Hiding in Plain Site: The Immune System, Tuberculosis

and Antibiotic Resistance

Mark StephanskyWhitman-Hanson Regional High School

Whitman, Massachusetts

Overall Program Objective To develop and test an immunology-

based educational unit designed for first and/or second year high school biology students based on my AAI summer research experience

Curriculum Overview Cruikshank Lab: T cell migration and

function during tuberculosis infection A third of the world’s population is infected

with the TB bacterium; one in 10 of them will become sick with active TB in their lifetime.

TB is responsible for a death every 20 seconds.

An estimated 490,000 new cases of TB resistant to first-line drugs and 40,000 cases of TB resistant to second-line drugs occur every year. (SciAm – March 2009)

Curriculum Overview - continued TB Infection - entry point for Immune

System Study 21st Century Skills:

MCAS, AP, NEASC

Lab Components: ELISA - importance as common lab

assay and in diagnosing disease Bacterial transformation

Curriculum Time Requirement: Total time approximately 7 class

periods (computer exercises may be completed by students at home or at the library). Opening Lecture - 1 class period Immune system web tutorial - 1 class period Antibody web investigation - 1 class period Virtual ELISA - 1 class period ELISA Lab - 1 class period Bacterial transformation lab requires 2 lab periods.

Curriculum Overview 1 Immune System Basics

Innate immunity Acquired Immunity

TB infection Harvard Outreach video

"Understanding Resistance to Tuberculosis"Dr. Barry Bloom

http://outreach.mcb.harvard.edu/videos.htm

Curriculum Overview 2 Immune system web tutorial

Students will be able to compare and contrast the cell components as well as organs of the immune system.

Curriculum Overview 3 Antibody web investigation

Students will be able to distinguish between antigens and antibodies. Lead in for ELISA

Curriculum Overview 4 ELISA

Virtual HHMI Immunology Lab Simulated HIV/AIDS

Students will be able to describe the basics of an ELISA assay and practical uses of this type of lab assay.

Curriculum Overview 5 Bacterial transformation lab Component of AP Biology

Link to antibiotic resistance Evolution

The LB + pAMP plate shows lawn growth on the lower left. The LB - pAMP plate shows lawn growth on the lower right. The Experimental plate, LB/AMP + pAMP plate shows colonies on the upper left. The LB/AMP - pAMP plate shows no growth on the upper right.

Assessment Narrative Essays

You are to write a 3-4 page story in the first person (call the protagonist “I”) describing yourself as one who contracts tuberculosis, suffers from the disease and then begins a regimen of antibiotics to cure the disease.

Now, write the same story (3-4 pages) from the point of view of the germ! What do you as the causer of the disease hope to accomplish? What is your experience inside the human body? How did you get there? Was it easy or difficult? Did you mean to do it? What are your worries and concerns regarding the immune system? (Did a macrophage eat any of your friends?)

Assessment – Sample I

Assessment – Sample II

Strengths of Curriculum Unit: Multi-part Introductory unit

Use or Delete

21st Century Skills Web-Based activities Hands-on Activities

Provides many tie-ins to other curriculum units Wellness and Disease Protein Synthesis Antibiotic Resistance Evolution

The Future: Fine Tune Unit:

21st Century Skills Google Docs

Broaden Disease Category Not just TB Students pick – increase buy in/interest

Expand Antibody/Antigen connection Protein Shape

Better ELISA Lab activity AAI – Ann Brokaw?

The AAI Experience: Fantastic program!

Real Lab Access Engaging Anecdotes

A new look at Immunology Curriculum Objectives and material

Impact on biology courses at all levels: AP Biology, Academic Biology, A&P

Acknowledgements: Dr. William Cruikshank, Pulmonary Center,

Boston University School of Medicine

Jillian Richmond, BUSM Cruikshank Lab Team Matthew Murphy, BU HS Summer Intern Whitman-Hanson Regional HS American Association of Immunologists and the

John H. Wallace High School Teachers Summer Research Program

ANY QUESTIONS?