BIOM256/PATH 221: Molecular Pathology of Cancer
2013 Schedule
Units: 3. Course is for letter grade
Quarter: WI
Time: Monday/Wednesday 10AM to Noon
Location: Leichtag, Mondays will be in 205, and Wednesdays in 2A05
This class is taught by BMS program faculty whose laboratories are actively engaged in cancer research. It covers a wide range of cancer-related topics at the molecular level and provides a solid basis of knowledge for students interested in the cancer problem.
| DATE |
TOPIC |
|
LECTURER |
| 1/7 |
Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes: From definitive to paradoxical |
PDF |
Gen-Sheng Feng |
| 1/9 |
PI-3-kinase signaling in normal and cancer cells |
PDF |
Seth Field |
| 1/14 |
The histopathology of cancer |
PDF |
Steve Baird |
| 1/16 |
EGF receptors, glioblastoma, and models of oncogene addiction |
PDF |
Frank Furnari |
| 1/21 |
Martin Luther King Junior Holiday |
|
No class |
| 1/23 |
The HIPPO/YAP pathway in cancer |
PDF |
Kun-Liang Guan |
| 1/28 |
Hedgehog and RAS signaling in stem cells and cancer cells |
PDF |
Benjamin Yu |
| 1/30 |
Targeting a non-canonical beta 3 integrin signaling axis reverses cancer stemness and resistance to EGFR inhibitors |
|
David Cheresh |
| 2/4 |
Hour 1: Endoplasmic reticulum stress & unfolded protein response signaling
Hour 2: Endoplasmic reticulum stress & unfolded protein response in cancer |
PDF
PDF |
Jonathan Lin
Maurizio Zanetti |
| 2/6 |
The role of myeloid cells in cancer immunosuppression, neovascularization, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance |
PDF |
Judith Varner |
| 2/11 |
Molecular mishaps that drive colorectal cancer |
PDF |
Pradipta Ghosh |
| 2/13 |
Tumor Immunology |
PDF |
Jack Bui |
| 2/18 |
Presidents Day Holiday |
|
No Class |
| 2/20 |
Inflammation and cancer |
PDF |
Michael Karin |
| 2/25 |
Tumor angiogenesis and angiogenesis-targeting drugs |
PDF |
Napoleon Ferrara |
| 2/27 |
The multi-step tumor metastasis program |
PDF |
Jing Yang |
| 3/4 |
Mechanisms and fish models of cancer cell migration and metastasis |
|
Richard Klemke |
| 3/6 |
Transcription factor oncoproteins that arrest stem cell differentiation in leukemia |
PDF |
Mark Kamps |
| 3/11 |
Developmental signals in stem cells and cancer |
|
Tannishtha Reya |
| 3/13 |
Cancer drugs and the biological roles of their targets |
|
Sara Courtneidge |
| 3/18 |
Target specific and genome wide studies of human leukemogenesis |
|
Dong-Er Zhang |
| 3/20 |
Student proposals in small groups, student feed-back and questions. Enjoyable! |
|
Two faculty
4-5 students |
HOMEWORK: Each lecturer will provide an original research manuscript related to their lecture. Students select one of the two manuscripts
corresponding to the two weekly lectures, for their homework assignment, which is due the following Monday. In the 2 weeks that have a holiday, the paper provided by the single lecturer will be the basis for homework. After reading the paper selected for homework, students answer the following questions:
1. What is the major open research question addressed by the authors?
2. What is the author's hypothesis?
3. What do you think is the most important figure, and why?
4. Having read the paper, what do you think is the new most important open research question to focus on?
5. How would you address that question experimentally?
Collectively, your 5 answers may not be longer than one page of single spaced type. The answers should be precise and to the point. Usually, the answers to questions 1-4 require about 50% to 60% of the page, and the answer to question 5 requires 40% to 50% of the page.
GRADES. The answers will be given a numerical grade (out of 10) and the homework handed back 2 days later (Wednesday). Your last regular homework (the 9th homework) is turned in Monday, March 11th. In order to let you prepare for your final proposal on March 20th, there will be no regular homework assigned for the weeks of March 11/13 and March 18/20. Therefore, your last regular homework assignment is due March 11, covering the talks of March 4/6. Your final proposal will count as 3 homework grades. The grades of all lectures together with the 3 grades for the Final will be averaged for your final grade. An average of B is required in order to pass.
FINAL EXAM. For the "Final", each student will write a short (2 page) research proposal on a topic related to cancer. Your proposal should define an open question in cancer research, state a hypothesis for a proposed mechanism, and delineate a number of specific aims, or approaches, that will be used to investigate the question. This is the same thought process you used for your homework and also the same that you use for writting your second year research proposals (done autumn quarter of your second year). This proposal will count as 3 homework grades. An explicit description of how to organize your final abstract and presentation can be found here.
MISSED CLASSES. All lectures need to be attended. Failure to attend a class will result in a D for that session, unless the absence has been pre-arranged and is for good reason (e.g. very sick or to presenting at a meeting).
FACULTY EVALUATIONS: At the end of the course, you will be asked to evaluate each faculty presenter.
