Biotechnology has significantly advanced the field of therapeutics, particularly through the development and application of antibodies. The "Biotechnology Breakthroughs: Antibodies in Modern Therapeutics" course delves deep into the structure, function, and engineering of antibodies, equipping students with both foundational knowledge and an understanding of cutting-edge biotechnological innovations. The curriculum starts with an introduction to immunoglobulin structures, exploring their functional components, light and heavy chains, complementarity determining regions (CDRs), and biological activities across different antibody classes.

Learners will also gain a solid understanding of immunogenetics, including gene organisation, VDJ recombination, and mechanisms responsible for generating antibody diversity. With lectures on antibody gene expression, class switching, allelic exclusion, and transcriptional regulation, this course provides a full picture of the molecular processes involved in antibody production and functionality.

A significant portion of the course focuses on antibody-based therapies, such as polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies, hybridoma technology, and antibody engineering, including chimeric, humanised, and fully human monoclonal antibodies. You will also explore the development and use of immunotoxins, abzymes, bispecific antibodies, and the differences between passive immunisation strategies like plasma therapy and active immunisation through vaccination. The course concludes with timely modules on COVID-19-related therapies, offering insights into convalescent plasma therapy and monoclonal antibody applications in combating SARS-CoV-2.