Vaccines and Viral Immunology
- HMX
Group Enrollment Option A program that is a popular choice for organizations and institutions to purchase in bulk.
Learn how the immune system is being harnessed to create vaccines that protect against infections by disease-causing viruses.
- Online; Instructor-Paced
Lessons are released weekly and remain available until the course ends.
$1,025
Enroll early to receive 10% off. Multi-course bundle pricing is also available.
Early Registration Deadline:
Certificate
There are two certification levels, based on participant scores: Certificate of Achievement; Certificate of Completion
10 Weeks, 1-2 Hours/Week
Most people can expect to spend around 15–20 hours total, but this depends on your baseline knowledge and how carefully you take notes.
On This Page
Overview
Viral infections are responsible for many human diseases, from common diseases like the flu to emerging infections such as Zika virus and SARS-CoV-2. Understanding how the immune system works to prevent and remove viral infections is essential for anyone working to develop or distribute vaccines that can protect against these diseases.
Discover how the immune system functions to prevent and eliminate viral infections, including common pathogens like influenza and emerging viruses such as Zika, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2 in this advanced HMX course. You will gain a firm understanding of the viral life cycle, focusing on how viruses infiltrate and replicate within host cells, evade the immune system, and target specific tissues in the body. By highlighting these processes, you will understand how the immune system can be harnessed to develop effective vaccines by exploring the different types of vaccines, recent advances in vaccine development (including mRNA vaccines), and the technologies that have made these advances possible.
Learning Objectives
- Learn the basics of how viruses can infect cells and cause disease
- Gain an understanding of the ways that the human immune system fights off viral infections, and the methods that viruses use to evade the immune response
- See examples of how knowledge of the immune response to viruses can inform vaccine development
Participant Types
Medical professionals; researchers in immunology or adjacent fields; professionals in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries
About the Course
HMX online courses bring complex material to life through engaging biomedical visualizations, clinical applications, and true-to-life scenarios paired with lectures from Harvard Medical School faculty and leading experts.
Who Should Apply
This advanced course is appropriate for medical professionals seeking in-depth knowledge of the viral life cycle and the immune response to viruses; researchers in immunology or adjacent fields who are interested in exploring the pathogenesis of different viral infections and the antiviral immune response; professionals in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry who are eager to understand the process of vaccine development, from laboratory research and clinical trials to full-scale manufacturing.
Course Format
Most people can expect to spend around 15–20 hours total, but this depends on your baseline knowledge, how carefully you take notes, and how seriously you take the assessments. Lessons from the courses are released toward the beginning of the course session and remain available until the courses end, so you can work at your own pace. There is a final exam at the end of each course that can be taken at any time during the multi-week final exam period. The flexible course format makes this an ideal choice for working professionals.
Group Enrollments
HMX courses are ideal for organizations looking to train teams or larger groups. Group pricing is available, making it a cost-effective investment in team development.
Faculty
HMX courses are led by Harvard Medical School faculty, working in collaboration with a multi-disciplinary team of experts in biomedical visualization, assessment, and the science of learning to create a unique learning experience that will stay with you.
Andrew Lichtman
MD, PhD
- Professor of Pathology, Harvard Medical School
- Pathologist, Brigham and Women's Hospital
Shiv Pillai
MD, PhD
- Professor of Medicine and Health Sciences and Technology, Harvard Medical School
Andrew Pike
PhD
- Lecturer in Immunology, Harvard Medical School
- Curriculum Fellow in Online Learning
Galit Alter, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Dan Barouch, MD, PhD, William Bosworth Castle Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Jules Dienstag, MD, Carl W. Walter Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School / Gastroenterologist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Stephen C. Harrison, PhD, Giovanni Armenise-Harvard Professor of Basic Medical Sciences, Harvard Medical School
Kathryn E. Stephenson, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Bruce Walker, MD, Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School
Course Quiz
Are you ready for an advanced course? We recommend knowledge of basic chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as knowledge of key immunology concepts. Gauge your knowledge of immunology by taking this short quiz.
From Our Learners
Hear from HMX students as they share their experiences learning online with Harvard Medical School.
"HMX has allowed me the freedom to really tailor my educational plan to meet my demands and the flexibility to adapt my schedule to any challenges that may arise."
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