In your first year, you will learn the characteristics of cancer, its causes, how it progresses, and how it affects a person's health. You will also learn the human physiology and fundamental cell and molecular biology that you need to understand cancer and its causes and treatments.
Compulsory
Causes and consequences of cancer
What is cancer, what causes cancer, and what happens when someone gets cancer, from detection, through diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship.
Hallmarks of Cancer
A study of the ten fundamental processes that make cancers form, grow, invade and spread.
Essentials in Genes, Molecules and Cells
This module combines lectures and laboratory classes and introduces you to the structure and function of significant molecules in cells, and the important metabolic processes which occur inside them. You will study, amongst other topics, protein and enzyme structure and function, the biosynthesis of cell components, and the role of cell membranes in barrier and transport processes. You'll examine how information in DNA is used to determine the structure of gene products. Topics include DNA structure, transcription and translation and mutation and recombinant DNA technology.
Human Physiology
In this module, you will be introduced to the physiology of major systems such as cardiovascular, nervous, and musculoskeletal, including some aspects of drug action. This module will allow you to understand your biochemical and genetics knowledge in the context of the intact organism. This module includes lectures and laboratory classes.
Optional
You can take one of the following optional modules or any 20 credit module or two 10 credit modules from elsewhere in the University, subject to suitability and availability.
Life on Earth
Life on Earth provides an introduction to the fundamental characteristics and properties of the myriad of organisms which inhabit our planet, from viruses, bacteria and Archaea, to plants and animals. In weekly lectures, and regular laboratory practical classes, you will consider how living organisms are classified, how they are related genetically and phylogenetically, and basic aspects of their structure and function.
Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour
Starting with Darwin’s theory of evolution, you will learn how natural selection and other evolutionary forces have shaped the ways in which organisms interact with each other and their environment. In addition to lectures, practical classes will give you hands-on experience with a range of ecological and behavioural concepts in the laboratory and the field.
Fundamentals of Neuroscience
This module will give you a good grounding in the basic principles of the nervous system of humans and other animals. Topics will include neuroanatomy, cellular neuroscience, neuropharmacology, sensory systems, neuroendocrinology, memory, behavioural neuroscience and diseases of the nervous system. These will be delivered through weekly lectures and practical classes.
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on Thursday 21 July 2022.
Your second year examines what contributes to cancer, and how different cancers form, grow, and spread in more depth. Different types of cancer including lung, breast, bowel, and ovarian cancer are used to illustrate specific mechanisms and biological systems. A case study will allow a more in-depth look at a cancer of your choosing.
Lung and Breast Cancer: understanding growth factor biology and the importance of hormones
A more detailed look at what causes cancers; the mutations that cause cancer, and the cell signalling abnormalities that make cancers grow, using breast cancer and lung cancers as examples.
It specifically highlights tumour suppressors and growth factor biology.
Angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels) and tumour-host interactions: understanding blood supply and the immune system
How cancers grow, how the cells divide, mutate, generate their own blood supply, and use energy. How cancers interact with their host, co-opt and corrupt normal cell processes, and evade detection by the immune system. Includes kidney, brain, blood, skin, prostate and pancreatic cancer.
Bowel Cancer and Ovarian Cancer: highlighting cancer spread and DNA repair
How do cancers become genetically unstable, so that they can spread around the body (metastaisize) and the importance of DNA repair, using bowel and ovarian cancer as examples.
Cancer Cell Genetics: how and why cancer cells are different from normal cells
This module considers:
- Genetic polymorphisms and genome-wide association studies
- Chemical, viral, and radiation induced DNA damage and tumourigenesis
- Cancer cell genomics and the 100,000 genome project
- Cancer cell transcriptomics and epigenomics
- Precision medicine in cancer treatment
Epidemiology of cancer and population genetics: who gets cancer and why
Who gets cancer and why, how do we find out what causes cancer and what makes people susceptible to cancer.
Patient-centred Library Project (cause, diagnosis and treatments)
Find out what happens to someone when they get cancer, the journey they go through, and what doctors, nurses, scientists and other health care professionals do to treat the patient.
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on
In your third year you will choose three optional modules from a selection of advanced topics. You will also complete a research project to make new discoveries as part of a research group and produce an advanced literary project.
Compulsory
Patient Portfolio (the future of diagnosis and treatments)
What is the future of cancer therapy? Take a specific patient and investigate at how detection, diagnosis, surgery, medicine and care of that cancer patient could change over the next decade
Groundbreaking Research Projects
Cutting edge, hands on research project in one of the research teams in the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Cancer Sciences. A 12 week placement at the bench or in the clinic (or both!) undertaking new research and discovering new parts of the cancer puzzle.
Optional
Cancer Biology and Molecular Therapeutics: new and emerging cancer treatments
The latest research in cancer cell biology, and how it is being harnessed to find new treatments for cancer.
Paediatric cancer: why cancers that occur in childhood are different from those in the adult
Tumour Microenvironment: how the tumour environment influences cancer cells
How the cancer cell shapes its environment, and how the environment affects the cancer cell, from blood vessel growth and drainage by lymphatics to the host cells that interact with the cancer cells.
Cancer Immunology and Novel Therapies: immunotherapy and other new cancer treatments
What makes a cancer evade the immune system, and how can this be overcome. A look at the latest drugs that harness the body’s own defences to fight cancer.
The above are examples of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that
The above is a sample of the typical modules we offer but is not intended to be construed and/or relied upon as a definitive list of the modules that will be available in any given year. Modules (including methods of assessment) may change or be updated, or modules may be cancelled, over the duration of the course due to a number of reasons such as curriculum developments or staffing changes. Please refer to the
module catalogue for information on available modules. This content was last updated on