Oncology 703 Carcinogenesis and Tumor Cell Biology
Fall 2009 Course Information
Meeting time/location: 12:05 PM
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Room 125 McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research
Faculty
Wei Xu (course director)
421A McArdle
telephone: 265-5540
wxu@oncology.wisc.edu
Caroline Alexander
819A McArdle
telephone: 265-5182
alexander@oncology.wisc.edu
Chris Bradfield
213A McArdle
telephone: 262-2024
bradfield@oncology.wisc.edu
Paul Lambert
220A McArdle
telephone: 262-8533
lambert@oncology.wisc.edu
Jing Zhang
417A McArdle
telephone: 263-1147
zhang@oncology.wisc.edu
Teaching Approach
This course provides a survey of the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer. The course is taught
primarily through the description of experiments that provide new insights in cancer biology. Specific
cancers will be emphasized and used to demonstrate central themes in cancer biology. There is a heavy
reliance upon reading and understanding primary scientific literature. While the classes are designed
primarily around faculty lectures, student participation in class is expected. The course grade is primarily
based upon the students' performance in class and their written responses to take home assignments.
Preparation for Each Class
Written material important to the course will be handed out in class. Students should read all handouts for a
specific lecture before arriving in class. This includes the background information as well as assigned
primary papers. The significance, qualifications, and implications of the studies described in these assigned
papers will be discussed in class. The faculty will sometimes ask students to summarize specific
experiments described in the assigned papers. Students should be prepared to provide a short description of:
(a) the question being asked; (b) the approach used to answer the question; (c) the results obtained; (d) the
authors' conclusions drawn from their experiment; and (e) an individual commentary on the value and
significance of the experiment.
Exams/Assignments
There are no formal in-class examinations. Instead, students are provided periodic (weekly or more
frequent) take-home assignments that involve addressing questions pertaining to a particular reading
assignment. Each student is expected to work individually on these assignments. Assignments are to be
handed in at the beginning of the class period on the day they are due. Graded assignments will be handed
back to students and issues surrounding the answers discussed in class. The goal of these assignments are to
foster an appreciation of the primary literature relating to a particular topic and to help students learn to
synthesize new ideas and design experiments to test/distinguish between hypotheses.
Help
Students who need any assistance during the course can contact Dr. Xu directly or speak with any of the
other faculty at the beginning or end of class.
Date
9/2
9/4
9/9
9/11
9/14
9/16
9/18
9/21
9/23
9/25
9/28
9/30
10/2
10/5
10/7
10/9
10/12
10/14
10/16
10/19
10/21
10/23
10/26
10/28
10/30
11/2
11/4
11/6
11/9
11/11
11/13
11/16
11/18
11/20
11/23
11/25
11/27
11/30
12/2
12/4
12/7
12/9
12/11
Oncology 703 – Fall 2009
Class Syllabus
Lecturer
Title
Bradfield
Introduction/Env and Cancer
Bradfield
Liver Cancer
Bradfield
Chemical Carcinogenesis I
Bradfield
Chemical Carcinogenesis II
Lambert
Introduction to Tumor Virology
Lambert
Oncogenic Retroviruses
Lambert
Insertional Mutagenic Retroviruses
Lambert
Epstein Barr Virus
Lambert
Kaposi's Sarcoma/Herpes Virus
Lambert
Adenovirus/SV40 and Tumor Suppressors
Lambert
Human Papillomaviruses I
McNeel (Lambert)
Tumor Immunology I
Lambert
Human Papillomaviruses II
Albertini (Lambert)
Tumor Immunology II
Tibbetts
DNA Repair
Tibbetts
DNA Damage Signaling
Tibbetts
DNA Damage Checkpoints and Tumor Suppression
Xu
Cancer Epigenetics I: Introduction & DNA Methylation
Xu
Cancer Epigenetics II: Histone Modifications I
Xu
Cancer Epigenetics III: Histone Modifications II
Xu
Cancer Epigenetics IV: Chromatin Remodeling
Xu
Cancer Epigenetics V: Non-coding RNA
Zhang
Leukemia I: Introduction
Zhang
Leukemia II: Tumor Initiating Cells
Zhang
Leukemia III: Philadelphia Chromosome
Zhang
Leukemia IV: Mechanism Based Tumor Therapies
Hoover-Regan
Childhood Leukemia
Zhang
Leukemia V: Oncogenesis and the Microenvironment
Xu
Breast Cancer I: Introduction, Risk Factors
Xu
Breast Cancer II: Estrogen, SERMS and Aromatase
Xu
Breast Cancer III: Experimental Models
Xu
Breast Cancer IV: Genetics
Marker
Prostate Cancer I
Marker
Prostate Cancer II
Alexander (Friedl)
Lecture on Pathology
Alexander
Cancer: A Genetic Disease?
Thanksgiving Recess - No Class
Alexander
Mouse Models of Human Tumors: Intro
Alexander
Mouse Models of Human Tumors: History
Alexander
Mouse Models of Human Tumors: Future
Alexander
Colorectal Cancer: Intro
Alexander
Colorectal Cancer: FAP
Alexander
Colorectal Cancer: HNPCC
12/14
Alexander (Roopra)
Metabolism and Cancer: Caloric Restriction