2017/18 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue
DSUR5136M Translation in Cancer Research
15 creditsClass Size: 15
Module manager: Reem El-Gendy
Email: r.el-gendy@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2017/18
Pre-requisite qualifications
Applicants must meet the programme entry requirementsThis module is not approved as an Elective
Module summary
This module focuses on the area of oral cancer biology and aims to give students an insight into both the basic biology underpinning tumourigenesis and how this knowledge can be applied in the field of oral cancer to understand and improve the outcomes for patients.Objectives
On completion of this module, students should be able to ...This module will explore the mechanisms and aetiology involved in tumour development with a special emphasis on the aspects most relevant to oral tumours. Students will gain an understanding of the multidisciplinary framework involved in studying tumourigenesis as related to the oral cavity and knowledge of the processes required to translate discoveries into effective treatment regimens for oral cancer(s).
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this module students will able to:
1. Demonstrate expert knowledge of the clinically relevant biomedical science underpinning the oral tumour aetiology and development.
2. Apply mastery and expert knowledge from previous modules (oral science, research technologies and translation of innovation) to the field of Oral cancer biology.
3. Critically appraise scientific literature in the research area in order to identify areas of clinical need and potential societal impact.
4. Successfully combine all of the objectives above to synthesise relevant research questions and design the appropriate strategies to test them.
5. Prepare an extended essay that should be in the style of a publishable review article, and thus be of sufficient level to steer future translational research at the forefront of oral cancer biology
Skills outcomes
Draw together expert knowledge from multi-disciplinary fields of research to identify and understand and apply research skills to combatting oral cancers and identify potential targets for therapeutic interventions in these situations.
Syllabus
• discussion of tumours as resulting from persistent genetic damage
• oncogenes and tumour suppressors
• chemical carcinogenesis, DNA repair mechanisms
• viral aetiology of many oral cancers
• inherited DNA defects and tumour pre-disposition
• concepts of clonal origin -monoclonality/heterogeneity in cancer
• tumour immunology especially immune responses to cancer
• tumour invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis,
• epithelial-stromal transition (EMT), the extracellular matrix (ECM) and cancer growth
• histology and gross anatomy of oral cavity tumours
• aetiology and socio-economic factors associated with oral cancers
Teaching methods
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
| Group learning | 3 | 3.00 | 9.00 |
| Lecture | 15 | 1.00 | 15.00 |
| Seminar | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Tutorial | 3 | 2.00 | 6.00 |
| Independent online learning hours | 2.00 | ||
| Private study hours | 112.00 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 36.00 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150.00 | ||
Private study
• Students will be expected to carry out reading prior to each seminar, related to the specific content of each session. Students will be provided with a course reading list. The reading will ensure all students attending the sessions will have reached a similar level of background knowledge allowing full participation. ~3 hrs per seminar.• Students will be expected to read scientific literature ready to appraise and discuss in tutorials. ~3 hrs preparation per tutorial.
• Students will need private study and reading to consolidate and extend the learning guided by lectures.
• Students will be expected to research and read widely from scientific literature to produce assessments (essay, proposal outline and tutorial performance).
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Student progress will be assessed through monitoring of student engagement and performance within seminars and tutorials.The coursework assessment will take the form of a single project, assessed at multiple stages. The ultimate goal is to produce an extended structured essay detailing an area of clinical need and the research pathway required to fund, manage and deliver the desired health or societal impact.
Students will initially review literature in the field to identify a potential area of unmet clinical need. Students will present key literature within “journal club” tutorials and receive peer to peer and tutor comment, providing the opportunity for early monitoring and formative assessment.
Students will then develop a brief outline of their coursework assessment and present this verbally. Presentations will contribute to formative assessment and provide an opportunity for feedback incorporation. Students will then further develop and expand their work to produce a final extended structured essay covering background, rationale, identifying appropriate methods, governance pathways and potential impact. This will provide the majority of the summative assessment for this module.
An online MCQ will be employed to ensure that students have developed expert knowledge across all the fields of disease covered within the module, not just the topic explored in great depth within an individual student’s coursework.
Methods of assessment
Coursework
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
| Essay | Extended essay 2500 words | 75.00 |
| Presentation | Outline Proposal | 0.00 |
| Tutorial Performance | Journal Club Tutorial | 0.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 75.00 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
| Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
| Online MCQ | 1 hr | 25.00 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 25.00 | |
Both components are non compensatable
Reading list
There is no reading list for this moduleLast updated: 29/08/2019
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