Modules

In the taught modules you will gain expertise and knowledge in cancer molecular and cell biology, treatment, prevention, anti-cancer target discovery and validation, clinical trials, imaging, cancer risk and epidemiology and biostatistics.

• Introduction to Molecular Techniques
• Molecular Methods and Experimental Design
• Cancer Therapeutics

The second semester will consist of the extended research project.

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

Research Project

One of the most valued features of this course is the Research Project, in which you will put your newly acquired practical skills and knowledge to the test. For up to six months, you will work as a member of a dedicated research team, designing and conducting your own research, culminating in the production of a dissertation.

Recent research project titles offered include:

• Use of human adult stem cell models for assessing the efficacy of cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents
• Accelerating cancer prevention therapies to the clinic – towards an improved understanding of the mechanisms of action of resveratrol, curcumin and aspirin
• Addressing the role of amino acids metabolism in cancer metastasis
• Monitoring the circulating cancer genome for patient follow up
• Molecular characterisation of sputum from lung cancer patients: search for biomarkers of early detection
• Developing a cellular model of malignant mesothelioma for translational studies
• Development and application of PCR assays for detection of cancer driver mutations
• Studies of epithelial mesenchymal transition as a key mechanism of tumour progression
• Finding the genetic determinants of response to radiotherapy
• Comet assay measures of DNA damage in cancer

During your project you will learn how to design and conduct hypothesis-driven research using state-of-the-art techniques. You will also gain experience of how to critically interpret scientific literature and how to use effective written and oral communication to present your data.

Assessment of the Research Project is in three parts: your research performance, a dissertation you write about your research, and a seminar you will present at the end of the project.

Project titles shown represent choices available to current students. The range of projects available will vary depending on research demands.

Publications

Many of these projects have led to publication in highly respected scientific journals:

• Wood JP, Smith AOJ, Bowman KJ, Thomas AL, Jones GDD (2015). ‘Comet assay measures of DNA damage as biomarkers of irinotecan response in colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo.' Cancer Medicine 2015, 4(9):1309–1321. doi:10.1002/cam4.477
• Higgins JA, Zainol M, Brown K, Jones GDD (2014) ‘Anthocyans as tertiary chemopreventive agents in bladder cancer: anti-oxidant mechanisms and interaction with mitomycin C’. Mutagenesis, 29: 227-235. doi:10.1093/mutage/geu009
• Britton RG, Horner-Glister E, Pomenya OA, Smith EC, Denton R, Jenkins PR, Steward WP, Brown K, Gescher A, Sale S (2012). 'Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel flavonols as potential anti-prostate cancer agents.' Eur. J. Med. Chem. 54: 952-958. doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2012.06.031
• Al-Salmani K, Abbas HHK, Schulpen S, Karbaschi M, Abdalla I, Bowman KJ, So KK, Evans MD, Jones GDD, Godschalk RW, Cooke MS (2011). 'Simplified method for the collection, storage, and comet assay analysis of DNA damage in whole blood.' Free Radical Biol. Med. 51: 719-725. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.05.020
• Sayan AE, Griffiths TR, Pal R, Browne GJ, Ruddick A, Yagci T, Edwards R, Mayer NJ, Qazi H, Goyal S, Fernandez S, Straatman K, Jones GD, Bowman KJ, Colquhoun A, Mellon JK, Kriajevska M, Tulchinsky E. (2009). 'SIP1 protein protects cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis and has independent prognostic value in bladder cancer.' Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106: 14884-14889. doi:10.1073/pnas.0902042106

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.