Tumour Biology
This course will consist of 7 lectures followed by 2 extended ‘practicals’ in which students will present to each other and discuss key papers from the literature of tumour biology. The aim is to explore important aspects of current Tumour Biology through presenting and discussing primary literature. Preparation for the presentations is a very important component of this course, and involves familiarity with the substance of 8 or 10 (depending on student numbers) selected original peer-reviewed papers in major journals.
Sections
Aims and Objectives
Aim: The aim is to add to the value of the Part 1B core course through (1) establishing a firm basis of understanding of important aspects of current Tumour Biology, and (2) encouraging acquisition of the transferable skills of data analysis, succinct expression, and intellectual teamwork.
Objectives: By the end of this course, students will have made themselves thoroughly familiar with significant topics within current tumour biology. They will have gained experience of reading original literature in these areas, analysing experimental design, and critically reviewing the interpretations put on the results. They will have worked together to create short oral presentations supplemented with diagrammatic material, and will have discussed the impact of particular findings. [top]
Content
| Date | Time | Topic | Lecturer and presentation co-ordinator | |
| Tuesday 28 February 2012 | 10:00–11:00 | LT | Genes mutated in human cancer followed by |
Dr Paul Edwards |
| 11:00-12:00 | LT | Course Instructions | Dr Paolo D’Avino | |
| Thursday 1 March 2012 | 10:00–11:00 | LT | Cancer Epidemiology | Dr Paul Pharoah |
| Tuesday 6 March 2012 | 10:00–11:00 | LT | Helicobacter-associated cancer | Professor Ming Du |
| Thursday 8 March 2012 | 10:00-11:00 | LT | Tumour Viruses | Professor Margaret Stanley |
| Tuesday 13 March 2012 | 10:00–11:00 | LT | Prospects for cancer therapy followed by |
Dr Paolo D’Avino |
| 11:00–12:00 | LT | Presentation instructions |
Following the lectures, after the Vacation, a set of papers on the topics covered will be presented in two extended seminar sessions, in each of which 4 or 5 original papers will be discussed.
Students will be together for the lectures, but will present and discuss the papers in classes of 10 – 15 depending on numbers. A team of 2 or 3 students will be assigned to each paper, and will work as a team to prepare their presentation outside the classroom.
Each of the students in a team will present part of the paper, dividing up the task. First, one will present the background, indicating why studies of the nature described are important, and drawing as need be from material that should extend beyond the contents of the Introduction section of the paper itself. Then the principles that underlie the methods used in the experiments will be described. The results and the conclusions will then be presented. Each presenting student will be asked to keep firmly to a 5 – 10 minute time quota. The science of the paper will then be open for discussion for around 5 – 10 minutes, followed by a critique of the presentation. In each seminar, four or possibly five papers will be presented in this way, so that all students in the class will be involved directly.
Supervisions
One supervision is recommended, on the content of the course (including the science of the prescribed papers) rather than issues relating to the presentations per se.
Examination
Students will be asked to write two essays on the content of the course, chosen from 4 titles.
Recommended background texts, in most college libraries:
- ‘Cancer’ chapter of Alberts B. et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell (Garland Publishing). 4th Edition 2002 (grey cover) or 5th edition 2008 (red cover). (Note that the 3rd edition, brown cover, is significantly out of date).
- For more details see:
The Biology of Cancer by R A Weinberg (Garland Publishing 2005).