The environmental distribution, metabolism, and variety of responses of toxins will be discussed. This course examines the mechanisms and repair processes through which cells respond to DNA damage caused by environmental agents. Topics covered include fidelity of DNA replication, excision repair, mismatch repair, transcription-linked repair, SOS repair and recombination repair. Other DNA damage responses controlling decision points between DNA repair and apoptosis are also considered. This course explores the role of environmental factors in causing alterations in cellular mechanisms which lead to cancer.
Emphasis is placed on genetic and other regulatory alterations leading to cell transformation.
The role of oncogenes and suppressor genes in these processes and the mechanisms through which chemotherapy and immunotherapy manifest toxicity for cancer cells will be considered. Seminar Current topics of interest in genetic toxicology and related areas.