General provisions

1.5 credits (hp) correspond to 1 credit point (p) according to earlier study regulation.

Entry requirements

For students in the pharmacy programme, it is required that the student should have at least 150 credits of which 60 credits within pharmaceutical bioscience of which 9 credits in pharmaceutical biochemistry and 7.5 credits in molecular genetics and going through earlier courses within the programme. For admission to freestanding course, 150 credits are required of which 60 credits within pharmaceutical bioscience of which at least 9 credits in biochemistry and 7.5 credits in molecular genetics or the equivalent knowledge that have been acquired within medical, scientific, dental, pharmaceutical or veterinary science education. Proficiency in Swedish and English equivalent to the general entry requirements for first-cycle (Bachelor's level) studies.

Learning outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should be able to account for:

The cell cycle, regulation via cyclin dependent kinases, factors that are essential for how and when cell division takes place, how mitosis and replication is regulated and coordinated, cellular signalling systems, biological developmental mechanisms and cell death.

The genomic organisation and control of expression; the transcriptional dependence of the chromatin structure and transcription factors as well as RNA and protein modifications.

The importance of DNA-damage for tumour development.

Repair mechanisms. Tumour suppression via repair and apoptosis, the linkage between DNA-damage and apoptosis through p53.

Neoplastic transformation of a cell, benign and malignant neoplasia. Tumour classification, morphological and other description of tumours, examples of tumour types. Definition of the concept of oncogenes; Transformation of a proto-oncogene to an oncogene.

What is meant by a signal transduction chain, autocrine or exocrine stimulation, growth factors and receptors, activated receptor tyrosine kinase, signal transduction molecules, transcription factors, different cellular responses froms timulated signal transduction e g mitosis, ruffling and mobility. The importance of inhibitors.

The effects on cells from different factors and macromolecules in the extracellular matrix with an emphasis on the signalling of PDGF:s and TGF:s as models for other growth factors. The importance of Ras- and similar G-proteins.

The effects of the "social environment" of a cell with an emphasis on integrins and CD44 as models for other cell adhesion receptors. Contact inhibition and the importance of matrix components. The tumour stroma. The angiogenic dependence of the growth factors VEGF and FGF.

The importance of apoptosis for effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Resistance of tumour cells against apoptotic signals. Activated properties at the metastatic process.

How knowledge of the mechanisms behind cancer can be used to create new treatment strategies e g through re-creation of suppressors, antiangiogenic therapy, inhibition of signal transduction mediated by oncogenes. The role of stem cells for normal cell differentiation and for tumour development and the use of stem cells for genetic modification and therapy.

Content

The course utilises current research problems to illustrate different cell biology-related basis phenomena and its applications within the tumour biology. Fields that are treated are inter alia: transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation; signal transduction; genetic polymorphism as results of DNA-damages. Furthermore, type examples of different tumours are included. The course also gives insight in current research activity and methodology within the tumour biology.

Instruction

The teaching is given as lectures and seminars in English. Compulsory parts of the course: Attendance at 75% of the lectures and attendance at the beginning of the course and seminars.

Assessment

Written examination is arranged at the end of the course. For a Pass grade in the course, passed compulsory parts and passed written examination are required. Students who have failed the first examination are allowed five re-examinations.