Tumour Immunology

Details

Title

Tumour Immunology

Type

Stage Two

Module code

HLS338

Requirement

Compulsory

Module objective

By the end of the training period trainees will, in respect to a thorough understanding, theoretical and practical, of the knowledge, theoretical skills and clinical skills necessary to be proficient in understanding how the components of the immune system can be harnessed for the effective management of patients, be able to

• analyse, synthesise, evaluate and apply knowledge
• perform, adapt and master a range of technical and clinical skills and procedures and
• demonstrate the attitudes and behaviours necessary for professional practise as a Consultant Clinical Scientist dealing with the complexities, uncertainties and tensions of professional practise at this level.

Knowledge and understanding

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate the ability to analyse, evaluate and synthesise relevant knowledge and its application to their professional practice in relation to:

• the concept of immunotherapy
• how antibodies are used as immunosuppressive agents (plasmapheresis and plasma exchange: monoclonal antibody therapy: generation of antibodies: ‘magic bullet’ therapy)
• how immunosuppressive drugs (corticosteroids: ciclosporin and tacrolimus: other anti-inflammatory agents) and immunosuppressive agents (X-irradiation: ultraviolet light) work.
• how therapeutic strategies can harness the immune system to specifically target tumour cells i.e. such as inducing tumour-specific immunological memory, which might cause long-lasting regression and prevent relapse in cancer patients.
• the composition and characteristics of the tumour microenvironment .i.e. natural killer cells, dendritic cells (DCs), effector T cells,  regulatory T cells.
• the complexity of immunomodulation by tumours for the development of immunotherapy i.e. vaccines
• how using vector-mediated delivery to tumour cell genes can sensitise cells to chemotherapeutic drugs.
• why virus-associated cancers are key targets of choice for the development of immune therapies, while other viruses provide the key vectors for tumour-specific gene delivery.
• antigen-specific T lymphocyte responses to tumours and the development of immunotherapy approaches for cancer treatment i.e. TCR transfer.
• The analysis of local and systemic T cell responses against tumour-associated antigens in patients with leukaemia and solid tumours
• the concept of non-viral gene delivery
• the concept of ‘suicide genes’

Technical and clinical skills

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to demonstrate a critical understanding of current relevant research, theory and knowledge and its application to the performance, adaptation and mastery of the following skills:

• The process of making monoclonal antibodies
• How vaccines are made
• How vectors are manipulated for tumour specific gene delivery
• Understand TCR transfer

By the end of the training period the trainee will be able to apply knowledge of the general principles of the techniques used in the application of tumor immunology to perform, adapt and master the clinical skills necessary to manage and to understand the:

• immunological response to treatment and how it effects results
• interpretation of results within the clinical context of the patient