Course10210300160 lectures
Fundamentals of General Immunology
Prof. Sachin Kumar · IIT Guwahati
About
Immunology is the study of how the body defends itself against infections, cancer, and immune- related disorders. It explores the roles of immune cells, antibodies, and signaling molecules in detecting, responding to, and remembering harmful threats—while maintaining balance to avoid self-damage. This course offers a comprehensive overview of immune system function, from basic concepts to clinical relevance. Participants will learn about innate and adaptive immunity, antigen recognition, cytokine signaling, immune tolerance, hypersensitivity reactions, autoimmunity, vaccines, and immunotherapies. Designed for students, clinicians, and researchers alike, the course follows a bottom-up approach—starting from molecular and cellular principles and advancing to disease mechanisms and applications. Key lab techniques such as ELISA and flow cytometry will also be introduced through examples and demonstrations. Whether your goal is academic, clinical, or research-oriented, this course builds a strong foundation in immunology and its real-world applications.
Intended audience: UG, PG & PhD students from Biosciences, Bioengineering, Biomedical engineering, Agricultural biotechnology, Fisheries and other life sciences disciplines.
Prerequisites: Basic 10+2 biology
Lectures
Week 1: Module 1 & Module 2: Part A
- L1: Evolutionary logic and functional architecture of the immune system
- L2: Immune surveillance across tissues and barrier sites
- L3: Coordination Between Cellular, Molecular, and Tissue-Level Immunity
- L4: Coordination Between Cellular, Molecular, and Tissue-Level Immunity
- Tutorial 1- Interesting Facts
Week 2: Module 2: Part B & Module 3: Part A
- L5: Self, Non-Self, and Danger Recognition Models
- L6: Molecular Sensors of Infection and Cellular Stress
- L7: Molecular Sensors of Infection and Cellular Stress
- L8: Epitope Architecture and Determinants of Immunogenicity
- Tutorial 2- Interesting Facts
Week 3: Module 3: Part B
- L9: Epitope Architecture and Determinants of Immunogenicity
- L10: Generation of Immune Receptor Diversity
- L11: Intracellular Antigen Routing and Processing Pathways
- L12: Intracellular Antigen Routing and Processing Pathways
- Tutorial 3- Interesting Facts
Week 4: Module 3: Part C & Module 4: Part A
- L13: Intracellular Antigen Routing and Processing Pathways
- L14: MHC Molecules as Platforms for Immune Communication
- L15: Lineage Commitment and Functional Plasticity of Immune Cells
- L16: Lineage Commitment and Functional Plasticity of Immune Cells
- Tutorial 4- Interesting Facts
Week 5: Module 4: Part B & Module 5: Part A
- L17: Selection, Editing, and Developmental Tolerance
- L18: Selection, Editing, and Developmental Tolerance
- L19: Receptor Signaling Cascades in B and T Lymphocytes
- L20: Receptor Signaling Cascades in B and T Lymphocytes
- Tutorial 5- Interesting Facts
Week 6: Module 5: Part B & Module 6
- L21: Costimulation, Signal Integration, and Activation Control
- L22: Costimulation, Signal Integration, and Activation Control
- L23: Transcriptional Control of Immune Effector Functions
- L24: Transcriptional Control of Immune Effector Functions
- Tutorial 6- Interesting Facts
Week 7: Module 7: Part A
- L25: Organization and Function of the Mucosal Immune System
- L26: Organization and Function of the Mucosal Immune System
- L27: Organization and Function of the Mucosal Immune System
- L28: Mucosal Tolerance, IgA Responses, and Clinical Relevance
- L29: Mucosal Tolerance, IgA Responses, and Clinical Relevance
Week 8: Module 7: Part B, Module 8 & Module 9: Part A
- L30: Mucosal vaccine
- L31: Polarization of Cellular Immune Responses
- L32: Coordination of Humoral and Cell-Mediated Immunity
- L33: Mechanisms of Immune Suppression and Resolution
- L34: Mechanisms of Immune Suppression and Resolution
Week 9: Module 9: Part B, Module 10 & Module 11: Part A
- L35: Regulatory Networks Maintaining Immune Homeostasis
- L36: Cellular and Molecular Basis of Immune Memory
- L37: Cellular and Molecular Basis of Immune Memory
- L38: Aberrant Immune Activation and Inflammatory Pathologies
- L39: Aberrant Immune Activation and Inflammatory Pathologies
Week 10: Module 11: Part B & Module 12
- L40: Hypersensitivity as Maladaptive Immune Responses
- L41: Hypersensitivity as Maladaptive Immune Responses
- L42: Immune Basis of Autoimmune Disorders
- L43: Immune Basis of Autoimmune Disorders
- L44: Immune-Mediated Tissue Injury and Repair
Week 11: Module 13 & Module 14: Part A
- L45: Antigen- Specific Immune Monitoring
- L46: ELISA, ELISPOT, and Tetramer Staining for T-cell detection
- L47: Immunomodulation in Transplantation Biology
- L48: Immunomodulation in Transplantation Biology
- L49: Tumor–Immune System Interactions
Week 12: Module 14: Part B & Module 15
- L50: Principles of Cancer Immunotherapy
- L51: Vaccines as Immune Engineering Tools, Adjuvants, Delivery Platforms, and Immune Profiling
- L52: mRNA Vaccines and Therapeutics/Precision and Personalized Immunology
- L53: Systems Immunology and Immune Monitoring Techniques
- 54: Ethical Aspects of Immunotherapy/Future Directions
Syllabus and materials
At NPTEL, as the course publishes them.
Credits and licence
- Institution
- IIT Guwahati
- Department
- Biotechnology
- Teacher
- Prof. Sachin Kumar
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Language
- English
- Subjects
- Biology
- Source
- NPTEL
- Licence
- CC BY-NC-SA, as NPTEL states it. Non-commercial use only. NPTEL's terms
- Attribution
- NPTEL states: "Distributed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike / CC BY - NC - SA", beside a BY-NC-SA badge.
- Who can watch
- NPTEL gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed