USC ELECTIVE

Faculty: Faculty of the Department of Pathology and Microbiology, as well as clinical faculty engaged in oncological patient care

Institution: University of South Carolina School of Medicine

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Prerequisite: M-IV standing

Duration: 4 or 8 weeks

Course Offered: Throughout academic year

Number of Students: 1 - 2 per rotation

Students Report To: Student should call (803) 733-3281 one week prior to beginning of rotation for instructions

The student will work with on T and B lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, natural killer cells and their precursors from peripheral blood, cord blood, lymphoid and other tissues obtained from patients or experimental hosts. Considerable attention will be given to cell phenotyping, apoptosis induction, cytokine production, proliferation, cytoxicity and other functional characteristics as well as cell-cell interactions.  Some of the faculty research focus areas include: cancer immunology and immunotherapy particularly using interleukins and pharmacologically-activated dendritic cells; complementary and alternative medicine with cannabinoids, green tea, resveratrol, goldenseal and other nutritional supplements; immunotoxicity of enviornmental pollutants and other endocrine disruptors; biodefense research on Centers for Disease Control designated select agents such as anthrax and enterotoxins.  The student will have opportunities to utilize state-of-the-art technology such as transgenics and knockouts, flow cytometry and sorting, confocal microscopy and microarray technology.  The studies are aimed at developing translational research.  The interested student should contact

Eugene Mayer, Ph.D., Course Coordinator

E-mail: mayer@med.sc.edu

Address:  Dept. of Pathology and Microbiology, Bldg. 2, Rm. B18, School of Medicine, Dorn VA Hospital Campus, 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC 29208.

Tel.#(803) 733-3281

Fax.#(803)733-1515

The course director will arrange for discussion with appropriate faculty.