Training
Graduate Training Program and Curriculum Coursework for Graduate Students Following the Cancer Pharmacology Track
- Pharmacology Faculty Advisor for Cancer Pharmacology track
- Overview of requirements
- Required courses (exits this page)
- Strongly recommended elective courses
- Recommended elective courses
- Curriculum Course Description
- Appendix: New Courses for Cancer Pharmacology
- Application for the NCI Multidisciplinary Cancer Pharmacology Training Program
Pharmacology Faculty Advisor for Cancer Pharmacology Track
Dr. Richard K. Assoian is the Faculty Advisor. All prospective students should meet with him before embarking on this track.
Year One
| Fall | Spring | Summer |
|---|---|---|
| PHRM 623: Fundamentals of Pharmacology (1) | PHRM 600: Medical Pharmacology (2) | PHRM 952: Second laboratory rotation (2) |
| CELL 600: Introduction to Cell Biology (1) | PHRM 560: Principles of Cancer Signaling and Therapeutics. | |
| PHRM 660: Frontiers in Cancer Pharmacology | ||
| Elective (1) |
Year Two
| Fall | Spring |
|---|---|
| CAMB 512: Cancer Genetics and Biology (1) | PHRM 520: Molecular Pharmacology (1) |
| PHRM 640: Topics in Cancer Pharmacology (1)* | PHRM 970: Preliminary Exam (1) |
| PHRM 952: Third laboratory rotation (2) | PHRM 960: Pre-thesis seminar (1) |
| Or electives (2) | PHRM 999: Independent study (1) |
| Or elective (1) |
PHRM 640: Topics in Cancer Pharmacology, Fall 2007-2008
Course Directors: Wenchao Song, and
Judy Meinkoth
Cancer Pharmacology Staff Assistant: Christine Shwed
853 BRB II/III, 215-573-9885, 9887
Reviews of current literature on topics such as cancer cell signalling, cancer genetics, hormonal carcinogenesis, environmental carcinogens, chemo- and gene therapy of cancer, cancer epidemiology and prevention. New hypotheses in cancer etiology, prevention and treatment will be discussed as they appear in the literature. The aim of the course is to introduce the students to the latest development in the above areas related to cancer pharmacology. Offered in the fall semester.
Topics in Cancer Pharmacology PHARM 640
Wednesdays 1-3 pm M100 John Morgan Building (Pharmacology Library)
| Date | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 9/12 | Introduction/Organization | J. Meinkoth, W. Song |
| 9/19 | Protein kinase C and tumor promotion | Marcelo Kazanietz |
| 9/26 | Chemical Carcinogenesis | Trevor Penning |
| 10/03 | Apoptosis | Xiaolu Yang |
| 10/10 | DNA adducts and DNA repair | Ian Blair |
| 10/17 | Genetic factors and cancer | Kate Nathanson |
| 10/24 | Oncogenes and tumor suppressors | Jeff Field |
| 10/31 | Sonic Hedgehog signaling in cancer | Nati Riobo |
| 11/07 | Signal transduction Therapy | Jeff Field |
| 11/14 | Cancer Chemo-prevention | Ann Kennedy |
| 11/28 | Angiogenesis as a target for cancer therapy | Bill Lee |
| 12/05 | Small G proteins and cancer | Margaret Chou |
| 12/12 | Gene and cellular therapy of cancer | Carl June |
| Last Updated: 10/11/07 | ||
PHRM 660: Frontiers in Cancer Pharmacology, Spring, 2008
Course Director: Ian Blair, PhD; Director, Center for Cancer Pharmacology.
This advanced course for graduate students combines didactic lectures from Penn faculty with oral presentations and oral assignments from the students. Students should have either completed “PHRM560: Principles in Cancer Pharmacology or “PHRM640: Topics in Cancer Pharmacology” or equivalent classes. The faculty will present overviews of current and emerging topics in cancer pharmacology. Emphasis of the presentations will be on the translation of basic science discoveries into therapeutic agents. Students will choose related topics to explore in more detail. In consultation with Dr. Blair, students will prepare a 45-minute presentation (using PowerPoint slides). Each student will give at least two presentations during the semester. Available topics include: Cyclooxygenases and cancer; Cell cycle and cancer, New drug delivery methods for cancer drugs; New drug development in oncology; Angiogenesis-based therapies for cancer; Chemical carcinogenesis; Tyrosine kinase inhibitors; Emerging gene therapies in cancer treatment; Antisense therapy for cancer; Effects of treatment on cancer survivors; Topoisomerase inhibitor-related leukemias; Cancer Immunotherapy. Each presentation will be followed by a question and answer period during which the other students in the class will be expected to participate. The faculty teaching the course will be available for help with the presentations. The written assignment will involve a 10-page double spaced paper (exclusive of references) with a maximum of 25 references. The assignment will consist of a literature review in the area of one of the presentation topics chosen by the student. Attendance is required at all lectures and presentations. The grade will be derived from a combination of the quality of the presentations (40 %), participation in the class (20 %), and the written assignment (40 %).
Frontiers in Cancer Pharmacology PHARM 660
A single 3-h session/week on Tuesdays from 1pm to 4 pm, M100 Conference Room John Morgan Building
| Week | Day | Date | Topic | Faculty Mentor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tue | *01/22/08 | Overview will begin at 3:00 (THIS CLASS ONLY) | Ian Blair |
| 2 | Tue | 01/29/08 | Chemical Carcinogenesis | Trevor Penning |
| 3 | Tue | 02/05/08 | Chemical Carcinogenesis: Student presentations | Trevor Penning |
| 4 | Tue | 02/12/08 | Chemical Carcinogenesis: Student presentations | Trevor Penning |
| 5 | Tue | 02/19/08 | Etiology 1: Environmental Toxicology | Stacy Gelhaus |
| 6 | Tue | 02/26/08 | Molecular Cancer Pharmacology | Judy Meinkoth |
| 7 | Tue | 03/04/08 | Molecular Cancer Pharmacology: Student presentations | Judy Meinkoth |
| 8 | Tue | 03/11/08 | Molecular Cancer Pharmacology: Student presentations | Judy Meinkoth |
| 9 | Tue | 03/18/08 | Etiology 2: Cyclooxygenases and Cancer | Ian Blair |
| 10 | Tue | 03/25/08 | Etiology 2: Cyclooxygenases & Cancer Student presentations | Ian Blair |
| 11 | Tue | 04/01/08 | New anticancer agents | James Delikatny |
| 12 | Tue | 04/08/08 | New anticancer agents: Student presentations | James Delikatny |
| 13 | Tue | 04/15/08 | Topoisomerase inhibitor-related leukemias | Carolyn Felix |
| 14 | Tue | 04/22/08 | Topoisomerase inhibitor-related leukemias Student presentations | Carolyn Felix |
| Last Updated: 10/11/2007 | ||||
Strongly Recommended Elective Courses
- MOLB 421
- Molecular Genetics. Course Director: Eric Weinberg. A detailed analysis of gene structure and expression in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Rapid advances in recombinant DNA technology will be emphasized. The application of these advances to the molecular genetic analysis of development, cell function and disease will be discussed. Offered in the fall semester.
- PHRM 523
- Practical Modern Enzymology. Course Director: Trevor Penning. The course will familiarize students with modern approaches to working with enzymes, using techniques of steady state and transient kinetics. Methods for elucidating kinetic and classical mechanisms will be explored. Structure-function relationships using structural information, site-directed mutagenesis and modeling will be emphasized. Offered in the fall semester.
- BMB 550
- Molecular Mechanisms of Signal Transduction and Control. Course Director: Paul Liebman. The biochemistry of receptors, GTP-binding proteins, effectors, second messengers, post-translational modification, etc. is examined with the aim of understanding how cellular signal-response cycles such as growth, secretion, electric activity, movement, etc. are controlled and how control may be lost. Principles of signaling systems analysis are developed and used together with kinetic, thermodynamic and specific molecular structure to understand the best mapped specific systems. Offered in the fall semester.
- PHRM 650
- Topics in Pharmacological Chemistry. Course Director: Ian Blair. This is a seminar-based class in which selected new developments in the area of pharmacological chemistry will be discussed. Current areas of interest include DNA-adducts, oxidative stress, antioxidants, cyclooxygenases, antiestrogens, and farnesyltransferase inhibitors. Offered in the fall semester.
- PHRM 630
- Medicinal chemistry. Course Director: Pat Loll. Medicinal chemistry is a discipline wherein chemistry and pharmacology join forces to discover or design new therapeutic compounds and develop them into useful medicines. This course offers a survey of medicinal chemistry; topics covered include drug discovery methodologies such as analysis of drug-receptor interactions, QSAR, combinatorial chemistry, and structure-based design. Examples of the development of important therapeutic agents will also be discussed. Offered in the spring semester.
- CAMB 530
- Seminar in Cell Cycle and Cancer. Course Directors: Sandra Holloway and Wafik El-Diery. This seminar will focus on molecular events, which regulate cell cycle transitions and their relevance to human cancer. Topics will include control of the G1/S and G2/M transitions, relationships between tumor suppressor genes such as p16, Rb, p53 or oncogenes such as cyclin D, cdc25A, MDM2 or c-myc to cell cycle control, apoptosis and cancer. Where appropriate, the focus will be on understanding regulation of cell cycle control through transcriptional induction of gene expression, protein associations, posttranslational modifications like phosphorylation or regulation of protein stability like ubiquitin degradation. Recent/current information on crystal structures of cell cycle active molecules, information on ATM gene, new information on cell cycle inhibitors, new information on apoptosis pathways, interactions between viral oncoproteins and cell cycle control and cell death, relationships between cell cycle control and cell phenotype (anchorage, adhesion, differentiation), studies using yeast or xenopus as model systems will be covered. Offered in the spring semester.
- PHRM 999:
- Independent study. In general, the time commitment for a 1-course unit is considered to be approximately 12 weeks at 10 hours per week. Approval must be given by the graduate advisor and must be conducted under the supervision of one of the graduate group faculty.
- CHEM 557:
- Mechanisms of Enzymatic Reactions. Course Director: David Christianson. Physical and chemical foundations of catalytic reaction mechanism in nonenzymic, enzymic, and other macromolecular systems. Modern enzymology, site-directed mutagenesis, and x-ray crystallography are discussed in the study of enzyme mechanism. Specific examples of discussion include the proteases, allosteric enzymes, phosphoryl transfer enzymes, ribozymes and enzymes of protein biosynthesis. Offered in the fall semester.
- CAMB 651:
- Seminar in Membrane Physiology and Cell Signaling. Course directors: Mortimer Civan and Paul De Weer. Course instructors include Armstrong, Baylor, Deutsch, Drain, Foskett, Koval, Lu, and Pain. This is a one-semester lecture and seminar course meeting three times a week, presenting an in-depth examination of transport across membranes and cells, membrane excitability, and cell signaling. Specific topics will include driving forces; water, ion, and protein channels; transporters; calcium and other intracellular signals; exo-and endocytosis; and excitation-contraction and excitation-secretion coupling. Offered in the fall semester.
- CAMB 631:
- Seminar in Integrins and Cytoskeleton. Course Directors: Boettiger, Bennett, and Field. This seminar course focuses on current literature and problems in integrin mediated and cytoskeletal signaling. Topics will include integrin structure and function, integrin activation mechanisms, focal adhesion kinase, the link between cell adhesion and cell proliferation, the role of small G proteins, and control of cytoskeletal assembly.
- CAMB 534:
- Signaling Pathways in Normal and Cancerous Development. Course Directors: Thomas Jongens, Mark Fortini, Paul Stein. This seminar course will examine the role of selected cell signaling pathways in normal animal development and in aberrant development. Signaling molecules to be covered include receptor tyrosine kinases, tyrosine phosphatases, serine/threonine kinases, GTPases, the Notch receptor, Wingless/Wnt, Hedgehog, Bcl-2 and their associated interacting proteins and pathway components. Offered in the spring semester.
- MOLB 608:
- Regulation of Eukaryotic Gene Expression. Course Director Tom Kadesch. An advanced seminar course emphasizing the molecular biology and molecular genetics of transcription in eukaryotes. Based on current literature, the presentations and discussions will familiarize the student with present day technology and developing principles. Offered in the fall semester.
NCI Multidisciplinary cancer pharmacology Training Program
The NCI-funded multidisciplinary Cancer Pharmacology training program has a postdoctoral trainee position available. Major advances in the treatment of cancer patients in the next decade will result from multidisciplinary approaches in understanding of how malignant cells work at the molecular level and in designing novel therapeutic agents to disrupt these processes. Therefore, the proposed training program will help fill the current deficit of individuals qualified to develop the next generation of chemotherapeutic agents. The ultimate goal of the program is to provide training in cancer pharmacology that goes from laboratory to bedside and back again.
Specifically, trainees will learn how cancer pharmacology can be used to identify new targets, how small molecules are synthesized and tested against these targets, how they are used in Phase I trials, how Phase I studies are developed into full clinical trials, and how epidemiology and pharmacogenetics are utilized to assess efficacy and lead to the discovery of new targets.
Trainees will also receive specific training in how to project quantitative measures of drug effect from proof of concept in model systems into the rational selection of dosing in humans.
These goals will be accomplished through the courses that are offered and the multidisciplinary research experiences that will be available from the faculty. The 27 faculty mentors have diverse complementary expertise; the postdoctoral trainee will be expected to have two mentors from among this faculty.
Qualifications: Applicants must be green-card holders or US citizens with a Ph.D. in Pharmacology, Biochemistry, Chemistry or allied science.
Current Mentors:
- Program A - Drug Discovery:
- Ian Blair, PhD; Ray Boston, PhD; Christopher Chen, PhD; Jim Delikatny, PhD; Dave Manning, PhD; Gary Molander, PhD; Tim Rebbeck, PhD; M. Celeste Simon, PhD; Wenchao Song, PhD; Steven Whitehead; Jeffrey Winkler, PhD
- Program B - Molecular Cancer Pharmacology and Enzymology:
- Charles Abrams, MD; Richard Assoian, PhD; Dave Boettiger, PhD; James Eberwine, PhD; Jeffrey Field, PhD; Bill Lee, MD; Marcelo Kazanietz, PhD; Judy Meinkoth, PhD; Trevor Penning, PhD. Vladimir Muzykantov, MD, PhD.
- Program C - Clinical Cancer Pharmacology:
- Peter Adamson, MD; Jeffrey Barrett, PhD, FCP; Garrett Brodeur, MD; Garret FitzGerald, MD; Wafik El-Deiry, MD, PhD; Carolyn Felix, MD; Peter S. Klein, MD
(All fields are required.)