Transcript Document
Hiding in Plain Site:
The Immune System, Tuberculosis
and
Antibiotic Resistance
Mark Stephansky
Whitman-Hanson Regional High School
Whitman, Massachusetts
Overall Program Objective
To develop and test an immunologybased educational unit designed for
first and/or second year high school
biology students based on my AAI
summer research experience
Curriculum Overview
Cruikshank Lab: T cell migration and
function during tuberculosis infection
A third of the world’s population is infected
with the TB bacterium; one in 10 of them will
become sick with active TB in their lifetime.
TB is responsible for a death every 20
seconds.
An estimated 490,000 new cases of TB
resistant to first-line drugs and 40,000 cases of
TB resistant to second-line drugs occur every
year. (SciAm – March 2009)
Curriculum Overview - continued
TB Infection - entry point for Immune
System Study
21st Century Skills:
MCAS, AP, NEASC
Lab Components:
ELISA - importance as common lab
assay and in diagnosing disease
Bacterial transformation
Curriculum Time Requirement:
Total time approximately 7 class
periods (computer exercises may be
completed by students at home or at
the library).
Opening Lecture - 1 class period
Immune system web tutorial - 1 class period
Antibody web investigation - 1 class period
Virtual ELISA - 1 class period
ELISA Lab - 1 class period
Bacterial transformation lab requires 2 lab periods.
Curriculum Overview 1
Immune System Basics
Innate immunity
Acquired Immunity
TB infection
Harvard Outreach video
"Understanding Resistance to
Tuberculosis"
Dr. Barry Bloom
http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/videos.htm
Curriculum Overview 2
Immune system web tutorial
Students will be able to compare and
contrast the cell components as well as
organs of the immune system.
Curriculum Overview 3
Antibody web investigation
Students will be able to distinguish
between antigens and antibodies.
Lead in for ELISA
Curriculum Overview 4
ELISA
Virtual HHMI Immunology Lab
Simulated HIV/AIDS
Students will be able to describe the
basics of an ELISA assay and practical
uses of this type of lab assay.
Curriculum Overview 5
Bacterial transformation lab
Component of AP Biology
Link to antibiotic resistance
Evolution
The LB + pAMP plate shows lawn growth on the lower
left. The LB - pAMP plate shows lawn growth on the
lower right. The Experimental plate, LB/AMP + pAMP
plate shows colonies on the upper left. The LB/AMP pAMP plate shows no growth on the upper right.
Assessment
Narrative Essays
You are to write a 3-4 page story in the first person (call
the protagonist “I”) describing yourself as one who
contracts tuberculosis, suffers from the disease and
then begins a regimen of antibiotics to cure the disease.
Now, write the same story (3-4 pages) from the point of
view of the germ! What do you as the causer of the
disease hope to accomplish? What is your experience
inside the human body? How did you get there? Was it
easy or difficult? Did you mean to do it? What are your
worries and concerns regarding the immune system?
(Did a macrophage eat any of your friends?)
Assessment – Sample I
Assessment – Sample II
Strengths of Curriculum Unit:
Multi-part Introductory unit
Use or Delete
21st Century Skills
Web-Based activities
Hands-on Activities
Provides many tie-ins to other
curriculum units
Wellness and Disease
Protein Synthesis
Antibiotic Resistance
Evolution
The Future:
Fine Tune Unit:
21st Century Skills
Google Docs
Broaden Disease Category
Not just TB
Students pick – increase buy in/interest
Expand Antibody/Antigen connection
Protein Shape
Better ELISA Lab activity
AAI – Ann Brokaw?
The AAI Experience:
Fantastic program!
Real Lab Access
Engaging Anecdotes
A new look at Immunology Curriculum
Objectives and material
Impact on biology courses at all levels:
AP Biology, Academic Biology, A&P
Acknowledgements:
Dr. William Cruikshank, Pulmonary Center,
Boston University School of Medicine
Jillian Richmond, BUSM
Cruikshank Lab Team
Matthew Murphy, BU HS Summer Intern
Whitman-Hanson Regional HS
American Association of Immunologists and the
John H. Wallace High School Teachers Summer
Research Program
ANY
QUESTIONS?