Immunology Course Research Articles

Encouraging students' engagement and promoting deep learning in immunology through an interactive clinical case problem-solving (CCPS) approach: Perception among cohort of medical students in Oman.

Modern competency-based medical education emphasizes student-centered teaching-learning strategies where students take responsibility of their own learning. Student-centered approaches facilitate multifaceted learning such as observation, critical evaluation, analysis, deeper understanding, and application of knowledge. The current study aims at assessing the students' perception on utilization of clinical case problem-solving approach (CCPS) to promote their lifelong learning. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at College of Medicine and Health Sciences (CoMHS) during the year 2021-2022. MD3 students of the academic year 2021-2022 were the study participants. The study was approved by institutional Ethic and Review Committee. Students' performances were assessed through pre-test and post-test performances. Students' feedback was collected through a predesigned questionnaire on a 3-point Likert scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient test was used to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. The data was entered to Microsoft Excel and analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Paired t-test was used to compare pre-test and post-test scores and the data was expressed as numbers and percentages. In total, 103 participants were included in the study. Post-test scores were significantly higher compared to pre-test scores (p < 0.05). Questionnaire results showed that CCPS approach was accepted as an effective learning strategy. Majority (>90%) of the students expressed CCPS approach was interesting, motivated to learn, encouraged peer discussion, enhanced knowledge, and clarified their topic-related doubts. More than 80% students opined that CCPS enhanced their critical thinking, problem-solving ability, deep learning, and lifelong learning skills. Nearly 90% of the students suggested for including such sessions for more topics in immunology course in future. From our study results, it can be concluded that CCPS is an effective learning strategy to encourage students' engagement and promote their deep learning skills.

Overlapping but Disparate Inflammatory and Immunosuppressive Responses to SARS-CoV-2 and Bacterial Sepsis: An Immunological Time Course Analysis.

Both severe SARS-CoV-2 infections and bacterial sepsis exhibit an immunological dyscrasia and propensity for secondary infections. The nature of the immunological dyscrasias for these differing etiologies and their time course remain unclear. In this study, thirty hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection were compared with ten critically ill patients with bacterial sepsis over 21 days, as well as ten healthy control subjects. Blood was sampled between days 1 and 21 after admission for targeted plasma biomarker analysis, cellular phenotyping, and leukocyte functional analysis via enzyme-linked immunospot assay. We found that circulating inflammatory markers were significantly higher early after bacterial sepsis compared with SARS-CoV-2. Both cohorts exhibited profound immune suppression through 21 days (suppressed HLA-DR expression, reduced mononuclear cell IFN-gamma production), and expanded numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). In addition, MDSC expansion and ex vivo production of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha were resolving over time in bacterial sepsis, whereas in SARS-CoV-2, immunosuppression and inflammation were accelerating. Despite less severe initial physiologic derangement, SARS-CoV-2 patients had similar incidence of secondary infections (23% vs 30%) as bacterial sepsis patients. Finally, COVID patients who developed secondary bacterial infections exhibited profound immunosuppression evident by elevated sPD-L1 and depressed HLA-DR. Although both bacterial sepsis and SARS-CoV-2 are associated with inflammation and immune suppression, their immune dyscrasia temporal patterns and clinical outcomes are different. SARS-CoV-2 patients had less severe early inflammation and organ dysfunction but had persistent inflammation and immunosuppression and suffered worse clinical outcomes, especially when SARS-CoV-2 infection was followed by secondary bacterial infection.

Programmed Cell Death 1 and Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Epochal Story.

In recent years, immune-based therapies have emerged as novel pillars for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The rationale of immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) trial in HCC originated from the fact that the tumor cells and the infiltrating stromal and immune cells promote an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, including the up-regulation of immune checkpoint molecules on their surface. Antibody-based blockage targeting inhibitory checkpoint molecules on cytotoxic T cells, including programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) or its counterpart on antigen-presenting cells has shown strong anti-tumor activity in a subset of HCC patients. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of PD-1 gene may affect the PD-1 expression or function, which eventually can cause dysfunctionality of immune balance. Based on the inhibitory role of PD-1 in anti-tumor responses, it has been investigated in several studies as a candidate to test for genetic susceptibility of individuals to HCC. The present paper highlights the knowledge on cross-talks for liver immunology and HCC course, recent studies investigating the role of functional SNPs of PD-1 gene in Turkish HCC population, and the data on already investigated PD-1 inhibitor molecules in clinical trials.

SARS CoV-2 structure, biology, immunology and clinical course: exploring the value of traditional medicine in limiting COVID-19 individual risk and disease outcomes

Since the onset of COVID-19 in early 2020, various approaches have been adopted worldwide by various state health authorities containing the ravaging pandemic. Tanzania adopted additional approach based on Tanzanian Traditional Medicines. This review aimed to explore the suitability of this local approach based on evaluation of the virus biology, pathogenesis and immunology in relation to the traditional medicines, nutritional immunology, steaming practice and nutritional contents of medicinal plants and potential impact of their combinations. Data related to COVID-19, dietary therapy and herbal medicine were systematically searched and gathered in scholarly materials. The search strategy included all terms that contain key words in relation to COVID-19 and treatment using traditional approach. Over 188 published articles on COVID-19 virus that included the virus biology, pathogenesis and immunology in relation to the traditional medicines, nutritional immunology, steaming practice, medicinal plants and nutritional contents of medicinal plants were obtained after individual manual screening. Given the relatively lower cases of the pandemic in Africa and the approach that Tanzania and some other African countries have used, it is undeniable that other factors than host-pathogen interaction determine the severity of the infection by the SARS-CoV-2 to necessitate multiple approaches to contain the disease. The authors conclude that traditional medicines potentially contain variable compounds with immunological, antiviral activity and nutritional value which, combined with steaming practice, can limit the virus impact while providing relief or protection to patients against the disease and be the key local interface remedy in keeping the COVID-19 low in Tanzania and other African countries to contain the pandemic. Key words: Nutrition therapy, traditional medicine, COVID-19, nutritional immunology, steam therapy.

Promotion of the Construction of Medical Immunology Course with the Goal of Creating "Golden Class"

In order to increase the gold content of immunology learning, stimulate students' interest in learning and improve the learning effect, we take building a golden class as the goal, carry out the construction of medical immunology curriculum, and use different immunology teaching methods to promote the mutual growth of teaching through the learning of clinical cases of immunology; We also carry out immunological literature learning, improve students' knowledge reconstruction and application ability, and carry out online phased testing, in order to make learning difficult and challenging, increase the timeliness, cutting-edge and application value of medical immunology teaching content, to effectively improve the teaching quality

Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Pregnancy: Immunological Response, Natural Course and Pregnancy Outcomes.

This review aimed to provide an update on the impact of pregnancy on the natural course of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and also on the impact of HBV infection on adverse pregnancy outcomes, including mother-to-child transmission (MTCT). For the literature review, original research articles, review articles, and guidelines were narratively reviewed and comprehensively validated. The databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL were carefully searched for articles in English on topics related to HBV infection, pregnancy, and vertical transmission from 1960 to May 2021. Immunological changes during pregnancy such as suppression of Th1 response and induction of Th2 immunity lead to an impaired immune reaction to HBV and stimulate viral activity along with the reduction of CD8 T cells to escape immune detection. The impact of pregnancy on the natural course of chronic HBV infection seems to be minimal, while pregnancy can increase morbidity and mortality in the case of advanced HBV hepatitis or cirrhosis. Importantly, hepatitis flare or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) flare can occur during pregnancy and is more common during the postpartum period due to the interaction between HBV and the immune response. Interestingly, the impact of HBV infection on adverse pregnancy outcomes is more serious than ever thought. Updated evidence indicates that pregnancies with chronic HBV infection increase the risk of preterm birth and gestational diabetes, especially in cases of positive hepatitis e antigen (HBeAg).

American Association of Immunologists Recommendations for an Undergraduate Course in Immunology.

Identifying the "essential" components of an undergraduate immunology lecture course can be daunting because of the varying postgraduate pathways students take. The American Association of Immunologists Education Committee commissioned an Ad Hoc Committee, representing undergraduate, graduate, and medical institutions as well as the biotechnology community, to develop core curricular recommendations for teaching immunology to undergraduates. In a reiterative process involving the American Association of Immunologists teaching community, 14 key topics were identified and expanded to include foundational concepts, subtopics and examples, and advanced subtopics, providing a flexible list for curriculum development and avenues for higher-level learning. Recommendations for inclusive and antiracist teaching that outline opportunities to meet the needs of diverse student populations were also developed. The consensus recommendations can be used to accommodate various course settings and will bridge undergraduate and graduate teaching and prepare diverse students for subsequent careers in the biomedical field.

Using the H5P digital platform as an active learning tool to build content-based critical thinking skills in an undergraduate immunology course

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated that active learning or learning by doing has a more significant positive impact on learning outcomes than reading or watching videos. However the availability of free and open source tools for creating these active learning exercises has been limited by the requirement of computer programing skills. With the development of H5P technology, an open source, on-line tool, faculty and even undergraduate students can create interactive exercises that facilitate the learning process and promote formative learning. H5P is a plugin for existing publishing systems that enables the system to create interactive content, such as multiple-choice quizzes that provide feedback in real-time on quiz responses. Here are provided scaffolded assignments to enable implementation of this approach in an undergraduate immunology course that is taught online asynchronously. This activity was implemented at Medgar Evers College, City University of New York (Brooklyn, NY) in 2020–2021. These assignments enabled students to design interactive formative assessments, i.e., multiple choice questions, using the H5P digital platform (www.h5p.org). Results of undergraduate student surveys on their subjective impressions of using this tool are presented. Specifically, the learning outcome that this activity addressed was to increase understanding of the regulation of V(D)J recombination, which is often a difficult learning concept in undergraduate immunology courses. This is teaching innovation will also be presented as a workshop in the Education Session of Immunology 2021.

Building a Mini Biomedical Ethics Curricular Thread in an Immunology Course in Undergraduate Medical Curriculum

Abstract Education in biomedical ethics has become an essential part of undergraduate medical curriculum. Integrating this topic longitudinally in the curriculum ensures early educational exposure and provides opportunities for continued advancement of students reasoning and behavior. The objective of this study is to develop a mini ethics curricular thread in the immunology course and to raise student awareness of ethical issues associated with disorders of the immune system. In our project, three ethics learning modules are designed and built in a six-week immune system course in the second semester of undergraduate medical curriculum. A mixed teaching approach using multiple teaching tools will be employed. The first module uses a movie about a well-known patient with severe combined immunodeficiency disease. The second module is delivered through a team-based learning case on human immunodeficiency virus. The third module uses small and large group discussions on blood transfusion and bone marrow transplantation. Quizzes and reflective writings are embedded in each module to assess student knowledge and attitudes. Student surveys will provide information on challenges and opportunities in teaching ethics within a biomedical science course. The qualitative analysis of student reflections will be presented in the poster. We believe this curricular design has the potential to help students build connections between science, human disease, and ethics. It will also shed light on how to integrate ethics in biomedical science courses to cultivate professionalism in the early stages of their medical training. Future direction includes the evaluation of the longitudinal impact of this training on students clinical practice.

Instructor attitudes towards digital assessment in undergraduate immunology courses.

Abstract To be better able to meet the instructional needs of undergraduate immunology instructors, we sought to understand the attitudes of individuals teaching this course. We conducted a survey, inviting 230 randomly selected instructors to participate, of which 38 completed the survey. Our results highlight that while very few instructors (2/38, 5.26%) currently use digital assessment in their immunology course, a strong majority (26/38, 72.22%) indicated that they would use it if it were available with their text. A similar number of instructors (23/38, 63.89%) expressed interest in adaptive quizzing functionality in a digital assessment platform. Additionally, we explored instructor attitudes about the goal of digital assessment. Despite a wide range of responses, over half of the survey respondents identified terminology/vocabulary (19/38, 52.78%) and reading questions that test student understanding of basic concepts (19/38, 52.78%) as important goals of a digital assessment platform. These results highlight that most instructors see digital assessment, especially in a formative setting, as an important instructional modality that can address student learning challenges.

AAI Curriculum Ad Hoc Committee Presentation: The Development of AAI Recommendations for an Undergraduate Course in Immunology

Abstract The subject of immunology is a conceptually intricate and rapidly expanding field of study that is vitally important to biomedical science undergraduate education. Identifying the “essential” components of an undergraduate immunology (UGI) course can be daunting due to the varying post-graduate pathways students take. To address the need for a guiding framework for teaching UGI, the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) Education Committee commissioned the AAI Curriculum Ad Hoc Committee to develop a cohesive document identifying the core curricular components deemed essential for UGI courses, and opportunities to meet the needs of diverse student populations. In this presentation, we will share the process by which this effort was accomplished, with the hope of illuminating both the successes and challenges of our work to the education community, and inspiring similar efforts in other areas. We will cover the essential and reiterative steps of this undertaking by detailing: the collaboration with various stakeholders, including undergraduate, medical school, and industry partners; the evaluation of potential curricular components, including outreach surveys and small working groups from the AAI community; the refinement of the recommendations, including an organized virtual workshop with open participation from stakeholders; the development of a statement on inclusive and antiracist teaching; the determination of a dissemination plan; and the identification of future needs and goals for the process. We believe that sharing this process will be insightful for educators in the field of immunology, and more broadly to any educator with an interest in the process of inclusive and comprehensive curriculum development.

Virtual graduate immunology and immunotherapy education during COVID-19

Abstract The objective was to ascertain the impact of an online, virtual course in immunology and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy on trainee’s knowledge and interest in the field. The course occurred May 4–8, 2020. Students taking the course for graduate school credit received a pre-course and post-course survey. The survey included questions covering background, knowledge/confidence in skills, interests, and perceived ability to learn using an online platform. Students worked in teams to develop a research grant specific aims page. A total of 27 students took the course for graduate level credit and were surveyed, and all 27 (100%) returned the surveys. Students came from variable backgrounds and were at different stages of graduate training. After completion of the course, there was a statistically significant increase in self-perceived knowledge of immunotherapy (mean score of 3.7 +/− 1.0 standard deviation post-course vs 2.8 +/− 1.3 pre-course, on a 5 point Likert scale, P=0.0075), knowledge of the translational process (3.8 +/− 0.9 post-course vs 3.2 +/− 1.3 pre-course, P=0.0082), knowledge of the cancer treatment/immunotherapy patient experience (3.5 +/− 1.2 post-course vs 2.4 +/− 1.3 pre-course, P=0.0003), and confidence in immunotherapy grant writing skills (3.7 +/− 0.8 post-course vs 2.7 +/− 1.2 pre-course, P&amp;lt;0.0001). This course can serve as a model to help encourage training in translational research and enhance knowledge and interest in immunology, immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and regenerative sciences via an online platform in this era of COVID-19 and potentially beyond.

Teaching Immunology in an Integrated System-Based Undergraduate Medical Curriculum using Team-Based Learning (TBL) in the Virtual Classroom: A Learning Experience

Abstract Teaching immunology in the absence of a traditional lecture format presents certain challenges that require special consideration. In part because immunology is often identified as one of the most difficult pre-clinical biomedical courses, requiring a comprehensive understanding of cellular and molecular biology, genetics, anatomy, and infectious diseases and because it is presented in the context of an exclusive vocabulary. To help address the challenge of teaching immunology in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic, we developed a four-week, 1st year medical school immunology course using a mostly active learning type modality that could be effectively delivered virtually. In particular, the course content was delivered using a combination of ZOOM, HoloLens, InteDashboard, Brightspace, and the Panopto™ Video platform. Most of the content was delivered using the Team-Based Learning (TBL) pedagogy which incorporated clinically oriented exercises that inspired and engaged students in achieving a mastery of immunology while honing their critical thinking skills; thus, efficiently preparing them for future clinical practices and licensure exams while avoiding an overwhelming perception of the course. Despite the inherent limitations of virtual delivery, the outcome of the course was an unexpected 100% pass rate. A description of the content, course design, formative /summative assessment methods as well as category performance on exams is provided. The expressed perception of the students is reported as are opportunities for improving the educational experience.

Using practice tests as a vaccine to desensitize test anxiety in vulnerable students during pandemic induced lock-down.

Abstract Field of education psychology seeks bridging gap between research and theory on teaching and classroom practice. Students’ struggle when content matter gets increasingly intense especially when subjects need plenty of rote memory. Covid-19 took a heavy toll on students who were already prone to test anxiety. The current research hypothesized that utilization of practice tests for first-year pharmacy microbiology and immunology course will enhance students learning, understanding and comprehension of complicated material. Since pandemic anxiety added to pre-existing anxiety among pharamacy students we used this measure to mitigate. A cohort of sixty students taking a 4-credit course of Microbiology/Immunology were recruited in this study. Students’ voluntarily declared their fears of superadded anxiety levels because of pandemic. A pool of exam ‘questions collected over the last five years were accurately screened and 300 questions were selected based on the criteria of lectures topics, difficulty level and meeting the specific objectives for every lecture that was presented to students and covered in the exams. Two groups were analyzed based upon their use of practice exams offered and their willingness to utilize them. The data based upon their performance was collected at the end of final examination to assess the benefit of study guide to students. Likert-type Ordinary Scale data analysis was used to determine if hypothesis was supported. The analysis of primary endpoint indicated that majority of students (69.87%) who used the practice exams performed better. In the feedback they reportedly strongly agreed that it helped them to make their study more focused and improved their pre-existing anxiety levels during pandemic.

Engagement with In-class Activities Contributes to Student Success in an Accelerated, Flipped Classroom, Medical School Immunology Course

Abstract In an era of decreasing basic science curriculum at medical schools, we sought to re-imagine how to optimally deliver three core basic science disciplines (immunology, microbiology, and pharmacology) together with infectious disease in a 5-week course. This course was developed as part of a new 1-year pre-clinical basic science curriculum at the recently established Dell Medical School (DMS) at the University of Texas at Austin. In line with the goals and missions of the DMS, course material was covered using primarily self-directed and flipped classroom pedagogies that incorporated approaches from the educational and cognitive psychology literature. Attendance and participation in flipped classroom activities was optional, and the materials and activities from these sessions were made available to all students. Analysis of student data of our integrated course shows a correlation between attendance in flipped classroom sessions and summative exam performance. We also observed a strong correlation between student performance on no-stakes formative assessments (weekly competency quizzes that did not count towards their course grade) and the summative exam as well. This suggests that, despite the abbreviated course time, engaging with the course as designed impacts achievement and may lead to superior outcomes. This offers valuable information that can be used to advise students on how to be successful in this type of high-impact course. It also may afford us the ability to predict which students may be at academic risk prior to the final summative exam.

Enhancing engagement of graduate students in class via use of an interactive teaching platform improves learning and long-term retention

Abstract Engagement of students in the classroom has been shown to improve understanding and retention of material. However, the most common teaching format in Graduate, Medical or Dental School is lecturing via powerpoint, which minimally engages students, an issue amplified during the pandemic due to remote teaching. Assessing previous knowledge, predicting/retrieving information, and using academic games are teaching strategies that facilitate more effective learning. We used TopHat, an interactive teaching platform allowing integration of these strategies, to teach a graduate Immunology course. Two cohorts of first-year graduate students were provided with the opportunity to anonymously discuss topics learned during the current or previous sessions, hear different perspectives, and correct what they had not understood during face-to-face or virtual sessions. Only some instructors in the course used the platform. Students who perform overall at a lower level obtained higher exam scores with instructors who used the platform. However, all students received higher scores on comprehensive final exam questions provided by instructors who used the platform, suggesting that engaging graduate students in class helped with long-term retention. Lastly, a student survey about the utility of the platform indicated that a large majority of students felt more engaged, and believed that they were better able to understand the material and retrieve the information both short-term and long-term. This study suggests that using an interactive teaching platform with graduate students resulted in better engagement, improved learning and long-term material retention, and could be easily implemented at any level of Immunology education.

γHV68 infection exacerbates arthritis and requires age-associated B cells

Abstract Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), though the mechanism of contribution remains unknown and there does not exist a sufficient in vivo model to examine the relationship. Here, we utilize and expand in vivo models of EBV and RA to examine mechanisms of immune contribution. We find that infection with latent gamma-herpesvirus 68 (γHV68), a murine analogue of EBV, leads to an enhanced clinical and immunological course of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). γHV68-infected mice display earlier and more severe CIA clinical symptoms and a Th1-skewed immune profile, compared to uninfected CIA mice. Using a latency-free strain of γHV68 we demonstrate that CIA exacerbation is not due to innate immune stimulation during acute infection but, rather, is dependent upon viral latency. Age-associated B cells (ABCs) are increased in RA patients and during viral infection, though if they act as mediators between the infection and disease remains unknown. We find that ABCs (CD19+CD11c+Tbet+) in γHV68-infected CIA mice are increased and display a proinflammatory phenotype compared to uninfected CIA. Using ABC knockout mice, we demonstrate that ABCs are critical for γHV68-enhancement of CIA, though are dispensable in uninfected CIA. This project establishes that latent γHV68 infection enhances CIA and is a viable model for examining mechanisms of EBV’s contribution to RA. Additionally, we demonstrate that ABCs mediate the viral enhancement of disease.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Qualitative Immunoglobulin G Assays: The Value of Numeric Reporting

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) testing is used for serosurveillance and will be important to evaluate vaccination status. Given the urgency to release coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) serology tests, most manufacturers have developed qualitative tests. To evaluate clinical performance of 6 different SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays and their quantitative results to better elucidate the clinical role of serology testing in COVID-19. Six SARS-CoV-2 IgG assays were tested using remnant specimens from 190 patients. Sensitivity and specificity were evaluated for each assay with the current manufacturer's cutoff and a lower cutoff. A numeric result analysis and discrepancy analysis were performed. Specificity was higher than 93% for all assays, and sensitivity was higher than 80% for all assays (≥7 days post-polymerase chain reaction testing). Inpatients with more severe disease had higher numeric values compared with health care workers with mild or moderate disease. Several discrepant serology results were those just below the manufacturers' cutoff. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 IgG antibody testing can aid in the diagnosis of COVID-19, especially with negative polymerase chain reaction. Quantitative COVID-19 IgG results are important to better understand the immunologic response and disease course of this novel virus and to assess immunity as part of future vaccination programs.

Peptide allergen-specific immunotherapy for allergic airway diseases-State of the art.

Allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) is the only means of altering the natural immunological course of allergic diseases and achieving long-term remission. Pharmacological measures are able to suppress the immune response and/or ameliorate the symptoms but there is a risk of relapse soon after these measures are withdrawn. Current AIT approaches depend on the administration of intact allergens, often comprising crude extracts of the allergen. We propose that the challenges arising from current approaches, including the risk of serious side-effects, burdensome duration of treatment, poor compliance and high cost, are overcome by application of peptides based on CD4+ T cell epitopes rather than whole allergens. Here we describe evolving approaches, summarize clinical trials involving peptide AIT in allergic rhinitis and asthma, discuss the putative mechanisms involved in their action, address gaps in evidence and propose future directions for research and clinical development.

Inside the Undergraduate Immunology Classroom: Current Practices that Provide a Framework for Curriculum Consensus.

Although immunological research has become increasingly important in recent decades for understanding infectious and immune-mediated diseases, immunological pedagogy at the undergraduate level has lagged behind in reports of evidence-based scholarship. To address the need for a renewed emphasis on immunology education and to describe the current status of undergraduate education in immunology, an online survey of instructors with experience in teaching immunology was conducted. The survey investigated the effects of instructors’ level of teaching experience, target student population, and course components on the emphasis given to certain immunology subtopics in their courses. Instructor teaching experience and current role in teaching influenced the proportion of time allotted to lab techniques, clinical topics, and evolutionary aspects, but type of institution (undergraduate and graduate degree-granting institutions) did not affect course content or emphasis on subtopics. Topics that received the greatest emphasis were the adaptive immune system, the innate immune system, host–pathogen interactions, and molecular mechanisms. Vaccines, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, and essential immunology techniques were ranked slightly lower, while topics such as evolution, metabolism and antibody purification received the least emphasis. Inclusion of a lab component increased time given to lab-related and clinical topics but did not affect the perceived importance of various scientific competencies. These data describe current curricular practices of instructors who have experience teaching immunology and inform curricular priorities and course design frameworks for undergraduate immunology education.