Course catalogue doctoral education - VT24

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  • Ansökan kan ske mellan 2023-10-16 och 2023-11-15
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Title Microbiota and Cancer
Course number 5636
Programme Tumörbiologi och onkologi (FoTO)
Language English
Credits 1.5
Date 2023-05-08 -- 2023-05-12
Responsible KI department Institutionen för mikrobiologi, tumör- och cellbiologi
Specific entry requirements Basic knowledge on cancer and cell biology is needed.
Purpose of the course This course intends to impart knowledge and introduce analytical tools to critically assess current ideas and evidence underpinning the role of the microbiota in cancer development and their effects on therapeutic regimes. A final goal is that the students shall be able to critically assess the research published on this subject and formulate the necessary criteria to test their assumptions. This can be in the form of a defined research project.
Intended learning outcomes At the end of the course the student is expected to:
- understand various ways to study the microbiota in health and disease
- be able to assess what tools are available to study the function of the microbiota in cancer
- increased understanding on cancer pathology, especially gastrointestinal malignancies
- be able to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of the microbiota on cancer development
- understand how the microbiota may be a determinant in influencing treatment strategies
Contents of the course Cancer susceptibility is sometimes defined as a consequence of gene-environment interaction. A critical component of our immediate environment is the commensal microbiota, which have a major impact on metabolism and immunity, two facets of physiology that can contribute to cancer development/increase the risk for cancer. This course aims to convey current ideas and an understanding of the tools necessary to assess the slew of reports that link the microbiota to cancer development and treatment. The modules/lectures will explore how high throughput studies have been applied to assess this link, paying particular attention to discussing the strengths of the evidence and the limitations of the anaylses.
Teaching and learning activities The course will be organized as a series of lectures coupled with defined discussion topics, led by selected lectures.
All students are expected to participate in the discussions with invited experts/lecturers. Apart from lectures, students will be involved in journal club discussion and writing project proposals. Critical thinking will be gained by discussion during lectures, and peer learning on the topics and proposals. Students are also very much encouraged and expected to engage in critical dialectic constructive discussions throughout the course.
Compulsory elements Attendance of the lectures, scheduled discussions and seminars is compulsory. In special cases, with limited absence, the student can compensate with a written report upon discussion with the course organisers.
Examination To pass the course the students must show that they have reached the learning outcomes of the course. This will be assessed formatively during the group discussions with the lecturers, and by an assessment based on writing and presenting a microbiota-cancer project related to their own research interests.
Literature and other teaching material The students will be provided with relevant research papers prior and during the course.
Recommended book: by Martin Blaser
Recommended review papers:
1. Targeting the gut and tumor microbiota in cancer Park EM, Chelvanambi M, Bhutiani N, Kroemer G, Zitvogel L, Wargo JA. Nat Med. 2022 Apr;28(4):690-703. doi: 10.1038/s41591-022-01779-2. Epub 2022 Apr 19. PMID: 35440726
2. The Cancer Microbiome: Recent Highlights and Knowledge Gaps
Knippel RJ, Drewes JL, Sears CL. Cancer Discov. 2021 Oct;11(10):2378-2395. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-21-0324. Epub 2021 Aug 16. PMID: 34400408
3. Microbiome and cancer
Cullin N, Azevedo Antunes C, Straussman R, Stein-Thoeringer CK, Elinav E. Cancer Cell. 2021 Oct 11;39(10):1317-1341. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.08.006. Epub 2021 Sep 9. PMID: 34506740
Number of students 8 - 20
Selection of students Selection will be based on 1) the relevance of the course syllabus for the applicant's doctoral project (according to written motivation), 2) start date of doctoral studies (priority given to earlier start date)
More information
Additional course leader Sylvain Peuget; sylvain.peuget@ki.se
Latest course evaluation Not available
Course responsible Juan Du
Institutionen för mikrobiologi, tumör- och cellbiologi

juan.du@ki.se
Contact person Sylvain Peuget
Institutionen för mikrobiologi, tumör- och cellbiologi

sylvain.peuget@ki.se