Immunology
BIOL-40371
Learn Immunology Online: Understanding the Body's Defense Systems
Learning Objectives
- Understand the evolutionary development and principles of the immune system
- Examine the complex interactions between innate and adaptive immunity
- Analyze immune cell development, migration, and communication
- Explore the relationship between immune dysfunction and disease
- Study current therapeutic strategies in immunological medicine
Prerequisites
A foundation in cellular biology and genetics is required, as basic concepts in cell biology, cell signaling, and principles of genetics will not be covered in the course lectures.
Course Format
This course is offered in an online asynchronous format. There are no set meeting times, however, students follow a weekly schedule and there will be deadlines to meet in terms of course requirements. This course cannot be completed at an accelerated rate.
Course Developer
All sections use content developed by Dr. Annelise Snyder, ensuring a consistent and high-quality learning experience across all offerings. To accommodate demand, we have co-instructors leading sections of his material. Regardless of the instructor, the course content remains the same, maintaining the integrity and rigor of Dr. Snyder's course design.
Transferring for College Credit
Many UC San Diego Division of Extended Studies courses may transfer to other institutions for college credit. The receiving institution determines credit transfer. We recommend consulting with your intended institution's registrar's office before enrolling to confirm transfer eligibility.
Course Topics
- Evolutionary development of the immune system and host-pathogen interactions
- Development, function, and regulation of innate and adaptive immune cells
- Migration of immune cells through the body and the anatomy of lymphoid organs
- Cell-cell communication and the coordination of responses by multiple immune cell types
- Underlying causes and consequences of dysregulated immune responses
- Therapeutic strategies to treat immunological diseases
- Basic experimental and diagnostic techniques used in laboratories
- Identification and comprehension of primary and secondary sources of scientific information
Course Information
Course sessions
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 7/21/2025
Schedule:
Instructor: Susana Orozco
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 7/21/2025
Schedule:
Instructor: Susana Orozco
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 8/11/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
John McGinty
Jack (John) McGinty, Ph.D. is a research scientist at 2seventy Bio, a biotech company making cutting-edge immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. His current work focuses on the development of CAR T cell therapy. In this process patient T cells are isolated, genetically reprogrammed, and injected into the body where they detect and kill cancer cells. Dr. McGinty holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington, where he studied host immune responses to parasite infection, as well as a B.S. in Microbiology from Ohio University.
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 9/1/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
John McGinty
Jack (John) McGinty, Ph.D. is a research scientist at 2seventy Bio, a biotech company making cutting-edge immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. His current work focuses on the development of CAR T cell therapy. In this process patient T cells are isolated, genetically reprogrammed, and injected into the body where they detect and kill cancer cells. Dr. McGinty holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington, where he studied host immune responses to parasite infection, as well as a B.S. in Microbiology from Ohio University.
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 9/1/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
Ejae Goddard
Ejae Goddard (they/them) has a background in cancer, metastasis, immunology, and T cell-based immunotherapies. They received a B.S. in Microbiology from the University of Kansas in 2004. During this time they gained experience in a research lab studying herpesviruses. They went on to earn a PhD in Cancer Research from Oregon Health and Sciences University in 2017 while working in the lab of Dr. Pepper Schedin. Ejae's PhD work focused on understanding the high rate of metastasis and death observed in patients diagnosed with postpartum breast cancer. They discovered a novel biology of the liver, namely that the liver undergoes tissue involution following cessation of lactation in rodents. This involution establishes a pro-metastatic environment in the liver for a period of time post-weaning that may explain the increased risk for liver metastasis observed in postpartum breast cancer patients. After this work Ejae went on to complete a postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Cyrus Ghajar's laboratory at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. During their postdoc, Ejae studied breast cancer dormancy at metastatic sites and determined that numerous T cell-based immunotherapy platforms, including engineered T cells and T cell-based vaccine approaches, are highly effective at clearing dormant disseminated disease in rodent models. In their free time Ejae enjoys photography, rock climbing, and alpine mountaineering.
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 9/29/2025
Schedule:
Instructor: Susana Orozco
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 9/29/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
Annelise Snyder
Annelise Snyder, Ph.D., is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, Washington) where she studies immune responses to metastatic breast cancer. She previously worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (La Jolla, California) where she conducted research related to tumor immunology and neuroimmune responses in Alzheimer's disease. Dr. Snyder holds a Ph.D. in Immunology from the University of Washington, and B.A. degrees in Biology and Chemistry from Williams College.
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
All course materials are included unless otherwise stated.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 9/29/2025
Schedule:
Instructor:
Brian Daniels
Brian Daniels, PhD is a faculty member and principal investigator at Rutgers University, where his laboratory pursues studies defining cellular and molecular mechanisms of neuroinflammation during viral infection and neurodegenerative disorders. He previously completed a PhD in neuroscience at Washington University in St. Louis, along with a postdoctoral fellowship in immunology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Section ID:
Class type:
This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.
Textbooks:
Janeway's Immunobiology 9th
by K Murphy and C Weaver
ISBN / ASIN: 9780815345053
You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.
Policies:
- No refunds after: 10/13/2025
