Prereq: MI 494G or MI 685.
Immunotherapy, the application of immunologic principles to the clinic, often called "Bench to Bedside", has led to significant objective clinical responses and prolonged time to tumor progression or recurrence in a subset of cancer patients. The current class will discuss basic immunologic principles and show how they apply to the tumor setting. In addition, the class will demonstrate how immunologic mechanisms can be exploited in the treatment of cancer. The semester will be divided into three stages including: 1. A concise review of basic immunology concepts preparing the student for applying those concepts to the tumor setting, 2. a detailed examination of the tumor microenvironment, tumor derived immunosuppression and the effector function of both soluble and cellular mechanisms against tumors of varying stages and 3. a broad overview of immunotherapy including regulatory issues pertaining to reagent development and delivery as well as an in depth review of all of the different approaches utilized to treat cancer since 1980. The course will be lecture based utilizing current and historic literature as well as the Course Directors extensive experience in the field.
Immunotherapy, the application of immunologic principles to the clinic, often called "Bench to Bedside", has led to significant objective clinical responses and prolonged time to tumor progression or recurrence in a subset of cancer patients. The current class will discuss basic immunologic principles and show how they apply to the tumor setting. In addition, the class will demonstrate how immunologic mechanisms can be exploited in the treatment of cancer. The semester will be divided into three stages including: 1. A concise review of basic immunology concepts preparing the student for applying those concepts to the tumor setting, 2. a detailed examination of the tumor microenvironment, tumor derived immunosuppression and the effector function of both soluble and cellular mechanisms against tumors of varying stages and 3. a broad overview of immunotherapy including regulatory issues pertaining to reagent development and delivery as well as an in depth review of all of the different approaches utilized to treat cancer since 1980. The course will be lecture based utilizing current and historic literature as well as the Course Directors extensive experience in the field.