After completion of the Minor, students are able to:
- Understand deregulated pathways and immune targets in hematological malignancies.
- Understand principles of precision medicine that target deregulated biochemical pathways in hematological malignancies.
- Understand principles of precision medicine that target malignant hematopoietic cell using cellular immune therapy (e.g. dendritic cells, natural killer cells).
- Design a rationally defined clinical trial to further personalized healthcare in malignant blood disorders. This includes scientific justification, ethics, statistics and patient information according to the applicable terms.
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Description
The therapeutic field of hemato-oncology is a combination of clinical, molecular and immunological aspects, and is rapidly evolving. On one hand, new insights on the molecular-biological causes of the malignant cells can be used to develop new therapeutical targets. On the other hand, hematological malignancies are excellent targets for cellular immune therapy.
In this minor, the deregulated pathways, clinical aspects, diagnostic and (up-coming) therapeutic strategies are discussed according to the four main groups of hemato-oncological disorders: leukemia’s, myeloproliferative disorders, plasma cell disorders, and lymphoma’s. Here, both the molecular and immunological aspects are discussed from pathobiology and diagnosis to (molecular & immune) therapy. The knowledge gained in this first part of the minor will be tested by an written exam.
Development of new therapies against hematological malignancies requires (bench-based) research as well as (bedside-based) clinical trials. In the 2nd part of this minor, the gained knowledge will be used to develop a clinical protocol for the development and testing of a new therapy. This will be performed in small work groups (2-4 students ) and will be via examined via a report and oral presentation.
Combined, this minor will give you insight in the pathobiological, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic field of hematological malignancies, which you will use to develop a new clinical trial to improve patient outcome in hemato-oncological disorders.
Facts on MED-MIN18
- Understand affected molecular processes in major malignant blood cell disorders
- Use small molecules to correct abnormal cancer cell pathways.
- Learn how immune cells can be trained and modified to specifically kill cancer cells.
- A clinical perspective with molecular and immunological perceptions.
- Design clinical trials to improve patient outcome using precision medicine – pick your own topic!
- ~30% face-to-face education, ~70% self-study and group work.
- Practical on flow cytometry
- Interviews with patients with a hematological malignancy.
- Training your presentation skills.
- Training your writing skills.
- Practicing explaining your clinical trial in a patient (=teacher) – physician (=student) setting.
- Formative exams.
- Very active participation of enthusiastic teachers (clinicians and biologists that in real life team up to design and execute clinical trials).
- Appreciated by both medicine as well as (pre-master) biomedical science students.
- Well evaluated and improving:
- RHA Questionnaire 2017-2018: 7.5; 2018-2019: 7.3; 2019-2020: 7.9; 2020-2021: 7.7
- Positive reflection: good in dept knowledge transfer, good organization, proper use of Brightspace, enthusiastic teachers, good study load.
Key words
Hematological malignancies, Deregulated pathways, Diagnostics and prognostic evaluation, Conventional therapies & Precision medicine, Targeted therapy, Immune therapy, Clinical trial design.
Examination
The assessment of the minor consists of 4 parts:
- 2 Written examinations (weight 2 x 0.25)
- Report Clinical protocol (weight 0.4)
- Presentation Clinical protocol (weight 0.1)
All components must be graded 5.5 or higher to pass the course.
Literature
Assignments and literature references will be provided on Brightspace.
Textbook: The immune system – Peter Parham, 4th Edition
Textbook (recommended): WHO classification of tumour of haematopoietic and lymphoid tissues 2008, 4th edition (ISBN 9789283224310)
Textbook (recommended): Leerboek hematologie, 2015, 2nd edition (ISBN 9789058982650)
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