Course Summary
Immunology/Hematology/OncologyThe Stem Cells and Immunotherapy course is designed to enhance the current knowledge of healthcare professionals on current and evolving clinical hematopoietic stem cell therapies to treat both genetic and acquired diseases.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are derived from mesoderm and give rise to all the other blood cells. They are usually extracted from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation involves the intravenous infusion of autologous or allogeneic stem cells to reestablish hematopoietic function in patients whose bone marrow or immune system is damaged or defective. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantations are often performed to eliminate a bone marrow infiltrative process, such as leukemia, or to correct congenital immunodeficiency disorders. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation allows patients with cancer to receive higher doses of chemotherapy than the bone marrow can usually tolerate; bone marrow function is then salvaged by replacing the marrow with previously harvested stem cells.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provide an attractive target for immunotherapy of cancer and leukemia by the introduction of genes encoding T-cell receptors (TCRs) or chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) directed against tumor-associated antigens. HSCs engraft for long-term blood cell production and could provide a continuous source of targeted anti-cancer effector cells to sustain remissions. T cells produced de novo from HSCs may continuously replenish anti-tumor T cells that have become anergic or exhausted from ex vivo expansion or exposure to the intratumoral microenvironment. In addition, transgenic T cells produced in vivo undergo allelic exclusion, preventing co-expression of an endogenous TCR that could mis-pair with the introduced TCR chains and blunt activity or even cause off-target reactivity. CAR-engineered HSCs may produce myeloid and natural killer cells in addition to T cells expressing the CAR, providing broader anti-tumor activity that arises quickly after transplant and does not solely require de novo thymopoiesis. Use of TCR- or CAR-engineered HSCs would likely require cytoreductive conditioning to achieve long-term engraftment, and this approach may be used in clinical settings where autologous HSC transplant is being performed to add a graft-versus-tumor effect. Results of experimental and preclinical studies performed to are presented in this course.
What's Included
Byrnes - Immunology of Stem Cell Transplantation
| This unit provides the history and overview. It discusses graft sources, HLA System, HLA System wrt Graft Sources, Graft-Host Interaction, Roles for Mesenchymal Cells and the Future and iPS. |
Byrnes - Bone Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation
| This unit reviews the history and currently accepted applications of autologous stem cell transplants. It surveys some of the applications of autologous stem cell transplant currently being explored in ongoing clinical trials. The unit examines some of the recent break-thru findings in preclinical studies that are likely to impact future clinical applications. |
Maharaj - Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine
| The purpose of this unit is to understand what regenerative medicine is and what adult stem cells are. It will discuss which medical conditions may benefit from regenerative medicine and understand the sources of stem cells for regenerative medicine. This unit explains the clinical applications in Diabetes. |
Cui - Immunology of Stem Cell Therapy
| The unit describes the source of hematopoietic stem cells. It discusses the storage and manipulation of stem cells. It discusses the immunological reactions of graft vs host and Immunological reactions of host vs graft. The Present and future of xenotransplantation is covered. |
Maharaj - Understanding the Basics of Cellular & Molecular Organization
| The unit discusses the types and source of stem cells in peripheral blood. Their Specific Cell Surface Markers and Factors change their abundance in peripheral blood. It covers the role of peripheral blood derived stem cells in normal and pathological processes. |
Porada - Hematopoietic Stem Cells
| The concept of Hematopoietic Stem Cell (HSC), HSC phenotype, Testing the potential of HSC, Long-term and short-term engrafting HSC, Hematopoietic stem cell niches, Mobilization of HSC and the use of Cord blood derived HSC are discussed in this topic. |
Lee - Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Cancer Treatment
The Microenvironment of a Cancer cell is described in this section. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Treatment and Clinical Studies are explained.
Maharaj - Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Tx Cancer in the Genomic Era
| The purpose of this section is to understand Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant. The treatment and Success for Cancer along with Cancer Prevention is discussed. This section also talks about harnessing the Power of the Immune System, Interfering with DNA repair Mechanisms, Altering the Tumor Microenvironment, Utilizing Metastasis Suppressor Gene Products and Attacking Cancer Stem Cells. |
Cui - Immunology of Stem Cell Therapy
| The source of hematopoietic stem cells and the storage and manipulation of stem cells are discussed. Immunological reactions of graft vs host and Immunological reactions of host vs graft are described. The Present and future of xenotransplantation are covered. |
Cui - Natural Cancer Resistance in Mice and in Humans - Basis for a Novel Cancer Therapy
| Cancer Resistance and a Clinical Study is covered in this section. |
Maharaj - Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
| The purpose of this section is to be familiar with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Allogeneic, Syngeneic, Autologous. The indications for stem cell transplant and complications of stem cell transplant are reviewed in this unit. |
Lathia - Basics of Cancer Development
| The purpose of this unit is to understand the role of environmental factors on the initiation of cancer. You will also understand the role of genetic mutations in the development of cancer. The viewer will become familiar with the major signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis. |
Lathia - Current Cancer Stem Cell Research - Moving to a Cure
The purpose of this unit is to understand the cancer stem cell hypothesis. With this, you will become familiar with how cancer stem cells contribute to a tumor and become familiar with cancer stem cell specific therapies.
Maharaj - Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation 2
| This section will provide information on the indications for Transplantation. The phases of transplantation are discussed along with the symptoms. |
Lathia - Laboratory Methods Commonly Used in Cancer Research
The purpose of this section is to become familiar with essential cancer research techniques and how basic techniques allow for the evaluation of cancer associated behaviors. You will be able to understand how new technology is contributing to cancer research.
Quiz - Immunology/Hematology/Oncology Quiz
Please answer the following questions regarding immunology, hematology and oncology.
