SubjectsSubjects(version: 945)
Course, academic year 2023/2024
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Viruses and tumors - MB140P87
Title: Viry a nádory
Czech title: Viry a nádory
Guaranteed by: Department of Genetics and Microbiology (31-140)
Faculty: Faculty of Science
Actual: from 2023 to 2023
Semester: summer
E-Credits: 3
Examination process: summer s.:combined
Hours per week, examination: summer s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
Capacity: unlimited
Min. number of students: 10
4EU+: no
Virtual mobility / capacity: no
State of the course: taught
Language: Czech
Level: specialized
Note: enabled for web enrollment
the course is taught as cyclical
Guarantor: RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D.
Teacher(s): RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D.
Annotation -
Last update: RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D. (17.04.2023)
Cancer occurs as a result of many causes, and from a clinical point of view, cancer can be seen as a set of many diseases with diverse phenotypic manifestations. However, at the molecular level, the process of carcinogenesis has many common features. Historically, the study of tumorigenic viruses has made a major contribution to the elucidation of the main mechanisms of tumor transformation. To this day, tumorigenic viruses and their proteins have been used experimentally to study and unravel the complex inter-regulatory relationships in tumorigenesis. The fact that viruses are the etiological cause of up to 15% of all human cancers cannot be overlooked. In addition, viral vectors are important tools for gene and cancer therapy.

These lectures focus on a comparative analysis of key mechanisms of carcinogenesis and viral tumorigenesis. Using examples of well-studied cases of virus-induced tumors, it attempts to offer parallels for understanding the molecular, cellular, and immunological mechanisms that play a role in carcinogenesis in general and may be important for identifying therapeutic targets. The presentation also introduces modern strategies for targeted anticancer therapy, with emphasis on approaches where viruses can be used as anticancer vaccines or vectors to deliver genes, therapeutics or diagnostic agents into cancer cells. This course provides an up-to-date overview of cancer virotherapy and oncolytic viruses.

This course is designed for students interested in molecular and cell biology, virology and oncology. During the course, students will be given the opportunity to work individually with scientific literature related to cancer biology and possibly test their argumentation skills in a panel discussion on a chosen controversial topic.
Literature -
Last update: RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D. (04.05.2023)
  • Lauren Pecorino: Molecular Biology of Cancer: Mechanisms, Targets, and Therapeutics, Oxford University Press, USA; 2 edition 2008
  • John Mendelsohn et al: The Molecular Basis of Cancer: Expert Consult, Saunders; 3 edition, 2008
  • Robert A. Weinberg: The Biology of Cancer, Garland Science; 2014
  • John Nicholas et al.: Human Cancer Viruses: Principles of Transformation and Pathogenesis, S. Karger AG (Switzerland); 1 edition, 2008
  • Hanahan, D., Weinberg, R.A., 2011. Hallmarks of Cancer: The Next Generation. Cell 144, 646–674. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2011.02.013
  • Mesri, E.A., Feitelson, M., Munger, K., 2014. HUMAN VIRAL ONCOGENESIS: A CANCER HALLMARKS ANALYSIS. Cell Host Microbe 15, 266–282. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2014.02.011
Requirements to the exam -
Last update: RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D. (04.05.2023)

Requirements - the exam is combined and has three parts:

1. During the semester, submission of an independent paper in an agreed form and date = 20% evaluation.

2. Passing a short test with at least 70% success before the exam = 30% evaluation

3. Oral examination = 50% evaluation

Syllabus -
Last update: RNDr. Hana Španielová, Ph.D. (04.05.2023)

1. Definition of cancer biology, oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes, history of discoveries, features of cancer cells;
2. Epidemiology and etiology of cancer, risk factors, prevention, principles of conventional treatment;
3. Methods of studying tumours, theories of tumour formation and progression, theories of virus-induced tumours, evolution of tumours;
4. Known mechanisms of viral tumorigenesis in specific human tumorigenic viruses (HPV, EBV, HH8, HTLV, HBV, HCV, newly discovered tumorigenic viruses);
5. Strategies and perspectives for diagnostics and anti-tumour therapy (development of anti-tumour drugs, viral vectors for gene and anti-tumour therapy);
6. Virotherapy - oncolytic viruses and anticancer vaccines;

 
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