MED 102 — Cancer Biology: Recent Developments in Research and Treatment
Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): David Armenta
Date(s): Jun 22—Aug 10
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Mondays
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Class Meeting Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Tuition: $475
Refund Deadline: Jun 24
Unit(s): 1
Enrollment Limit: 50
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Summer
Day: Mondays
Duration: 8 weeks
Time: 7:00—8:50 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jun 22—Aug 10
Unit(s): 1
Tuition: $475
Refund Deadline: Jun 24
Instructor(s): David Armenta
Grade Restriction: No letter grade
Enrollment Limit: 50
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
Cancer is a common disease, and effectively treating cancer is a global challenge. In this course, we will explore cancer biology and the biological mechanisms underlying the most common forms of treatment. We will then explore recent research and novel therapies that can reshape how cancer is treated. Specifically, we'll discuss CAR T-cell immunotherapy, a technique that modifies a patient’s own immune cells to recognize and attack cancer, and consider how the tumor microenvironment or the unique nutrient requirements of cancer cells can be targeted to improve the effectiveness of existing therapies. In addition, we will explore the growing role of biomarkers in developing more personalized therapies that can improve cancer treatment. Class sessions will feature lectures, interactive discussions, and guest speakers who are experts in cancer research. By the end of this course, students will have gained a solid understanding of cell biology, how cancer operates, and how—through scientific advances—it might eventually be stopped.
This course requires no specific background in biology and is intended for people interested in understanding areas of cell biology research that may inform the development of future cancer therapies.
DAVID ARMENTA
Lecturer, Department of Biology
David Armenta received a PhD in biology from Stanford with a focus on cells, molecules, and organisms, working with Scott Dixon to study how amino acid metabolism regulates sensitivity of cancer cells to the non-apoptotic cell death mechanism of ferroptosis. His work has been published in Cell Chemical Biology. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.