Introductory Immunology

Jeffrey K. Actor, PhD, is a professor and Medical Immunology Course Director in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Center at Houston. Dr. Actor received his PhD degree from the University of Massachusetts. His research interests include examination of host immune responses during pathogenic disease, understanding proinflammatory and regulatory cytokines during mycobacterial infections, vaccine development, and molecular mechanisms of adjuvant-induced immunomodulation. Professor Actor has established himself as a productive educator-scientist with a strong background in immunology and molecular biology with a broad range of expertise in pathobiology. He has shown his commitment to education and excellence, at both the Medical School and Graduate School levels.

Overview of immune componentsHost immune defensesSystems and cellsInnate and adaptive componentsImmune reactionsHow we defend against infectious agentsBacteria and mycobacteriaViral agentsHIV/AIDSFungal and parasitic organismsBasic disorders of immune functionAutoimmunitiesAllergies, asthma, and endocrinologyVaccines and ImmunotherapyHow vaccines functionVaccines: Truths and mythsImmunopharmacologyImmunity and agingCancer immunologyNatural defense against tumorsCancers of the immune systemTransplantation