Description
Prerequisite: BIO 181; BIO 340 or BIO 344
Fundamental elements of cancer develoment and progression will be the focus of this course. Basic biochemical and genetic mechanisms of tumorigenesis, including genomic instabillity, principles of tumor cell invasion and growth dysregulation will be emphasized. The lectures will be organized intro 4 broad thematic groups: A). Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms (e.g., tumor suppressor and oncogene function, DNA repair pathways, senescence, apoptosis); B). Non Cell-Autonomous Mechanisms (e.g., tumor microenvironment, hypoxia, angiogenesis); C). Organ Systems (e.g., pancreatic cancer, hematopoietic malignancies); and D) Therapeutic Approaches (e.g. protein kinase inhibitors, immunotheraphy, radiation therapy).