Cancer Biology

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

• 3. Good health and well-being

Objectives

The rapid evolution of technologies is changing the knowledge we have about cancer cells and the way in which the investigation of this disease is being considered. The revolution of large-scale molecular analysis: genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, phenotypical, etc. has expanded our knowledge about the processes related to the tumor genesis, the mechanisms of cell cycle and cell death control, the cell signals that regulate gene expression, including cancer cells and stromal cells, and how this flow of information is compromising malignant evolution.

The aim of the course is to learn about the complexity and variability of tumors and the characteristics of cancer processes, which encourages research to determine how to best deal with the disease. This reasoning is the principal of the personalised cancer medicine.

The main objectives are:

1. To acquire knowledge and to develop a critical point of view of the biology of cancer and cancer research, taking into account stromal and tumoral cells per se. This knowledge will bring to the students the opportunity to actively participate in the discussions and seminars.
2. Describe and identify the main signal transduction pathways and the most important tumor cell functions deregulations. To be able to identify therapeutical targets in these pathways and functions.
3. To develop abilities for collaborative work, share tasks and to be able to perform scientific critical discussions.
4. To develop skills in useful techniques in a cancer research laboratory.
5. To create a scientific report evaluating and discussing the results with criticism and designing alternatives or solutions to apply.
6. To introduce the students to cancer research to promote cancer research career.

Learning outcomes

1. Understand the biological and molecular bases of the cancer process.
2. Know the therapeutic strategies to fight against cancer.
3. Acquire a critical point of cancer biology and cancer research bringing them the opportunity to actively participate in discussions and seminars.
4. Develop the capacity for critical thought with respect to processes associated with the profession.
5. Describe and identify the main signal transduction pathways and the most important tumor cell function deregulations.
6. Develop abilities for collaborative work, share tasks and to be able to perform scientific critical discussions.
7. Develop skills in useful techniques in a cancer research laboratory.
8. Write a scientific report evaluating and discussing the results with criticism and designing alternatives or solutions to apply.

Competencies

Specific skills

• Acquire scientific and technical training for study of the possible uses of organisms for the production of goods and services with commercial value, with due regard to ethics and intellectual property regulations.
• Search, obtain and interpret information in the main biological and bibliographic databases using bioinformatics tools, and use programming techniques for problem solving.
• Study and manipulate genes and their structure and mechanisms of expression in a variety of professional and research contexts.

Basic skills

• Students have demonstrated knowledge and understanding in a field of study that builds on general secondary education with the support of advanced textbooks and knowledge of the latest advances in this field of study.

Core skills

• Be a critical thinker before knowledge in all its dimensions. Show intellectual, cultural and scientific curiosity and a commitment to professional rigour and quality.
• Project the values of entrepreneurship and innovation in one's academic and professional career, through contact with a variety of practical contexts and motivation for professional development.

Content

Theory contents

Part I. Cancer basis

Cancer

1. Basic concepts in cancer
2. Carcinogenesis
3. Oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes

Cancer cell signaling

4. Growth factors
5. Signaling pathways
6. Transcription factors

Part II. Tumor and stromal cells features and behaviour

7. Cell cycle deregulation and genome instability
8. Cell metabolic alterations
9. Immune system and inflammation in cancer
10. Angiogenesis
11. Metastasis

Part III. Cancer diagnosis and therapies

12. Classic and new therapies
13. Resistance to therapies
14. Introduction to cancer research

Practice contents

1. Cell phenotype: in vitro and in vivo immunofluorescence
2. Cell ability to grow in absence of anchorage and absence of growth factors by soft agar assay
3. Cancer drugs citotoxicity
4. Cell migration
5. Clonogenicity

Evaluation

Specific considerations for Cancer Biology

The evaluation of the subject will consider the acquisition of the skills and learning outcomes. It is based on the continuous monitoring of student work, which will be assessed throughout the course and active assistance in the classroom, conducting written tests on the theory, the active participation in seminars and journal clubs, the practical written report.. The final grade for the course will be an average of the evaluation of the following items:

Theory contents: 70% 
  Activity 1. Two written tests: 50% of the final grade (FG); minimum score to pass the subject: 5 points; recoverable. 
     - First exam: accounts for 50 % of activity 1; possibility to recover it.
     - Second exam: account for 50 % of activity 1; combination of multiple answers, test answers and short answers and two problems or topic explanation; possibility to recover it.
     - If you failed one of the exams (first or second) or both, you will be able to retake the failed part in the recovery period exam.
  Activity 2. Exhibition of work in group (5%), glossary (2%), journal club (8%): 15% of the FG in three activities; non recoverable and mandatory.
  Activity 3. Attendance and active participation in seminars and conferences: 5% FG; important note: some questions will appear in the theory exams about seminars; non recoverable.

Practices content: 30% (the attendance to practices classes is mandatory at least 50%; minimum score to pass the subject: 5 points; non-recoverable) 
  Activity 4. Skills in following technical protocols: 5% of the FG.
  Activity 5. Written report: 25% of the FG; non-recoverable task (delays in delivery term penalises 50%).

Methodology

The Cancer Biology subject presents series of theoretical contents that will be taught regularly throughout the course in class sessions and seminars. They will be accompanied by the support of audiovisual resources, written documentation and bibliographical references and will be evaluated through written exams.

1. Theory classical contents classes (taught in three parts): Cancer basis, tumor and stromal cells features and behaviours, and cancer diagnosis and therapies. Exercises: Glossary and questions about each lesson to do in small groups or individually and then discussed all together at classroom.
2. Reverse class: In the second part of the theory part of the subject, we will perform some lessons (receptors and signaling pathways) as a reverse class. Exercises: a questionnaire to be performed at virtual campus before coming to the class and then to participate in a collaborative work at classroom, and at the same classroom make a brief oral presentation about the work.
3. Seminars: To assist and participate in seminars and the discussion with multidisciplinary speakers (clinicians, biochemists, geneticists and biologists). Exercises: to ask a questionnaire.
4. Practical sessions: In four sessions to know how to evaluate and to perform some experimental assays in a cancer research laboratory. Exercises: To prepare a written report based on the results obtained in practical sessions similar to a scientific paper. The assistance to practical sessions is mandatory.

Bibliography

Key references

• Alberts, B. (2008). Molecular biology of the cell (5 ed.). Garland Science.
• Alberts, B., Johnson, A., Lewis, J., et al. (2002). Molecular Biology of the Cell. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21054/?term=Molecular%20Biology%20of%20the%20Cell
• Weinberg, R. A. (2014). The biology of cancer (2 ed.). Garland Science.

Further reading

Teachers will provide complementary bibliography and compulsory reading throughout the course via the Virtual Campus.