基础免疫学哲学博士-癌症免疫学

博士学位是高级研究学位，旨在反映与候选人担任独立研究科学家的能力一致的培训水平。这涉及成功完成反映现代免疫学知识的课程工作，并具有进行可发表质量研究的证明能力。要获得该学位的资格，每个候选人都必须成功地获得候选人资格，根据他/她的原始研究提交令人满意的论文，并在期末口试中成功地为其辩护。博士学位论文应包含大量的原始研究成果，其数量应与在经认可的参考期刊上发表的两三篇论文相适应。通常，这些手稿中至少有一份应在检查时被接受发表。<br> <br>癌细胞起初是正常的人体细胞，但通常由于基因表达异常而开始失控。免
The Department of Immunology offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in a wide range of immunological disciplines. These disciplines include molecular mechanisms of lymphocyte development and selection, T-cell and B-cell receptors, cell interactions, growth factor receptors, cytokine networks, antigen processing and presentation, signal transduction in lymphocytes, V(D)J recombination, anergy, apoptosis, transgenic and knock-out models, immuno-targeting and vaccine design, autoimmunity, AIDS, diabetes, and transplantation.<br>The department provides a common forum for investigators in many areas of U of T and an interdisciplinary research experience in immunology. Members and students in the department are located at the Medical Sciences Building, at the Ontario Cancer Institute, and at the Research Institutes of Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, The Hospital for Sick Children, and Sunnybrook Hospital. The PhD degree is an advanced research degree intended to reflect a level of training consistent with the ability of the candidate to function as an independent research scientist. This involves successful completion of course work reflecting a knowledge of modern immunology, as well as a demonstrated ability to carry out research of publishable quality.<br>Cancer cells start out as normal body cells, but they begin to grow out of control usually because of abnormal gene expression. Cells of the immune system are also susceptible to becoming different types of cancer cells such as leukemias and lymphomas. The immune system plays a major role in limiting the development of cancer cells, often before these cells have a chance to grow. Since the immune system responds to the environmental factors it encounters on the basis of discrimination between self and non-self, some cancer cells escape the immune system's surveillance mechanism because the cells outer appearance (proteins and other molecules expressed on their surface) look normal, even though profound changes have occurred on the inside. In this way, these abnormal cells grow and multiply without triggering an immune response.<br>Scientists have begun to explore novel therapies to combat the different types of cancers that arise. Many of these experimental therapies are termed Immunotherapy which is based upon the idea of stimulating the patient's immune system to attack the malignant tumor cells that are responsible for the disease. In spite of the fact that many cancer cells look normal to the immune system, many kinds of cancer cells display unusual antigens that are either inappropriate for the cell type and/or its environment, or are only normally present during the organisms' development. The strategy used by scientists is to first identify these abnormal antigens expressed on cancer cells, and then trick the immune system into killing any cell that expresses these antigens.