. Journal clubs on vaccine cross-protection and mucosal immunity. Practical excercises on ELISPOT experiments and summarize learnings.
B Cell & Antibody Monitoring Techniques (ELISA)
Covers antibody detection via ELISA, with lectures and practicals on virus-specific antibody monitoring. ELISA data analysis will be done. Journal clubs present research on ELISA related research and antibody targeting.
Flow Cytometry & Environmental Pathogen Surveillance
Learn to characterize B and T cells using flow cytometry. Data visualization techniques and description on recent topics of interest ( could be updated each year) as an example -sewage-based pathogen monitoring- case of polio detection. |
|
Methods:
40-hours pre-reading selected articles and preparation of article presentation (“Journal club”)
40-hours face-to-face:
o Practical hands-on course (ca 15 hours)
o Lectures (ca 20 hours)
o Journal Club and discussions (5 hours)
10-hour post course assignment home work |
|
Prerequisites:
Participants should have English language skills at a B2 level. Those from tropEd institutions are considered sufficiently fluent.
Participants are expected to have prior experience in and a demonstrated interest in infectious diseases. |
|
Attendance:
Minimum 4 to maximum of 8 students |
|
Selection:
First come first serve |
|
|
|
Scholarships:
Not available |
|
tropEd accreditation:
Accredited in Heidelberg June GA 2025. The accreditation is valid until June 2030 |
|
Remarks:
22. Remarks[A29] [A30] : A guide to vaccinology: from basic principles to new developments
Pollard AJ & Bijker et al. 2020, Nature Reviews Immunology
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-020-00479-7
Review on SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development.
Sharma et al. 2020, Front. Immunol
doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.585354
Immune correlates analysis of the mRNA-1273COVID-19 vaccine efficacy clinical trial
Gilbert et al. 2022, Science
DOI: 10.1126/science.abm3425
Bauer et al., JV 2015: Preferential Targeting of Conserved Gag Regions after Vaccination with a Heterologous
doi: 10.1128/JVI.00730-17 |
|
| Email Address: |
ttu@lrz.uni-muenchen.de |
| Date Of Record Creation: |
2025-07-02 10:46:26 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Of Record Release: |
2025-07-02 10:55:50 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Record Checked: |
2025-07-02 (W3C-DTF) |
| Date Last Modified: |
2025-07-02 10:55:50 (W3C-DTF) |
