MedInTO Medicine and Surgery

The course "Biotechnologic drugs and immuno-mediated pathology" contributes to the achievement of the goals of Medicine and Surgery curriculum providing the student with the knowledge required:

• to develop specific expertises in decision making in diagnosis and therapy in the single patient in the specialistic areas;
• to provide indications for appropriate use of therapeutic resources.

At the end of the course " Biotechnologic drugs and immuno-mediated pathology" the students will know:

• The classification of the main systemic autoimmune diseases;
• The key pathogenetic pathways underlying the systemic and organ-specific autoimmune diseases;
• The target molecules of biotechnologic drugs;
• The mechanism of action of biotechnologic drugs in autoimmune diseases;
• The main adverse effects of biotechnologic drugs.

The students will be able to:

• Request the appropriate tests before starting therapy with biotechnologic drugs;
• Explain to the patient the main pros&cons of different biotechnologic drugs;
• Monitoring patients treated with biotechnologic drugs by evaluating possible adverse effects, non-response to therapy and relapses of the autoimmune disease;
• Recognize and manage the main side effects of biotechnologic drug therapies to include infections.

The program of the course " Biotechnologic drugs and immuno-mediated pathology" is the following:

• Classification criteria for the principal systemic autoimmune diseases;
• Central pathogenetic mechanisms of autoimmune diseases;
• Introduction to the follow-up of patients with systemic autoimmune diseases;
• Molecular targets of biotechnologic drugs;
• Mechanisms of action of biotechnologic drugs in autoimmune diseases;
• Unfavorable events due to therapies with biotechnologic drugs