Cancer Sciences MSci

What is cancer? This module aims to build your foundational knowledge of the causes of cancer, as well as cancer diagnosis and treatment and the epidemiology of cancer. You’ll examine what happens when someone gets cancer, from detection, through diagnosis, treatment, recovery and survivorship. 

This module analyses the fundamental processes that make cancers form, grow, invade and spread.

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.

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.

This module studies two of the most common cancers. You’ll examine tobacco-induced mutations in the lung and the role of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes in this disease.

You will gain an understanding of growth factor signalling in breast cancer, treatment and the evolution of drug resistance and examine the importance of hormones and the role of oestrogen and the use of anti-oestrogens. All the while comparing breast cancer and prostate cancer.

This module looks at angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels, and how the blood supply and immune system interact when there is a tumour present. You’ll examine the process of neo-angiogenesis in tumour biology and the approaches that have been used to target this process. You’ll study how cancers interact with their host, co-opt and corrupt normal cell processes, and evade detection by the immune system. 

This module examines how DNA damage can be repaired and the importance of this in tumorigenesis. You’ll also examine cancer progression, invasion and metastasis with colorectal cancer as a focus of study. As well as drug resistance with ovarian cancer as a focus of study. 

How cancer cells acquire mutations and how these mutations alter cell behaviour.

This module looks at the ways we study the incidence of cancer in specific populations and areas, and how we determine the causes and risk factors associated with cancer. You’ll explore the global cancer burden and the regional variations in cancer incidence and cancer risk factors. As well as the methods used to address cancer prevention, and the importance of public health policy in cancer prevention. 

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. 

Building on the skills you gained in Year two, this module continues to analyse cancer biology and molecular therapeutics. You’ll do this by examining emerging research in the field focusing on areas including cell cycle control and growth factor biology. Cancer Immunology and Novel Therapies

What makes a cancer evade the immune system, and how can this be overcome? You'll look at the latest drugs that harness the body’s own defences to fight cancer.

This module explores the tumour microenvironment. You’ll examine the components of the tumour microenvironment that influence cancer cell behaviours (proliferation, invasiveness, drug resistance), the mechanisms underlying these influences, and opportunities for new drug 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.

Research breakthroughs in cancer delivered by visiting experts from the medical and pharmaceutical industries, and by visiting researchers.

Take an in-depth look at the patient’s journey with cancer. From discovery to treatment, recovery and/or palliative care. Through an in-depth case study, you’ll build knowledge of the skills needed to be able to diagnose, and identify treatment options and you’ll see the importance of clinical trials and evidence-based medicine. 

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.

Hear from experts in cancer research on cutting-edge technologies. You'll complement this with your own research through review articles and primary papers from the current scientific literature related to the research seminars.  

A 9-12 month placement in a world renowned laboratory getting your teeth into a research project and being part of a team publishing the latest research into cancer biology and/or therapy. This could be in academia, in industry or in a research institute, in Nottingham, elsewhere in the UK, or overseas, including opportunities in the USA, Australia and continental Europe.