Head: Dr. Kent T. HayGlass
Administrative Assistant: Ms. Karen Morrow
General Office: 603 Basic Medical Sciences Building,
730 William Avenue
Telephone: (204) 789 3509
Fax: (204) 789 3921
Email: immunology@umanitoba.ca
Website: umanitoba.ca/medicine/units/immunology/
Academic Staff
Program Information
A diversified program of graduate studies and research in the main areas of Immunology, leading to MSc and PhD degrees, provides the research experience suitable for research careers in basic science, industrial research or clinical medicine. The department has the equipment and laboratory facilities for active interdisciplinary research in relation to: isolation and characterization of antibodies, antigens, cytokines, adhesion molecules, cell receptors and their functions: cell differentiation; development of hybridomas for the production of monoclonal antibodies and T cell clones; analysis of intracellular signalling in B lymphocytes; recombinant DNA methodology; flow cytometry; molecular, cellular and neuroendocrine aspects of the regulation of immune responses; development of immunodiagnostic procedures. Due to the interdisciplinary character of modern immunology and the varied background of students entering this area from different biological and physical disciplines, no rigidly defined and uniform set of courses are prescribed for all graduate students. A program of courses is selected from Immunology and cognate fields for each graduate student by their research supervisor in consultation with the student's advisory committee and the Head of the department. Departmental MSc or PhD graduates have gone on to successful careers in basic research (ie Fellowships at M.I.T., Harvard, Stanford, Scripps Institute, etc.,) and faculty positions in clinical medicine, in government, hospital or university research labs, or clinical service labs in research and development and/or managerial positions in industry and in teaching. Detailed information is available on the website.
Fields of Research
The research program of the 23 Faculty members who participate in the Department of Immunology was supported by funding in excess of $6 million in peer-reviewed external funding from international, national and local sources last year. This funding included awards from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Canada Research Chairs Program and a wide variety of public sector, volunteer and industrial sources. Utilizing molecular, cellular and in vivo approaches in animal models and humans, members of the department have as their main research interests: allergy and asthma; immune regulation; lymphocyte receptors and adhesion molecules; molecular biology; natural immunity; inflammation; transplant immunology; tumour immunology; intracellular signalling pathways and neuroendocrinoimmunology.Numerous collaborations between those interested in fundamental and clinical immunology are in place, providing opportunities for translational research. Two established research groups ("Immune Regulation of Allergy Research Group" with eight faculty and "Group on Cellular and Molecular Basis of Inflammatory Diseases" with six faculty members) integrate basic and clinical sciences, providing excellent opportunities for advanced graduate training.
Research Facilities
Immunology graduate studies are based in the Faculty of Medicine. The program offers extensive modern facilities and instrumentation for research in contemporary immunology. These include basic and clinical immunology research laboratories, core equipment for a broad range of molecular and cellular immunology techniques, housing for small animals (both conventional SPF and for creation of transgenic mice), instrumentation for flow cytometry analysis and high speed sorting, confocal microscopy, a proteomics centre, a student computer laboratory and access to departmental and University wide libraries.
M.Sc. in Immunology
Admission
Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar.
Application Deadlines
Canadian/U.S. students should submit their application and supporting documentation to the Department at least 3 months prior to their intended start date. International students should submit their application and supporting documentation to the Department at least 9 months prior to their intended start date.
Program Requirements
Program requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar. Students must take IMMU 7070 then IMMU 7110 and IMMU 7020.
Students whose first language is not English must contact the University of Manitoba English Language Centre to register for the Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST). This test must be taken while the student is in the first year of his/her graduate program.
Second language reading requirement: none
Expected time to graduate: typically 2 - 3 years.
The Department of Immunology Supplemental Regulations may be printed from website:
umanitoba.ca/medicine/immunology/supregs.htm
Ph.D. in Immunology
Admission
Admission requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar.
Application Deadlines
Canadian/U.S. students should submit their application and supporting documentation to the Department at least 3 months prior to their intended start date. International students should submit their application and supporting documentation to the Department at least 9 months prior to their intended start date.
Program Requirements
Program requirements are those of the Faculty of Graduate Studies found in the Graduate Studies Regulations Section of this Calendar. The candidacy examination required of all students in the Ph.D. program will be in the form of a research proposal. Details on this examination can be obtained from the department web site.
Students whose first language is not English must contact the University of Manitoba English Language Centre to register for the Canadian Test of English for Scholars and Trainees (CanTEST). This test must be taken while the student is in the first year of his/her graduate program.
Second language requirement: none
Expected time to graduation: 4 - 5 years
The Department of Immunology Supplemental Regulations may be printed from website:
umanitoba.ca/medicine/immunology/supregs.htm
Course Descriptions
In addition to offering or contributing towards immunology training at the undergraduate levels, and in Medicine and Pharmacy professional programs, the department offers the most extensive selection of graduate courses in immunology in Canada. These include:
IMED 7190 Medical Immunology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 165.719) This interdisciplinary courses deals with the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying immunologically mediated human diseases. Prerequisites: IMMU 7070 (or 072.707) plus cognate courses in human biology or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7020 Immunobiology Cr.Hrs.6 (Formerly 072.702) This course provides a broad perspective of the evolving concepts of the mechanisms underlying the regulation of the immune response. Students admitted to this course will be expected to have sufficient background knowledge of general biology. Prerequisites: IMMU 7070 (or 072.707) plus cognate courses in molecular biology, or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7030 Seminars in Immunology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.703) Presented by senior graduate students on advanced research topics not directly related to the student's thesis subject. The purpose of this course is to test the student's ability to evaluate critically a specialized topic both orally and in an essay form. Prerequisites: IMMU 7110 (or 072.711) or IMMU 7020 (or 072.702), or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7040 Immunological Methodology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.704) This lecture course is designed to provide an understanding of modern methods used for basic research in Immunology or other biomedical disciplines utilizing immunological techniques. Prerequisite: IMMU 7070 (or 072.707), or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7070 Introductory Immunology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.707) This course provides a broad survey of modern immunology, covering such topics as molecular concepts of antigenic specificity, chemistry of antibodies and their interactions with antigens and cells, regulation of the immune response, transplantation and tumour immunology. Prerequisites: general courses in chemistry, biochemistry and biology, or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7080 Immunological Methodology (Laboratory) Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.708) This laboratory course is designed to provide familiarity with a variety of modern techniques used for basic research in immunology or other biomedical disciplines. Prerequisites: IMMU 7040 (or 072.704) or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7090 Selected Topics in Immunology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.709) Lectures, tutorials and assigned reading on topics not normally covered in other courses such as IMMU 7110 (or 072.711) and IMMU 7020 (or 072.702) or 036.719. Course content will vary depending on the advances in the field and research interests of the Department. Prerequisites: Consent of instructors.
IMMU 7100 Advanced Topics in Immunology Cr.Hrs.3 (Formerly 072.710) Lectures, tutorials and assigned reading at an advanced level on topics which may have been covered in other courses offered by the Department and which require treatment at a higher level either due to advances in the field or changes in the research interests of the Department. Prerequisites: IMMU 7110 (or 072.711) and/or IMMU 7020 (or 072.702), or by consent of instructors.
IMMU 7110 Molecular Immunology Cr.Hrs.6 (Formerly 072.711) This course covers in depth the structure, molecular biology and function of immunoglobulins, histocompatibility antigens, regulatory factors receptors and adhesion molecules on cells of the immune system; mechanisms of immunochemical reactions and the immunogenicity of antigens. Prerequisites: IMMU 7070 (or 072.707) plus undergraduate courses in organic chemistry, physical chemistry and biochemistry, or by consent of instructors. Not to be held with the former 072.701.
