Fundamentals of Cancer Cell Biology (817C8)
15 credits, Level 7 (Masters)
Autumn teaching
On this module, cancer is presented as a disease of genetic origin in which the normal homeostatic processes of the cell become misregulated.
The structure of the module is founded on the concept of progressive acquisitions of 'hallmark' traits as expounded by Hanahan and Weinberg. This model is used to relate to the various regulatory pathways that become mutated and/or misregulated as cells progress from normality to the ultimately lethal invasive metatastatic phenotype.
These general principles which will form the first part of the module are expanded and illustrated by in-depth case studies of major forms of human cancer and familial cancer predispostion syndromes.
You also get involved in discussions of existing therapies and the prospects for novel therapies that come from an understanding of the molecular basis of the individual cancer types.