While pathogenic microorganisms cause infections and evoke pro-inflammatory immune responses, billions of commensal microorganisms live in symbiosis with their host. This raises various intriguing questions on the delicate interactions between the immune system and the plethora of microorganisms that we as a host encounter.  How can our (mucosal) immune system maintain peace with trillions of commensal microbes, while keeping pathogens at bay? What is the role of the commensals in providing protection against pathogens and in training our immune system? What are the immunological health consequences of loss of microbial biodiversity? How do pathogens evolve to evade our immune system and cause disease? Which options do we currently have to treat or prevent infectious diseases and what are potential future personalized treatment strategies?

In this course these bi-directional host-microbe interactions during homeostasis and infection will be analysed and compared. 

Basic challenges (cases) will be alternated by convince-the-expert meetings during which various host-microbe interactions will be discussed with experts in the fields of immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases. In addition you will be working on an academic group project in which the gained knowledge will be applied to develop a future solution to tackle microbe-mediated diseases. The results of the academic project will be presented during a final symposium at the end of the course.

Within this course there will also be several skills trainings to study. This includes a training on mucosal immunological tissues. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to design and conduct your own intervention study to modify your own oral microbiome.

       · To evaluate future solutions to treat and prevent deleterious infections and microbiome-mediated diseases

       · To compare current strategies for the therapeutic treatment of infections by targeting the microbe or supporting the       immune system 

       · To analyze the processes by which the immune system in response to an infection leads to pathology, and the consequences of failing to control infection

       · To distinguish how the host’s immune system discriminates between various microbes, and commensal vs. pathogenic bacteria

       · To examine what determines microbial virulence and how commensals can turn into pathogens

       · To understand the various microbial ecosystems in the human body and explain their role in maintaining human health and to analyze the link between lost microbial exposure and the rise in non-communicable/communicable diseases.