01132 - Molecular Pathology - Immunology (Integrated Course) (LZ-C)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will know the mechanisms that lead genomic alterations to cause disease; the student will be able to apply this knowledge to other pathologies. The student will learn the basic principles of carcinogenesis, the biology of tumor cells, the origin and evolution of tumors in the context of cancer prevention and innovative approaches to control cancer.

Course contents

The course of Molecular Pathology consists of a "Genetic Pathology" module (2 credits, Professor Dall’Olio) and an Oncology module (3 credits, Professor Ferracin). The following program refers to the entire course.

 

ONCOLOGY

Neoplasms: definitions and classifications. Basic oncology and medical oncology. Human tumor epidemiology. Benign and malignant tumors. Cancer as a genetic disease. Primary, secondary and tertiary cancer prevention.

Pathogenesis of tumors: oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Genetic predisposition. Causes of cancer: biological and molecular mechanisms of physical, chemical and biological carcinogenesis. The tumor phenotype: growth, differentiation, cell death, genomic instability. Morphological and metabolic characteristics of tumors and of the tumor microenvironment. Evolution of neoplasms: clonality, heterogeneity and progression. Angiogenesis and metastasis. Tumor-host interaction: the immune response and systemic alterations.

Basics of cancer therapy. Molecular and biological fundamentals and mechanisms of radiation, pharmacological, biological, immunological and gene therapy for tumors.

 

GENETIC PATHOLOGY

Mutations: types and causes and their pathogenetic effects. Outlines on multifactorial and mithochondrial diseases. DNA damage repair mechanisms: NER, BER, non-homologous end joining (NHEJ), homologous recombination and mismatch repair. The network of genotoxic damage detection. Chromosomal disorders: Del22q11 syndrome. Mendelian disorders. Alterations of cytoskeleton proteins: Duchenne and Becker dystrophies. Alterations of extracellular matrix proteins: collagen diseases (osteogenesis imperfecta). Alterations of lysosomal enzymes: The Tay-Sachs disease. Alterations of ion channels: cystic fibrosis. Epigenetic and postranscriptional mechanisms of control of gene expression: Genomic imprinting: Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes. Disease caused by trinucleotide repeat expansions: fragile-X syndrome Huntington corea and locus C9orf72. Molecular techniques. Hereditary cancer syndromes: “gatekeeper” genes: retinoblastoma and the Knudson's hypothesis. Role of Rb protein. Familial adenomatous polyposis: the role of APC protein in the cell cycle control. Gastric cancer and E-cadherin in the epithelial to mesenchymal transition.The concept of loss of heterozygosis (LOH). The von Hippel Lindau syndrome and the hypoxia responsive mechanisms. “Caretaker” genes. Role of ATM and p53 genes. Alterations of gatekeeper genes. Xeroderma pigmentosum, ataxia telangiectasia, hereditary breast cancer, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, non-polyposis colorectal cancer. Alterations of microsatellite sequences. Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN).

Readings/Bibliography

Pdf files of lectures

P-L Lollini – Cellular and molecular oncology

 

Recommended:

G.M. Pontieri, Patologia generale e fisiopatologia generale. Vol. 1, VI edizione (2018) ed. Piccin

 

Consultation

Rubin’s Pathology 7th, Wolters Kluwer ed

R.A. Weinberg The Biology of Cancer, Second Edition.

Pascale, Feo - Elementi di oncologia molecolare ed. Piccin

Teaching methods

The course is structured in 5 CFU (40 hours) of frontal lectures supported by PowerPoint slides

Assessment methods

Student learning will be checked at the end of the course by an oral exam, which aims to assess the student’s knowledge on the following topics:

• immunology

• genetic pathology

• molecular oncology

The final mark of the Molecular Pathology - Immunology Integrated Course will be calculated as the weighted mean (based on CFUs) of the marks obtained in all the courses (Immunology, Oncology and Genetic pathology). Marks last indefinitely.

The mark is expressed out of thirty. A mark above or equal to 18/30 in each course is required to obtain the final assessment.

The purpose of the oral exam is to verify the student's ability to express his/her knowledge and make the necessary logical-deductive connections.

 

Mark format and meaning:

18-19: preparation on a limited number of topics; adequate oral presentation but with the assistance of the professor; use of a proper language

20-24: preparation on a limited number of topics; adequate and autonomous oral presentation; use of a proper language

25-29: good preparation on most of the topics covered during the course; ability to autonomously make connections between topics and critical thinking; mastery of specific terminology

30-30L: exhaustive preparation on the topics covered during the course; ability to autonomously frame the topic, make connections, use critical thinking and defend a position. Full mastery of specific terminology.

Teaching tools

Teaching slides and materials will be available on line at Unibo e-learning website, upon registration with Unibo institutional credentials

Office hours

See the website of Manuela Ferracin