Molecular Alergology   (458B2)

Academic year:

2024/2025.

Attendance requirements:

There are no requirements.

ECTS:

4

Study level:

Study program:

Teachers:

Tanja D. Ćirković Veličković, Ph.D.
full professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Marija Đ. Gavrović Jankulović, Ph.D.
full professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Assistant:

Marija M. Stojadinović, Ph.D.
assistant professor, Faculty of Chemistry, Studentski trg 12-16, Beograd

Hours of instruction:

Weekly: two hours of lectures + two hours of labwork (2+0+2)

Goals:

To introduce students to the basics of molecular allergology. Understanding the process of sensitization and elicitation in the development of hypersensitivity.

Outcome:

Expand the knowledge in the field of molecular allergology.

Teaching methods:

Lectures, labwork, seminars.

Extracurricular activities:

—

Coursebooks:

Main coursebooks:

1. Dietrich Kraft, Alec Sehon (editors): Molecular Biology and Immunology of Allergens, CRC Press.
2. A. B. Kay, J. Bousquet, P. G. Holt, A. P. Kaplan (editors): Allergy and Allergic Diseases, Blackwell Publishing.
3. Tanja Ćirković Veličković, Marija Gavrović-Jankulović: Food allergens - biochemistry and molecular nutrition, Springer, 2014.

Supplementary coursebooks:

• Selected review papers.

Additional material:

—

Lectures:

10 points (2 hours a week)

Syllabus:

Molecular basis of allergic reactions (sensitization phase, an effectors phase). The structure and function of immunoglobulin E; receptors for IgE; mast cells and basophils in allergic reaction. Genetics of allergic diseases. Allergens - provoke allergies (inhalation, ingestion, contact). The structure and function of biological allergens. Immunogenicity / allergenicity of the allergen, B, T cell epitopes. The production of the allergenic extracts for the in vitro and in vivo diagnostics. Component-resolved allergy diagnosis. Allergen-specific immunotherapy. New therapeutic treatments in allergies. Production of hypoallergenic vaccines (chemical, enzymatic modification, recombinant DNA technology).

Labwork:

20 points (2 hours a week)

Syllabus:

Preparation of allergenic extracts. Detection of IgE-binding protein by immunoblot. Isolation allergens from allergenic sources. Production and isolation of recombinant allergen. Comparison of the structural features (mass spectrometry, circular dichroism) IgE reactivity of the natural and recombinant allergens. Production of hypoallergenic protein chemical, enzymatic methods.

Semester papers:

20 points

Oral exam:

50 points