The Medical Embryology course covers embryologic development from ovulation through birth and is organized by organ systems.  Topics are integrated with Human Anatomy to facilitate understanding of anatomical relationships, selected birth defects, and anatomical variants.  Following an introductory overview lecture, the remainder of the course is completed in an online self-study format.  Course materials include a complete syllabus with self-study questions, a companion Web site, a CD-ROM with animations of embryologic development, and supplementary textbooks on library reserve.  The course culminates in an informal journal club that explores selected topics of relevance to modern developmental biology and medicine. 

Immunology:

The Fundamentals of Immunology course introduces the components of the immune system, their locations in the human body, and their interactions in different clinical contexts.  Students learn how the immune system senses and attempts to eliminate pathogens, and how selected pathogens evade it to cause disease.   First, the genes and molecules that play key roles in the immune system - including antigens, antigen receptors, antibodies, complement, major histocompatability complex loci, chemokines, and cytokines – are introduced.  The interactions between innate and acquired are then discussed.  Finally, medically relevant forms of immune dysregulation and intervention are explored, including vaccines, immunomodulators, hypersensitivities, immunodeficiencies, autoimmunity, graft-versus-host disease, transplantation immunology, and tumor immunology.