Teaching
Teaching
Senior Honours Roles
I am the Programme Organiser for Immunology Honours. This involves the administration and organization of the Immunology Honours Programme at the University of Edinburgh. Teaching on this programme is based in the Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, Ashworth Laboratories, Kings Buildings. I took over running the programme from Professor David Gray in 2009, from my previous role as deputy programme organiser from 2005. I also teach on the Zoology Honours programme, and the Clinical Immunology and Haematology 3B, Medical Microbiology 3 and Immunology 3 courses in 3rd year.
Molecular Immunology (course organiser and lecturer)
This is one of two core courses for the Biological Sciences BSc. Hons (Immunology) degree, and runs in semester 1 from September to December. This course covers molecular aspects of the basic biology of the immune system. The course focuses on the molecules and receptors involved in initiating and sustaining the immune response, beginning with roles of the molecules of innate immune system in recognizing invading pathogens, and then moving on to the mechanisms by which the adaptive immune system is then primed to respond to antigenic stimulus. The course covers some of the major molecules of the immune system, including innate immune receptors, MHC, TCR and BCR (including immunoglobulin), and the signalling pathways from these molecules that initiate or regulate immune responses.
The aims of the course include gaining a detailed working knowledge of the immune system, enhancing and developing presentation skills, and understanding how to read and analyse primary literature on aspects of immunology that are fundamental. The course is a mixture of lectures and student presentations, with an emphasis on developing advanced skills in immunology. I teach this course with Professor Rose Zamoyska and Dr. Dietmar Zaiss.
Immunobiology of Malaria (lecturer)
This course is an elective on the Immunology Honours Programme. It takes the form of lectures, presentations and discussion sessions on the immunology and biology of malaria, with an emphasis on the disease in humans. I lecture on parasite antigenic polymorphism and immune responses to malaria parasites. Malaria is a strong focus of research in Edinburgh and the course draws on that history and expertise in its teaching. The clinical immunology and pathology of the disease and the development of vaccine against malaria are also covered in the course. I teach this course with Alex Rowe, Phil Spence and Joanne Thompson
Experimental Immunology (course organiser)
I organise the project preparation course, Experimental Immunology, which provides paper analysis tutorials, theoretical and practical group work in the areas of experimental design, biochemical techniques, statistics, flow cytometry, bioinformatics and Python coding for the 4th year Immunology class.
Immunology Projects (supervisor)
We offer 3 month lab projects for Immunology Honours students. Projects in my lab range from basic research into the functions of Plasmodium falciparum proteins, to the seroepidemiology of malaria infection. Recent projects have included the production of human monoclonal antibodies from EBV immortalised human B cells, characterisation of merozoite surface protein 3.3 as a vaccine target, investigation of antibody affinity as a surrogate marker of protection, and investigation of antibody and complement-mediated anti-parasite effects.
Junior Honours RolesImmunology 3 (lecturer and practical course organiser)
Immunology 3 is the third year course that is compulsory for those students going on to take Immunology at Honours level. I give lectures on the generation of the BCR and TCR repertoire, structure and function of antibodies, antigen processing and presentation, and the MHC complex. I have introduced post-lecture revision quizzes to help students revise the topics I cover in my lectures. I deliver approximately 25% of the lecture content.
I organise the Immunology 3 practical course and run practical classes on flow cytometry and haemagglutination. I developed and now run the in-course practical test which uses an online Questionmark Perception based system.
Clinical Immunology and Haematology 3B (tutor)
I am a tutor on this course, and was responsible for the design of the tutorials for CI&H3B when it was established. I have acted as a Wiki mentor and marker for this course in the past.
Medical Microbiology 3
Lecturer on malaria pathogenesis and immunity
Postgraduate teaching
MSc Vaccines and Molecular Therapies
I am a lecturer on this course. I deliver lectures on the history of vaccination and pre-clinical vaccine development.