2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

BIOC3900 Cancer Biology

10 creditsClass Size: 110

Module manager: Professor G Eric Blair
Email: G.E.Blair@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2016/17

This module is mutually exclusive with

BIOC3800	Adv Topics in Medic Biochem II
BIOC3801	Adv Topics in Medic Biochem II
BIOC3802	Adv Topics in Molecular Bio II
BIOC3803	Adv Topics in Biotechnology

Module replaces

BLGY3206

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

The objectives of this module are to:

- enable students to appreciate the main features of cancer cells and their relationship to disease;
- understand the eukaryotic cell cycle, together with genes and proteins implicated in its control and its modulation in cancer cells;
- provide an understanding of the origins of cell lines and theories as to how primary lines are 'mortal', but become 'immortal' following transformation;
- enable students to recognise how oncogenic retroviruses and DNA tumour viruses cause neoplasia, and the central historical role that research into these viruses played in the recognition of chromosomal oncogenes;
- permit an appreciation of the characterisation of chromosomal oncogenes by transfection and via chromosomal translocations;
- enable students to understand the difference between 'oncogenes' and 'tumour suppressor genes' and how the latter were identified;
- facilitate a realisation of the variety of functions of oncogene and tumour suppressor gene products, including components of signal transduction pathways and transcription factors as well as proteins involved in repair of DNA damage, or establishing checkpoints against replication before such damage has been repaired;
- provide an understanding of the relationship between oncogenesis and apoptosis;
- enable students to appreciate the the role of cancer genes in common cancers;
- develop concepts of cancer therapy by understanding, for example, gene therapy, immunotherapy and drug treatment.

Learning outcomes
On completion of the module student should be able to;
- understand research papers in the field of cancer biology,
- analyse data relating to cancer cell and molecular biology and
- appreciate recent and future developments in this area.
- develop students' skills in written and oral presentation of material pertaining to the above.

Skills outcomes
- Managing Knowledge: data evaluation / problem solving.
- Technical Competence: analysing data.
- Managing Self: planning, time management
- Managing Interrelationships: teamwork, decision taking;
- Learning from others: sharing, receiving critique.

Syllabus

- The pathobiology of cancer cells and the relationship to human disease.
- The eukaryotic cell cycle.
- Control of the cell cycle in yeasts: checkpoints, cdc's and cyclins.
- Mammalian homologues of yeast cell cycle genes.
- Vertebrate cells in culture, mortal and immortal.
- Telomerase and mortality.
- Retroviral oncogenes and their cellular (proto-oncogene) homologues.
- Isolation of oncogenes via transfection and their implication at translocation breakpoints.
- Tumour suppressor genes.
- Functions of oncogenes and tumour suppressor genes : signal transduction pathways, transcription factors and proteins controlling their activity, DNA repair systems.
- The role of the p53 protein in checking for DNA damage.
- Oncogenesis and apoptosis.
- Genes in common cancers.
- Therapeutic approaches to cancer.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	14	1.00	14.00
Seminar	2	1.00	2.00
Private study hours			84.00
Total Contact hours			16.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			100.00

Private study

Students should note that the following information is for guidance only. The actual time required for the various elements will vary between students.

21 hours - lectures
4 hours - seminars
34 hours - assessed coursework and reading
25 hours - examination and preparation.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- Attendance and participation at seminars
- Assessed coursework
- Exam: Answer 3 essay questions from a choice of 6.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Presentation	Attendance and participation in seminars	5.00
In-course Assessment	Assessed coursework to be completed during the module	15.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		20.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr	80.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		80.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 09/02/2017

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