Monday & Tuesday 10-11 February 2014, London
2-day course: Cancer Biology & the Science of Targeted Treatments
Level: intermediate/advanced (Designed for research nurses and clinical trials staff with at least some understanding of cell biology.)
Description: This 2-day course provides a grounding in cancer biology before moving to descriptions of a wide range of targeted treatments for solid tumours and haematological cancers. Also includes mechanisms of drug resistance and an introduction to biomarkers and personalised cancer care. This course includes a variety of practical exercises, question sheets and quizzes.
To book, contact: Veronica Sinclair (this course is organised by the NCRN)
Programme Day 1
Cancer cell biology – key concepts
- Cells, DNA, chromosomes, genes, proteins
- Cell division and the cell cycle
- Causes of DNA damage
- Oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes
The hallmarks of cancer
- 8 hallmarks of cancer cells
- The tumour microenvironment
Hallmarks of cancer: practical exercise
Introduction to targeted cancer treatments
- The current state of play of targeted cancer treatments
- Monoclonal antibodies and small molecule inhibitors
- Mechanisms of action, specificity and side effects – comparing monoclonal antibodies and small molecules
Specific treatments for haematological cancers
- Monoclonal antibodies for leukaemia and lymphoma
- Bcr-Abl inhibitors
Why the drugs don’t work
- The complexity of cancer
- Genetic instability and intratumoural heterogeneity
- Resistance mechanisms
Programme Day 2
Targeted treatments for solid tumours part 1
- The importance of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and their downstream pathways as drug targets for solid tumours
- RTK inhibitors in use and trials
- mTOR and B-Raf inhibitors
- Un-druggable targets
Targeted treatments for solid tumours part 2
- VEGF/angiogenesis inhibitors
- PARP inhibitors
- ALK inhibitors
Clinical trials speed dating
Targeted treatments for solid tumours part 3
- HSP90 inhibitors
- Hedgehog pathway inhibitors
- Immunotherapy
Clinical trials for targeted treatments: a moving picture
- New paradigms in clinical trial design
- Clinical development case studies: gefitinib and crizotinib
- The use of biomarkers to select patients for trials and treatments for patients
Novel agents: practical exercise