Ateneo - UPO

Skin immunity and pathogenesis of selected disorders affecting the skin and the skin appendages.

The slides of the lectures including bibliography, namely selected scientific papers published by top ranking journals on the topic.

- Gain a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of skin immunity and of the pathological mechanisms underpinning the most common skin disorders.
- Gain independence of judgment on the different topics addressed during the course, logically linking concepts and knowledge together.
- Gain skills regarding the verbal and written communication by the use of specific scientific and technical language.
- Gain understanding the molecular targets of drugs in current clinical use and under study

Physiology and general pathology are strongly recommended.

Lectures. Occasionally interactive methods like flipped classroom activity based on journal club discussion

Students with disabilities, Specific Learning Disorders (SLD/DSA), or Special Educational Needs (SEN/BES) can request specific dedicated services and tools by contacting the Student Careers and Services Development and Coordination Staff and by consulting the dedicated page on the University website: uniupo.it. Once they have gotten in touch with the University Staff, students with disabilities, SLD, or SEN may contact the professor in charge of the course regarding the specific arrangements for exams and teaching methods.

The exam will be a written test composed of 10 multiple choice and true/false questions (with one true answer) and a journal club, namely the students will discuss a scientific article regarding the topics discussed during the lectures. The JC activity will be aimed at evaluating knowledge and understanding of the topics addressed during the lecturers and the ability to discuss them critically and concisely by using specific scientific and technical language. The final score depends 30% on the test score and 70% on the JC activity score. Two exam sessions are scheduled during the months of February, June-July and September

Skin immunity: overview of the immunological anatomy of the epidermis and derma under steady state and skin disorders. Immunomodulatory activities of commensal skin microbiota and neuro-immune interactions.
Infectious skin diseases: clinical features and pathogenic mechanisms underpinning the most common bacterial, fungal and viral skin infections.
Inflammatory skin disorders: pathogenesis, current therapeutic options and new potential therapeutic targets of the major autoimmune and inflammatory skin diseases, including alopecia areata, vitiligo, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis.
Wound healing: the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying wound healing and its complications.

In keeping with the Dublin Descriptors
D1- KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: The student will demonstrate that he has learned and understood the pathophysiological and clinical characteristics of the main diseases affecting the skin and the skin appendages. The student will acquire the specific scientific terminology.
D2- APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING The student will gain the ability to apply the acquired knowledge in order to 1) understand the therapeutic effects of drugs that are in current clinical use 2) identify new potential therapeutic targets 3) develop new drugs directed towards specific molecular/cell targets
D3- MAKING JUDGEMENTS The student will gain knowledge to read the literature independently and critically.
D4- COMUNICATION SKILLS The student will demonstrate that he has acquired the specific scientific terminology to discuss the acquired knowledge both in the academic and industrial fields. The student will develop the ability to disseminate the acquired knowledge in a clear and understandable way even to an audience of non-experts
D5- LEARNING SKILLS The student will be able to examine and interpret scientific texts, so as to go beyond what has been taught, facing and solving new challenges, that will allow him to expand his knowledge in an autonomous and critical way.