Cancer Immunotherapy

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Immunotherapy, believed to be the most promising new form of cancer treatment since the emergence of chemotherapy, is now being celebrated as a top advancement in cancer care. Tremendous advances in biological mechanisms underlying tumor immunology started to guide the development of successful new cancer immunotherapy strategies after decades of bewildering disappointments. This course will introduce the advanced undergraduate students and early career graduate students to the basic principles of tumor immunology and immunotherapy, classical and novel classes of treatment that enhance anti-tumor immunity, and recent progresses in treating a number of highly lethal cancer types with immunotherapy. The course will also teach the students how scientists have achieved the groundbreaking landmark discoveries in tumor immunology and immunotherapy through critical examination of primary literature. At the completion of the course, the students should have had a comprehensive grasp of the key principles and practices of cancer immunotherapy, and gained the ability to interpret new advances and breakthroughs in this field. Students with goals in both basic research and medical track will benefit from the course.