300291 SE Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy (2012W)

Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy. Content: Lectures will start with the general overview, basic concepts in immunology-innate immunity; adaptive immunity; the cells of the immune system; antigen presentation and recognition; and effector mechanisms of immune system. The second part of lectures will focus on the innate and adaptive immune responses against cancer; tumor microenvironment; modulatory and regulatory mechanisms within the tumor area; and defects in antigen presentation machinery of tumor cells. The third part of the lectures will focus mostly on the tumor-associated antigen-specific immune responses; definition and characteristics of tumor-associated antigens; humoral and cellular immune responses against tumor cells; role of effector, helper, cytotoxic and regulatory cells in anti-tumor immune responses. The last part of lectures will discuss the current status of tumor immunotherapy, vaccines against cancer, and strategies how to increase efficiency of immune responses against tumor cells. Summary and discussion will close lectures.