Gene Therapy 1655-Lek3GENO-J

Lectures (6 hours) are designed to acquire and consolidate knowledge of basic concepts and issues of gene therapy and immunotherapy: the acquisition of basic knowledge about in vivo and ex vivo therapy techniques; viral vectors and plasmids as gene therapy tools; human cells in genetic engineering, examples; antisense oligonucleotides, siRNA and aptamers in gene therapy/immunotherapy; gene therapy and immunotherapy target genes – examples; the concept of immune gene therapy; examples of clinical trials using gene therapy and immunotherapy techniques in oncologic and circulatory diseases.
Seminars (6 hours) will familiarize students with selected gene therapy methods in a clinical context and basic concepts of immune therapy methods applied to practical problems, with particular emphasis on TSA and TAA (including system: growth factor and its receptor) as targets of the immune system. Induction of a specific immune response - summary. Examples of anti-tumor vaccines, including the CART technique. Modes of oncogene suppression and its relationship to immune therapy. Techniques for assessing the effectiveness of oncogene suppression in cell cultures, application of flow cytometry.
Tutorials (18 hours) are devoted to the acquisition of skills in the selection and application of gene therapy techniques. Students will learn the principles of culturing established and primary human cell lines; the principles of RNA interference and the principles of transfection of selected cancer cell lines using siRNA sequences that silence target oncogenes and evaluate the efficiency of silencing target oncogene expression using immunofluorescence techniques. They will learn the principles of isolating mononuclear cells to generate dendritic cells and establishing "double cultures" with tumor cells to produce a hybrid that forms the basis of a cancer vaccine. They will prepare a credit project on a topic concerning the selection and application of an appropriate gene therapy or immunotherapy technique to a selected disease entity and a description of the action, potential treatment effects and monitoring of the therapy, its advantages and disadvantages, with guidance and under the supervision.

Total student workload

Total student workload: 1. Study hours involving teacher participation: - participation in lectures: 6 hours - participation in seminars: 6 hours - participation in exercises: 18 hours - consultations with an academic teacher: 1 hour Study hours involving teacher participation =31 hour (1,24 ECTS) 2. Study hours involving individual student work: - participation in lectures: 6 hours - participation in seminars: 6 hours - participation in tutorials: 18 hours - consultations with an academic teacher: 1 hour - preparation for tutorials (including reading literature): 4 hours - preparation for the assessment: 5 hours Total student workload is 40 hours (1,6 ECTS) 3. Study hours involving the scientific research: - reading of the indicated scientific literature: 3 hours - participation in lectures (including research results and scientific studies in the field of gene therapy): 3 hours - participation in tutorials (including the results of scientific studies in the field of gene therapy): 10 hours - preparation for passing the subject (including scientific studies in the field of gene therapy): 5 hours Total student workload associated with the scientific research is 21 hours (0.84 ECTS) 4. Time required for preparation and participation in the assessment process: - preparation for passing: 5 hours (0.2 ECTS point) 5. Total student workload of a practical nature: - participation in exercises: 18 hours Total student workload of a practical nature is 18 hours (0.72 ECTS) 6. Time required for compulsory placement: not applicable

Learning outcomes - knowledge

Explains the relationship to clinics and therapeutic strategies (C.W11, C.W42) W2: Knows advanced techniques, tools and indications for gene therapy (C.W1) W3: Explains the mechanisms of gene therapy tools in clinical examples (C.W42). W4: Lists drugs constructed through gene therapy for conventional therapy and indications for their use (C.W41). W5: Explains the mechanisms of action of vaccines and the basis of reprogramming T lymphocytes to become a tool of cancer gene immunotherapy (C.W11). W6: Outlines the advantages, disadvantages and risks of gene therapy (C.W42). W7: Describes the most promising perspectives of gene therapy, immunotherapy (C.W41, C.W42).

Learning outcomes - skills

U1: Can apply immunotherapy and gene therapy techniques to explain the action of anticancer drugs/vaccines (C.U8) U2: Can plan and select an appropriate gene therapy or immunotherapy technique (C.U14). U3: Can interpret results and infer efficacy of gene therapy transfection techniques (B.U12) U4: Can use the Internet to search for current gene therapy trials and design simple gene therapy experiments (C.U17)

Learning outcomes - social competencies

K1: Accepts the need of gene therapy ethical standards and attempts to solve ethical problems related to gene therapy (K.K8) K2: Demonstrates the habit of self-education and develops good group work habits (K.K7)

Teaching methods

Lectures: - informative lecture with multimedia techniques - informative lecture - lecture problem Seminars (on-line/hybrid mode):: - didactic discussion - case study Tutorials (on-line/hybrid mode): - practical classes/laboratory (in case of remote learning - discussion of topics based on "step by step" videos of the exercises prepared by the teaching team) - didactic discussion - individual work - work in groups

Expository teaching methods

- informative (conventional) lecture
- description
- participatory lecture
- problem-based lecture

Exploratory teaching methods

- presentation of a paper
- practical
- project work
- seminar
- laboratory

Online teaching methods

- methods referring to authentic or fictitious situations
- cooperation-based methods
- content-presentation-oriented methods
- exchange and discussion methods

Prerequisites

The skills previously acquired during the classes of molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics are useful for student better understanding the issues of gene therapy.

Course coordinators

Piotr Kopiński

Assessment criteria

Completion of didactic classes:
The course is passed on the basis of the student's activity during the classes, extended observation of social competence, test and preparation of a project in the form of a multimedia presentation.
1. Written short test during classes consists of 10 open questions, for which students can obtain a total of 10 points (0-10 pts). The written test includes the topics presented during the classes; W2-W4, W6
2. Discussion activity during the seminar (0-5 pts); W1, W5
3. Multimedia presentation on the selection and application of appropriate gene therapy or immunotherapy technique in the selected disease entities and description of the action, potential treatment effects and monitoring of the therapy, its advantages and disadvantages. The maximum number of points for the project is 65 (0-65 pts); W1-W7, U1-U4, K1, K2
During all classes - prolonged observation of social competence (Y/N): K01-K02
The total number of points possible to obtain during the course is 80 points. 60% of the total number of points possible to obtain during the classes must be obtained in order to pass the final course test and thus to be admitted to the module assessment.

Practical placement

not applicable

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 1655-Lek3GENO-J in USOSweb