Introductory Immunology quickly acquaints readers with natural immune responses manifesting in diseases and disorders. The book presents a complete picture of natural defenses to infectious agents, as well as the mechanisms that lead to autoimmune dysfunction. In addition, it examines immunologically based diseases, giving the reader sufficient knowledge to make sound clinical decisions leading to better treatment outcomes. Introductory Immunology is aimed at researchers, postgraduates, or any scientifically inclined reader interested in immunology. No prior expertise in medical, biochemical, or cellular science is needed to benefit from the clear presentation of immunology concepts in this book. Quick, concise introduction to immunological concepts Breaks down all of immunology into manageable, logically digestible building blocks Geared toward readers without medical, biochemical, or cellular expertise

The immune system is central to human health and the focus of much medical research. Growing understanding of the immune system, and especially the creation of immune memory (long lasting protection), which can be harnessed in the design of vaccines, have been major breakthroughs in medicine. In this Very Short Introduction, Paul Klenerman describes the immune system, and how it works in health and disease. In particular he focuses on the human immune system, considering how it evolved, the basic rules that govern its behavior, and the major health threats where it is important. The immune system comprises a series of organs, cells and chemical messengers which work together as a team to provide defence against infection. Klenerman discusses these components, the critical signals that trigger them and how they exert their protective effects, including so-called innate immune responses, which react very fast to infection, and adaptive immune responses, which have huge diversity and a capacity to recognize and defend against a massive array of micro-organisms. Klenerman also considers what happens when our immune systems fail to be activated effectively, leading to serious infections, problems with inherited diseases, and also HIV/AIDS. At the opposite extreme, as Klenerman shows, an over-exaggerated immune response leads to inflammatory diseases such as Multiple Sclerosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis, as well as allergy and asthma. Finally he looks at the Immune system v2.o - how immune therapies and vaccines can be advanced to protect us against the major diseases of the 21st century. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Janeway's Immunobiology CD-ROM, Immunobiology Interactive, is included with each book, and can be purchased separately. It contains animations and videos with voiceover narration, as well as the figures from the text for presentation purposes.

Immunology has emerged as a key component of the curricula of graduate and postgraduate courses in biotechnology, microbiology, biochemistry, bioinformatics, and other interdisciplinary fields of biology, including zoology, veterinary science, and medicine. As a basic introductory textbook on one of the fastest-moving and most challenging areas of immunological science, this book contains the most recent information about immunologic mechanisms and their importance, along with various molecular techniques employed in immunology. The short and concise text helps make the structures, processes, and interactions of the immune system easily comprehensible. The book includes chapters on immunoinformatics as well as the immune system of the brain, rarely found in any of the immunology books published so far. Many diverse and interesting aspects of the advances in immunology have also been covered, including tumor immunology and immunodeficiency disorders. The easy-to-understand concepts presented in the textbook make it an ideal companion for learners preparing for competitive and other examinations. Undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students, people from the industry and academia, and research scholars will immensely benefit from it.

In An Introduction to Immunology, the author includes the most recent information while emphasizing the basic fundamentals of each topic so that you obtain a broad outline of the subject. The text elucidates fundamental concepts, such as the origin of the immune system, innate and acquired immunity, and cells and organs of the immune system. It discusses recent concepts and ideas regarding innate and acquired immunity, T-cell and B-cell activation and differentiation mechanisms, factors involved in rheumatoid arthritis, T-cell clonal anergy, NK cell receptors, strategies in production of new vaccines against pathogens, new information on the minor histocompatibility complex, and much more. Moreover, the author brings you up to date with the latest developments by reviewing recently proposed concepts on transplantation immunology, blocking of costimulatory signals, CTLA-4 mediated T-cell inhibition, immune tolerance, NK cell tolerance, HLA delivered peptides for immunosuppression, and tumor antigens coded by oncogens. Covering subject matter based on the immunology course taught by the author for the past twenty years, Introduction to Immunology is an excellent text for graduate and postgraduate students, as well as a good reference book for teachers of biological sciences.