How to introduce COILs into existing courses : best practice from Sprint COILs around the world

Keynote presentationSetting up a new COIL can sometimes be challenging. Time constraints, lack of experience, the need for internal consent or lack of resources can be significant obstacles in the development of a new teaching format. For all those facing such hurdles, Sprint COILs can be the answer. This short COIL format that can be incorporated into any course without overriding contracts, and without having to go through the university's internal bureaucracy. All it takes is two initiative lecturers from two universities. Sprint COILs have been developed by the Zurich University of Applied Sciences in collaboration with partners from across the globe. We report from projects with various universities in different countries in order to provide best practice examples. Key themes: • Characteristics of a Sprint COIL • Arguments for introducing Sprint COILs in courses • Choosing the right course • Setting up and conducting a Sprint COIL • Students’ key learnings • Challenges from the perspective of the individual universities in the different countries • Limitations, potentials and outlook Lecturers participating in the Sprint COILs between the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the six involved universities from China, Mexico, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Switzerland and The Netherlands will share their insights from conducting Sprint COILs in a wide range of disciplines, such as Facility Management, Environmental Engineering and Intercultural Communication. Illustrative examples will provide ample insight into how to successfully set up and conduct a Sprint COIL

Epithelial cytoprotection sustains ectopic expression of tissue-restricted antigens in the thymus during murine acute GVHD

Development of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) predisposes to chronic GVHD with autoimmune manifestations. A characteristic of experimental aGVHD is the de novo generation of autoreactive T cells. Central tolerance is dependent on the intrathymic expression of tissue-restricted peripheral self-antigens (TRA), which is in mature medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC(high)) partly controlled by the autoimmune regulator (Aire). Because TECs are targets of donor T-cell alloimmunity, we tested whether murine aGVHD interfered with the capacity of recipient Aire(+)mTEC(high) to sustain TRA diversity. We report that aGVHD weakens the platform for central tolerance induction because individual TRAs are purged from the total repertoire secondary to a decline in the Aire(+)mTEC(high) cell pool. Peritransplant administration of an epithelial cytoprotective agent, fibroblast growth factor-7, maintained a stable pool of Aire(+)mTEC(high), with an improved TRA transcriptome despite aGVHD. Taken together, our data provide a mechanism for how autoimmunity may develop in the context of antecedent alloimmunity