Immunology specialization (M2)

The immunology specialization aims to give students from scientific and medical streams theoretical and practical training on the fundamental basis of the immune response (innate and acquired, systemic and local), and how it fights against agents of infection, bacteria, parasites and viruses and against cancer. The course includes content on immunipathology: innate and acquired immune deficiencies – AIDS - autoimmunity, allergy. There is a lot on the diagnostic and therapeutic tools which come from immunology: monoclonal antibodies and derived products, natural and recombinant vaccines, genetic and cellular therapy, biotherapy. Guest lecturers (academics, doctors, researchers, industrial research and development professionals) offer a broad vision of the discipline and cover its latest developments, both fundamental and applied.

The course includes internships in top-class Parisian research institute and hospital laboratories, in companies and abroad. The immunology specialization offers students three M2 programs, one of which can lead to either further research or private sector employment.

The “Advanced Immunology” program gives students fundamental immunology training combined with practical work; the “Physiopathology of the Immune Response” program also includes fundamental immunology training and modules on the physiopathological aspects of the immune response.

The “Immuno-Technology and Biotherapy” program includes fundamental immunology training and modules on biotechnology, biotherapy and innovative strategies. This latter course also offer a vocational orientation with modules focussed on the corporate world, technology transfer and the industrialisation of innovative strategies.

Competence

Discipline-specific skills:

• Have a thorough knowledge of biology in general and specialized knowledge in certain disciplinary fields
• Master the basic techniques and the equipment used in molecular biology, biochemistry and cellular biology
• Know how to apply them in the different disciplines of biology
• Know how to set up and run experiments

General skills:

• Know how to manage bibliographical resources (databases, online scientific journals, …) and master the scientific literature related to the relevant field of biology
• Be able to summarize
• Know how to do a critical analysis of scientific results
• Know how to use own knowledge and be creative to identify and then resolve a scientific problem
• Be able to learn and to adapt
• Know how to organize work and work in a team
• Know how to communicate results (oral presentation, posters, written reports) and defending a project against detractors
• Be able to appreciate the quality and pertinence of a study or a scientific approach
• Master scientific English (certified level B2).

Keywords

biology, immunology, immunopathology, biotechnology, biotherapy

Opportunities

The three programs, “Advanced Immunology”, “Physiopathology of the Immune Response”, “Immuno-Technology and Biotherapy” lead to research (public or private, fundamental or applied) in the scientific, medical, pharmaceutical and veterinary fields, and prepare students either to seek employment directly or to go on to a doctorate. The areas concerned range from fundamental immunology to medical immunology, including immunity of infectious diseases, autoimmunity, transplantation, allergies and oncology. The more vocational “Immuno-Technology and Biotherapy” program aims to train students for professions in applied research and innovation in these areas and more generally in biomedical science and biotechnology in companies.

Organization

After initiation with a paper at the interface with microbiology, in S2 the specialization offers preparation papers: “fundamental immunology”, “immunophysiopathology” and the “immunology” paper from the health M1 (co-organized with the Paris V and Paris VII universities).

The second year (M2) immunology specialization programs are organized as follows:

- The advanced immunology program, co-organized with the Institut Pasteur (18 ECTS), is completed by a bibliographical presentation (6 ECTS) and an open module (6 ECTS).

- The physiopathology of the immune response program includes a common base (6 ECTS) with the previous program co-organized with the Institut Pasteur. This program is completed by 4 modules of 3 ECTS each, chosen from 6 options, and a bibliographical presentation (6 ECTS) and an open module (6 ECTS).

- The immuno-technology and biotherapy program is organized and coordinated by UPMC. This program, with a research stream and a vocational stream, begins with a common base (12 ECTS) of immunology classes with modules focussing on innovative strategies (cellular therapy, gene therapy, molecular therapy, immunotherapy and vaccines). For the research stream, the program is completed by modules which emphasize the different applications of innovative strategies (6 ECTS), a bibliographical presentation (6 ECTS) and an open module (6 ECTS).

For the vocational stream, the program is completed by a business module (3 ECTS), organized in conjunction with biotechnology companies, which emphasizes aspects of technology transfer, management and business knowledge in the biotechnology field, a workshop on immuno-monitoring (3 ECTS), the presentation of a business project (6 ECTS) and an open module (6 ECTS).

 

Well-targeted public

The course capacity is about 50 students per year (scientific, medical, veterinary, pharmacy) spread over the three programs. The specialization is open to students from the scientific and medical streams of UPMC and other universities, depending on their background. Students from engineering schools may enter directly into the M2, depending on their background. 

Admissions

Enrolment applications for Master’s courses can be made from mid-April to June.

Coordinates

More information