Choosing
a Textbook for MIC 419
Your
success in MIC 419 will depend on your reading a good Immunology textbook before
coming to class and applying the information to the weekly case study assignments
that will prepare you for the vaccine proposal and the take-home exams. The
ASUA Bookstore has copies of the two texts I have selected; you only need ONE
of these texts. One of these immunology texts is also available on line.
- Immunobiology
by Charles Janeway et al. (6th edition /2005, red cover, Garland Publishing)
is an introductory textbook especially good for students with strong backgrounds
in biochemistry and cell biology as well as Microbiology 205 or 285. The organization
is close to that of the course material and the illustrations are plentiful
and very useful to visual learners. Some material is covered in more depth by
Janeway than in the course. The 5th edition/2001, yellow cover contains most
of the information in the 6th edition and is an acceptable alternative. The 5th edition of Immunobiology is available on line at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?call=bv.View..ShowTOC&rid=imm.TOC&depth=2
- The Immune
System by Peter Parham (2nd edition/2005 Garland Publishing) is an abbreviated
Immunobiology that eliminates the more complex parts of the Janeway
text and uses the same illustrations as Janeway. The organization is slightly
different and immune signaling is not covered, but overall Parham's text is
very good. It is also a text used by the U of A Medical College Microbiology
and Immunology course (second year) and by Colorado State College of Veterinary
Medicine Immunology course (first year). If you have had MIC 205 and are not
concurrently taking biochemistry, this text may be the best for you.
I have also ordered
A Short Guide to Writing About Biology (Pechenik, 6th edition,
Pearson Education Inc., 2006). This is an excellent and readable handbook for
scientific writing. I will expect you to follow its guidelines for the writing
you do in this course. This text has been adopted by the Department of Veterinary
Science and Microbiology and will be useful for all department courses. I have asked the Main Library to order this book and put it on 2-hour reserve for MIC 419 this semester.
