COURSE UNIT TITLE

: CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY AND PLASTICITY

DEGREE PROGRAMMES

Description of Individual Course Units

Course Unit Code Course Unit Title Type Of Course D U L ECTS
ELECTIVE

Offered By

Translational Oncology

Level of Course Unit

Third Cycle Programmes (Doctorate Degree)

Course Coordinator

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR GIZEM ÇALIBAŞI KOÇAL

Offered to

Translational Oncology

Course Objective

Phenotypic plasticity and cellular heterogeneity represent one of the greatest challenges in cancer management. Phenotypic and functional heterogeneity arises among cancer cells within the same tumor as a result of genetic alteration, environmental differences, and reversible changes in cellular properties. Some cancers also contain a hierarchy in which tumorigenic cancer stem cells differentiate into non-tumorigenic lineages. This hierarchical organization emerges as a parameter that directs tumor growth, mediates metastasis, and contributes to treatment resistance.

Learning Outcomes of the Course Unit

1   Gaining knowledge about the concepts of cellular plasticity and heterogeneity.
2   Learning about epithelial mesenchymal plasticity and its role in cancer.
3   Gaining knowledge about the contribution of cancer stem cells to heterogeneity.
4   Gaining knowledge about tumor microenvironment and cancer cell plasticity.
5   Gaining knowledge about epigenetics and plasticity.
6   Gaining knowledge about endothelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis.

Mode of Delivery

Face -to- Face

Prerequisites and Co-requisites

None

Recomended Optional Programme Components

None

Course Contents

Week Subject Description
1 The concept of cellular plasticity and its role on cancer
2 Epithelial mesenchymal plasticity and mechanisms
3 Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), Mesenchymal epithelial transition (MET) and metastasis
4 Metabolic remodelling in migration and metastasis
5 Plasticity as a basis of tumor heterogeneity
6 Cell plasticity and cancer stem cell heterogeneity
7 Plasticity mechanisms conferring therapy resistance
8 Links between tumor microenvironment and cancer cell plasticity
9 Epigenetic remodeling in plasticity
10 Endothelial mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) and its effect on cancer angiogenesis
11 CAFs, oxidative stress and hypoxia effect on tumor EndoMT
12 Novel approaches for monitoring tumor cell plasticity
13 Clinical relevance of cancer cell plasticity and therapeutic challenges
14 Discussion with literature
15 Discussion with literature

Recomended or Required Reading

1. Fanelli GN, Naccarato AG, Scatena C. Recent Advances in Cancer Plasticity: Cellular Mechanisms, Surveillance Strategies, and Therapeutic Optimization. Front Oncol. 2020 Apr 22;10:569.
2. Yuan S, Norgard RJ, Stanger BZ. Cellular Plasticity in Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2019 Jul;9(7):837-851.
3. Mosier JA, Schwager SC, Boyajian DA, Reinhart-King CA. Cancer cell metabolic plasticity in migration and metastasis. Clin Exp Metastasis. 2021 Aug;38(4):343-359.
4. Zheng X, Yu C, Xu M. Linking Tumor Microenvironment to Plasticity of Cancer Stem Cells: Mechanisms and Application in Cancer Therapy. Front Oncol. 2021 Jun 28;11:678333.
5. Choi KJ, Nam JK, Kim JH, Choi SH, Lee YJ. Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in anticancer therapy and normal tissue damage. Exp Mol Med. 2020 May;52(5):781-792.
6. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity in Cancer Metastasis: Molecular Reprogramming, Cellular Adaptation, and Clinical Implications (Editors: Mohit Kumar Jolly, Toni Celia-Terrassa). Publisher: Mdpi AG (August 14, 2020), ISBN: 3039367242.
7. miRNAs in Transitions: EMT, MET, and EndoMT (Chapter 34). In MicroRNA in Regenerative Medicine (Editor: Chandan K. Sen), 2015, pp: 893-915 Academic Press, ISBN: 978-0-12-405544-5.

Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods

Theoretical lectures, and discussion of the topics with in-class activities (presentations and assignments)

Assessment Methods

SORTING NUMBER SHORT CODE LONG CODE FORMULA
1 ASG ASSIGNMENT
2 FIN FINAL EXAM
3 FCG FINAL COURSE GRADE ASG * 0.50+ FIN* 0.50
4 RST RESIT
5 FCGR FINAL COURSE GRADE (RESIT) ASG * 0.50+ RST* 0.50


Further Notes About Assessment Methods

None

Assessment Criteria

With homework and presentation (LO 4,5, and 6)
With exam (LO 2,3,4,5)

Language of Instruction

Turkish

Course Policies and Rules

To be announced.

Contact Details for the Lecturer(s)

gizem.calibasi@deu.edu.tr ; 0 232 412 58 35

Office Hours

Tuesday 14:00-15:00

Work Placement(s)

None

Workload Calculation

Activities Number Time (hours) Total Work Load (hours)
TOTAL WORKLOAD (hours) 0

Contribution of Learning Outcomes to Programme Outcomes

PO/LOPO.1PO.2PO.3PO.4PO.5PO.6PO.7PO.8PO.9PO.10PO.11PO.12
LO.1555555
LO.2555555
LO.3555555
LO.4555555
LO.5555555
LO.6555555

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Cumhuriyet Bulvarı No: 144 35210 Alsancak / İZMİR
Phone: +90(232) 412 12 12 - Fax: +90 (232) 464 81 35

Copyright 2015 DEÜ. BİD

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