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Graduate Course Proposal Form Submission Detail - GMS6142
Tracking Number - 3046

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Current Status: Approved by SCNS - 2013-04-22
Campus: Tampa
Submission Type: New
Course Change Information (for course changes only):
Comments: to GC 1/14/13; GC approved 1/28/13. to USF Sys 1/28/13; to SCNS 2/5/13. Approved eff 4/1/13. Nmbr 6055 approved as 6142

Detail Information

  1. Date & Time Submitted: 2012-12-05
  2. Department: Deans Office
  3. College: MD
  4. Budget Account Number: 6108-000
  5. Contact Person: Michael J. Barber, D.Phil.
  6. Phone: 8139749908
  7. Email: mbarber@health.usf.edu
  8. Prefix: GMS
  9. Number: 6142
  10. Full Title: Cancer Immunology
  11. Credit Hours: 3
  12. Section Type: C - Class Lecture (Primarily)
  13. Is the course title variable?: N
  14. Is a permit required for registration?: Y
  15. Are the credit hours variable?: N
  16. Is this course repeatable?:
  17. If repeatable, how many times?: 0
  18. Abbreviated Title (30 characters maximum): Cancer Immunology
  19. Course Online?: C - Face-to-face (0% online)
  20. Percentage Online: 0
  21. Grading Option: R - Regular
  22. Prerequisites: None
  23. Corequisites: None
  24. Course Description: Provide a broad understanding of the role of immunity in cancer biology and the potential applications of immunological methods in cancer therapies.

  25. Please briefly explain why it is necessary and/or desirable to add this course: Replacing Selected Topics with Permanent number; already listed in program
  26. What is the need or demand for this course? (Indicate if this course is part of a required sequence in the major.) What other programs would this course service? Metabolic Nutritional Medicine represents a new and evolving discipline in the medical sciences that deals with an integrative and functional medicine approach to healthcare and disease prevention The discipline combines evidence based medicine with new approaches to therapeutics and patient wellness. Nutrition and metabolism represent a critical approaches to understanding and controlling obesity The Metabolic Nutritional Medicine concentration currently has 110 registered students and approx 10 registered for the first course offering.
  27. Has this course been offered as Selected Topics/Experimental Topics course? If yes, how many times? Yes, 1 time
  28. What qualifications for training and/or experience are necessary to teach this course? (List minimum qualifications for the instructor.) All the instructors in the course are M.D., D.O. or Ph.D. or equivalent trained faculty.
  29. Objectives: The course objectives include:

    Discussing and understanding cancer as an organ, similar to other organs such as the lungs, kidneys, or liver.

    Examination of the properties of the immune system.

    Discussion of the principles of tumor immunology.

    Identification and testing of new immunological markers for cancer cells.

    Discussion of the the linkage between hormone levels and breast cancer.

    Discussion of the progress in the development of cancer vaccines as novel therapeutics.

    Discussion of the progress in the development of monoclonal antibodies as novel therapeutics.

    Comparison of the properrties of oncologically-relevant cytokines.

    Discussion of the effects of various cytokine-based therapies.

    Discussion of the results of clinical trials with active specific immunotherapy involving tumor cells or tumor cell extracts.

    Examining of new approaches to treating lung cancer.

    Examining of new approaches to treating prostate cancer.

  30. Learning Outcomes: At the completion of this course, students will be able to:

    •Discuss current concepts in immunology

    •Describe the function of T-lymphocytes, T-helper cells, T-suppressor cells, T-cytotoxic cells, B lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, and lymphokine-activated killer cells

    •Describe the immunological tests that are currently available

    •Examine the medical literature on immunosuppression and cancer

    •Discuss the multifactorial basis of immunodeficiency in cancer patients

    •Discuss effector cell numbers and function

    •Discuss immunoregulatory cells and immunomodulatory factors

    •Describe immunosuppression and tumor cell burden

    •Evaluate solid tumors in the light of immunological function

    •Discuss hematopoietic malignancies in the light of immunology

    •Evaluate radiation-induced immunosuppression

    •Comprehend chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression

    •Discuss the immune status of patients in clinical remission

    •Describe treatments of caner-associated immunodeficiency

    •Discuss biological response modifiers with immunorestorative properties

    •Describe the chemical properties of thymic hormones

    •Discuss treatment of radiotherapy-induced immunosuppression

    •Compare and contrast therapies for chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression

    •Discuss cancer vaccines

    •Understand the cytokine sources and their effects related to the growth and treatment of cancer

    •Develop a working knowledge of all of the interleukins

    •Discuss tumor necrosis factor alpha and its effects on inflammation, immune regulation, apoptosis, and endothelial damage

    •Discuss interferon therapy for specific cancers

    •Discuss the mode of action of interferons in cancer treatment

    •Discuss monoclonal antibody therapy

    •Discuss immunotoxins

    •Describe new testing methods for immunological markers

    •Discuss granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapies

    •Understand the clinical implications of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor therapies and immunomodulation

    •Discuss heat shock proteins as regulators of the immune response

    •Discuss the role of gene rearrangement in the tumor response

    •Discuss how tumors avoid the immune response

  31. Major Topics: Major course topic include:

    Organs of the Immune System.

    Introduction of Immunology.

    Introduction to Tumor Immunology.

    Advanced Tumor Immunotherapy.

    ImmunoCompetence/Immune Deficiency and Clinical Course.

    Immune Response to Cancer in Different Anatomic Sites.

    Cytokine-Based Immune Therapies.

    Adoptive Cellular Immunotherapy of Cancer.

    Monoclonal Antibody Therapy to Cancer.

    GcMAF.

    Stress, Immune System and Cancer.

    Inflammation, Gut Integrity, Diet and Immune Functions.

    Cancer Vaccination Strategies: Clinical Results.

    Mechanisms for Collaboration between Conventional & Antitumor Therapies.

    Integrative Approach to Lung Cancer.

    Integrative Approach to Prostate Cancer.

  32. Textbooks: Paradee, A. & Stein, G., eds.,"The Biology and Treatment of Cancer: Understanding Cancer". John Wiley & Sons, New York, 2009.

    Weinberg, R.A., "The Biology of Cancer". Garland, 2006.

  33. Course Readings, Online Resources, and Other Purchases: Additional and appropriate readings will be identified and posted on Blackboard.
  34. Student Expectations/Requirements and Grading Policy: The course requires the completion of 3 case study research papers 15% each 45% of grade. Comprehensive midterm exam 23% of grade. Comprehensive final exam 23% of grade. 5 webcasts 9% of grade.
  35. Assignments, Exams and Tests: The course requires completion of 4 unit self-assessment quizzes, 3 case studies research papers, a comprehensive midterm exam, a comprehensive final exam and 5 webcasts.
  36. Attendance Policy: Course Attendance at First Class Meeting – Policy for Graduate Students: For structured courses, 6000 and above, the College/Campus Dean will set the first-day class attendance requirement. Check with the College for specific information. This policy is not applicable to courses in the following categories: Educational Outreach, Open University (TV), FEEDS Program, Community Experiential Learning (CEL), Cooperative Education Training, and courses that do not have regularly scheduled meeting days/times (such as, directed reading/research or study, individual research, thesis, dissertation, internship, practica, etc.). Students are responsible for dropping undesired courses in these categories by the 5th day of classes to avoid fee liability and academic penalty. (See USF Regulation – Registration - 4.0101,

    http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/ogc%20web/currentreg.htm)

    Attendance Policy for the Observance of Religious Days by Students: In accordance with Sections 1006.53 and 1001.74(10)(g) Florida Statutes and Board of Governors Regulation 6C-6.0115, the University of South Florida (University/USF) has established the following policy regarding religious observances: (http://usfweb2.usf.edu/usfgc/gc_pp/acadaf/gc10-045.htm)

    In the event of an emergency, it may be necessary for USF to suspend normal operations. During this time, USF may opt to continue delivery of instruction through methods that include but are not limited to: Blackboard, Elluminate, Skype, and email messaging and/or an alternate schedule. It’s the responsibility of the student to monitor Blackboard site for each class for course specific communication, and the main USF, College, and department websites, emails, and MoBull messages for important general information.

  37. Policy on Make-up Work: For documented student absences, such as for illness, students will be allowed to make up any missing case reports or exams. Students will be required to abide by USF policy on academic integrity as described in course syllabus.
  38. Program This Course Supports: M.S in Medical Sciences- Metabolic & Nutritional Medicine concentration.
  39. Course Concurrence Information: None


- if you have questions about any of these fields, please contact chinescobb@grad.usf.edu or joe@grad.usf.edu.