Molecular Mechanisms of Health and Disease

Abstract

The course builds on the Fundamentals in Biology courses that are taught during the first three semesters. Students will be introduced into molecular disease mechanisms with a focus on the immune system and its role in health and disease and on cancer biology.

Objective

To understand the fundamental developments and functions of immune defense in multicellular organisms. To understand the principles of physical barriers, mechanisms of local and systemic defense pathways, migration and communication of and in between immune cells, the fundamental principles of self versus non-self recognition To understand the molecular and functional differences between a normal cell and a cancer cell To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and progression to metastasis, including the role of immune cells, environmental toxins and cancer-promoting viruses To understand how vulnerabilities of cancer cells are exploited for modern cancer therapy

Resources