Cancer immunotherapy – redefining vaccines

Activity 1

Cancer immunotherapy

This jigsaw activity requires students to research different aspects of cancer immunotherapy

  • Form into a group of 4 students (this is your 'home group')

  • Each member of your group will be given one of the following aspects of cancer immunotherapy to research:

    1. Immunotherapy using telomerase
    2. Immunotherapy using cultured dendritic cells
    3. Immunotherapy using monoclonal antibodies
    4. Production of monoclonal antibodies
  • The students with the same topic from different groups are then to come together to complete the research task. This is your 'expert group'

  • Using the information on this website and the links under the useful sites tab, you should:

    1. explain whether the immunotherapy is active or passive
    2. describe in a series of dot points how the therapy works in terms of the immune system and how it targets cancer cells
    3. give an example of research involving this particular immunotherapy
    4. evaluate this type of immunotherapy for treating cancer
    5. ensure each expert group member has a copy of the information gathered
  • Students are then to return to their home groups and take turns teaching their group about each particular type of immunotherapy.

  • Each home group then produces a poster with diagrams summarising the four aspects of immunotherapy.

External sites are not endorsed by the Australian Academy of Science.
Posted September 2008.