PhD Courses in Denmark

The course has limited entry. The following criterias are taken into consideration when seats are assigned.

1. PhD students after time of enrollment
2. Students with the most ECTS from their master
3. Students who follows master courses concurrent with their bachelor programme (dispensation to 30 ECTS Master courses)

If students are equal – seats are allocated based on random draw.

The academic envirometns at The faculty of science manages the prioritisation and at waiting list is established and will then be made aware from the faculty. The waiting list will not be transferred to the following year.

 Entry requirements

Immunology (Bx10, BMB512, BMB514 or similar)

Bachelor degree (biomedicine, molecular biology or similar)

It is an advantage if courses on autoimmunology (BMB201) and infection immunology (BMB806) have been completed.

 Academic preconditions

Students taking the course are expected to:

• Have
  knowledge of basic immunology
• Be
  able to use retrieve and use new literature on (auto)immunology
• It is an advantage if courses on autoimmunology
  (BMB201) and infection immunology (BMB806) have been completed.

 Participant limit

16

 Course introduction

The aim of the course is that the student achieves state-of-the-art knowledge and understanding of mechanisms in immunological discrimination between normal and malignant cells (immune surveillance) and knowledge of mechanisms of cell transformation, including oncogenic viruses and concepts like tumor-associated antigens, oncofetal antigens, cancer testis antigens, immune check points, immunogenic cell death, paraneoplastic syndromes, etc.

New methods of cancer immunotherapy are described in relation to cancer immunology, including preventive and therapeutic cancer vaccines.

Furthermore, the student will achieve knowledge and understanding of current research in the field.

This is important with regard to reading and understanding new literature on molecular cancer immunology and with regard to presentation of current results and problems in molecular cancer immunology.

The course builds on the knowledge acquired in the courses BMB512 (immunology) or similar, and gives an academic basis for studying autoimmunology in a master or PhD project.

It is an advantage if courses on autoimmunology (BMB201) and infection immunology (BMB806) have been completed.

In relation to the competence profile of the degree it is the explicit focus of the course to:

• Give the competence to understand and present problems and new results in molecular cancer immunology
• Give skills to read and present articles and to define and carry out projects in molecular cancer immunology
• Give knowledge and understanding of molecular cancer immunology.
• Give competence to relate basic knowledge and current research results to future research.

 Expected learning outcome

The learning objectives of the course is that
the student demonstrates the ability to:

• describe
  basic mechanisms in immunological self/non-self discrimination (immune
  surveillance), including immune check points, immunogenic versus
  non-immunogenic cell death
• describe
  the role of innate and adaptive immunity in cancer immunology
• describe
  cancer in molecular terms (hallmarks of cancer)
• describe
  tumor-associated antigens, tumor rejection antigens, oncofetal antigens, cancer
  testis antigens, etc.
• describe
  basic principles of diagnosis and immunotherapy of cancer
• read
  and understand new scientific literature on molecular cancer immunology
• present current issues and problems in molecular
  cancer immunology research

 Content

The following main topics are contained in the course:

• Immunological recognition of cancer cells (immune surveillance) compared with immunological self/non-self discrimination
• Innate and adaptive immunity in cancer immunology
• Oncogenic viruses and immunity to these
• Immunogenic versus non-immunogenic cell death
• Hallmarks in development of cancer
• Diagnostics of cancer and paraneoplastic diseases
• Immunotherapy of cancer
• Cancer vaccines

 Literature

See Blackboard for syllabus lists and additional literature references.

 Teaching Method

At the faculty of science, teaching is organized after the three-phase model ie. intro, training and study phase.

The course combines lectures, reading of original articles, examinatories with article presentations, laboratory exercises and individual projects.

Activities during the studyphase: Reading of articles, literature searching, article presentations, individual project.