Degree | Type | Year |
---|---|---|
Biomedical Sciences | OT | 4 |
You can view this information at the end of this document.
No specific requirements. Still, it is advisable that exchange students have successfully completed at least 2 full academic years at their originating institution. Most reference literature is in the English language, which is also used in the figures projected in theory and problems classes and in the laboratory teaching.
Chapter list
Chapter 1. The nature of cancer. Types of tumours. Clonal selection and tumour progression. Driver, passenger and neutral mutations. Hallmarks of cancer: required competences for cells to become tumoral. Viruses, mutations and cancer.
Chapter 2. Oncogenes. Mechanisms for the activation of oncogenes. Oncogens and Proto-oncogens. What are oncogens: growth factors, receptors, transductors, transcription factors.
Chapter 3. Tumour suppressor genes (TSG). General features. The Knudson hypothesis. Examples of TSG: Rb, NF1, APC, VHL, p53.
Chapter 4. Loss of cell cycle control and genomic instability. Tumour cells are independent of pro-proliferation signalling and growth suppressors: myc, pRB, E2F and restriction point control. Tumour cells are (need to be) genomically unstable: Darwinian evolution in cancer. Surveillance mechanisms: critical barriers in malignant transformation.
Chapter 5. Genomics and transcriptomics of cancer. Role of DNA lesions, types of mutagens and their activation path, surveillance mechanisms and repair pathways. Epigenetics aspects of malignant transformation, promotors. Non-coding RNAs and cancer. Role of massive genome sequencing and of tumoral transcriptomics in the understanding of tumour progression.
Chapter 6. Stem cells and deregulation of cell death. Tumour stem cells or tumour initiating cells, hierarchy and niches, differentiation. Senescence, telomerase and inmortalization. Apoptosis and Necrosis.
Chapter 7. Tumour progression. Stages in progression. Hypoxia and angiogénesis. Reprogramming of tumour metabolism. Role of tumour microenvironment, pHe, inflammation, heterotypic interactions in tumours. Molecular basis of invasion, directional migration and metastasis.
Chapter 8. Molecular basis of new antitumour therapies. Classical therapies. The resistance problem. The problem of adequate models. The problem of biomarkers of response. Rational drug design. Anti-angiogenic therapy. Immunotherapy. Oncolitic viruses. Re-differentiation therapy. Therapy against tumour initiating cells.
Laboratory work. Three sessions for each lab group. Lab work with cultured tumour cell lines. Response and resistance to therapy.
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Laboratory work | 12 | 0.48 | 2, 6 |
Problems based teaching | 13 | 0.52 | 2, 6 |
Theory classes | 26 | 1.04 | 3, 4, 1, 5 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Homework delivery | 4 | 0.16 | 2, 4, 1, 5 |
Tutor supervision | 4 | 0.16 | 4, 1, 5 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Information retrieval, study, processing of gathered information and electronic delivery of supervised homework through "Campus Virtual" | 44 | 1.76 | 2, 7, 4, 6 |
Problems solving | 10 | 0.4 | 2, 6 |
Studying for exams | 16 | 0.64 | 4, 1, 5 |
Writing the laboratory work report | 8 | 0.32 | 2, 4 |
Theory
Lectures with an emphasis on student participation and learning, fostering discussion and engagement. Historical aspects will be discussed to understand the evolution of cancer molecular biology, and current topics will also be addressed.
Problem-solving classes
Problem-solving, interpretation of scientific article results, and reflections on practical and experimental topics. Questions and topics to be answered and/or presented by students will be proposed, which also forms part of continuous assessment.
Laboratory Work
Laboratory sessions will be conducted with cell cultures, exploring aspects of in vitro chemotherapy and treatment resistance. They will be carried out in groups of 2-3 people, followed by a report submission. Lab manuals will be made available in advance on the course's virtual campus.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Delivering the laboratory work report | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 2, 7, 6 |
Homework delivery, problems evaluation | 40% | 6 | 0.24 | 2, 7, 4, 1, 6 |
Partial exams | 50% | 6 | 0.24 | 2, 3, 4, 1, 5 |
Reference books available from ARE UAB or local library loan:
1. The Biology of Cancer. Robert A. Weinberg, 3d Edition, 2023, Norton and Company, Inc, NY, USA. (Es l'edició més nova, pero la disponible a la biblioteca és l'anterior)
Library loan: Ciència i Tecnologia, code 616-006 Wei (exemplar 2014, 2nd edition)
2. Molecular and Cell Biology of Cancer. Rita Fior, Rita Zilhão Editors, 2019, Springer, eBook
3. Molecular Cell Biology. Harvey Lodish et al. 9th Edition, 2021, McMillan learning.
4. Molecular Biology of the Cell. Bruce Alberts et al. 7th Edition, 2022, W.E. Norton and Company.
Library loan: Ciència i Tecnologia library, code 576 Alb
There is no specific software associated with this subject.
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
---|---|---|---|---|
(PAUL) Classroom practices | 341 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |
(PLAB) Practical laboratories | 341 | English | second semester | afternoon |
(PLAB) Practical laboratories | 342 | English | second semester | afternoon |
(TE) Theory | 34 | English | second semester | morning-mixed |