Mandatory Core Courses

Both Masters Degree (MA) and Doctoral Degree (PhD) students in the Department of Cancer Pathology and Prevention receive broad and deep formal education in the biomedical sciences during the first two years of matriculation by completing the mandatory core courses. Students must achieve a grade of “B” or better in the mandatory courses. After the first year of matriculation, students may elect to focus on either the experimental pathology/cancer prevention or molecular epidemiology track of study. Some courses are required by both tracks of study while others are required (R) by one but may serve as an elective (E) for the other. To see course descriptions, click at left.

Course Number	Course Title	Pathology/ Prevention Track	Molecular Epidemiology Track
RPN 530/532	Oncology for Scientists	R	R
BCH 503 (MA)	Biochemical Principles	E	R
BMS 503 (PhD)	Principles of Biochemistry	R	E
RPN 525	Cancer Epidemiology	R	R
PTR 538	Techniques in Pathology	R	R
STA 527	Introduction to Statistics	R	R
PTR 536	Cancer Pathology	R	R
MIC 512 (MA)	Fundamentals of Immunology	R	R
MIR 511 (PhD)	Molecular Immunology	E	E
MIR 508 (PhD)	Advanced Immunology	E	E
PTR 500	Cancer Control & Prevention	R	R
PTR 505/506	Recent Advances in Pathology Seminar	R	R
PTR 509/510	Laboratory Rotations	R	R
PTR 661-724	Graduate Research	R	R

Elective Courses

PMR 515	Principles of Cancer Chemotherapy
BIR 572	Regulatory Mechanisms of Cell Biology
BCH 508	Gene Expression
BIR 613	Viral Oncology
PTR 502	Analysis of Health Related Data
PTR 528	Tobacco Control
BIO 500	Bioinformatics/Genome Analysis

 

Mandatory Course Descriptions (in order based on above lists)

 

RPN 530 Oncology for Scientists (4): Defines the cancer cell morphologically, as well as molecularly, covering topics such as the cell cycle, cancer-associated genes, regulation of cancer cell expression, cancer genetics, carcinogenesis, metastasis, apoptosis, and laboratory research techniques. (Fall)

RPN 532 Oncology for Scientists (4): Builds upon the theoretical basis of the previous semester, covering the immune system, hormones, chemotherapy and drug development. A large part of the semester deals with the clinical and pathological description of various organ systems presented by Institute medical staff. Ancillary lectures on cancer epidemiology, prevention, statistics, bioinformatics, and clinical treatment (chemotherapy, diagnostic imaging, radiation therapy, photodynamic therapy) are also presented. The human dimensions of the disease are addressed by presentations on pain and the psychological aspects of cancer. The students will also have the opportunity to meet with patients and their treating physicians. (Spring)

BCH 503 Principles of Biochemistry (4): Basic thermodynamics; elements of protein structure; catalyis; enzyme mechanisms; membrane structure/properties; membrane proteins; transport metabolism; sensory neurons; electron transport; oxidative phosphorylation; fatty acids, amino acids; purines/pyrimidines; nucleic acid structure; DNA replication; transcription; genetic engineering; oncogenes and cancer. (Fall)

BMS 503 (PhD) Principles of Biochemistry: Info coming

RPN 525 Cancer Epidemiology (3): This course is intended to provide an overview of the field of cancer epidemiology. The major topics addressed in this course include 1) basic cancer biology; 2) epidemiologic methodology in its application to cancer; 3) epidemiologic exposures relevant to cancer etiology; and 4) the epidemiology of common cancers.

PTR 538 Techniques in Pathology (3): Theory and demonstration of laboratory techniques e.g., autopsy, cell tissue culture, pathological procedures, cytogenetics, flow cytometry, microarray, DNA sequencing, photodynamic therapy, nuclear medicine, immunohistochemistry, and image analysis and processing. (Spring) Prerequisite: Permission of Instructor.

STA 527 Introduction to Statistics (4): This course is designed for students concerned with medical data. The material covered includes the design of clinical trials and epidemiological studies, data collection, summarizing and presenting data, probability, standard error, confidence intervals and significance tests, techniques of data analysis including multifactorial methods and the choice of statistical methods, problems of medical measurement and diagnosis, vital statistics and calculation of sample size. The design and analysis of medical research studies will be illustrated. MINITAB is used to perform some data analysis. Descriptive statistics, probability distributions, estimation, tests of hypothesis, categorical data, regression model, analysis of variance, nonparametric methods, and others will be discussed as time permits. (Spring)

PTR 536 Cancer Pathology (3): The goal of this course is to provide students with a broad perspective of cancer pathology at the tissue level with histological exposure.  Pathology of major disease sites (i.e., hematopoietic, breast, lung, GYN, GU, GI and skin) will include gross and microscopic morphology, tissue of origin, structural changes in transformation, differentiation as well as clinical perspectives.  Discussions of modern methodology (i.e., histologic, cytologic, immunohistologic, karyotypic, molecular and flow cytometric techniques, tissue markers, in vitro and in vivo model systems, epidemiological and prevention studies) utilized in laboratory diagnosis and translational research will illustrate the role of pathology in cancer research.

MIC 512/514 Graduate Immunology or MIR 501/502 (4): Immunology concerns the host's defense against infections and cancer. This introductory course covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which pathogens and cancerous cells are recognized and eradicated, and how pathogens and tumors attempt to escape elimination. The fundamentals and basic concepts include: anatomy of the immune system, lymphocyte development; immunoglobulin structure, function, and genes; antigen recognition and processing, lymphocyte activation, immunoregulation, and cell trafficking; immune tolerance; mucosal immunity; innate vs. acquired immunity; mechanisms of immune protection. Health-related applications of immunology include: vaccines, autoimmunity, immunodeficiency (including AIDS), allergy/hypersensitivity, transplantation, and tumor immunology and immunotherapy.

BIO 568 (PhD) Molecular Immunology is an introductory immunology course with an emphasis on molecular mechanisms of immunology. The course is taught at the upper division level and assumes that the students have had either no or minimal prior exposure to immunology; but that the students have had both biochemistry and genetics. The course material includes textbook reading, lecture notes and current literature. This course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the basic theories of immunology at both a cellular and molecular level. However the extent of the material necessary to provide a basic understanding prevents in depth discussion of many topics. Therefore this course is designed to provide students a background level of immunology, experience in reading and understanding current immunological literature in order to prepare them for meaningful discussions and in depth examination of topics in the Advanced Topics in Immunology course.

MIR 508 (PhD) Advanced Topics in Immunology: This is the second course of a two semester Immunology sequence. BIO 568, taken in the first semester, is a general course in immunology emphasizing the basic theories of immunology at the cellular and molecular levels. This is followed by MIR 508 which emphasizes current literature and in-depth consideration of research problems in the field.

PMR 515 - Principles of Cancer Chemotherapy (4): This course is designed for the biomedical graduate student or medical professional that is interested in the principles of cancer chemotherapy. Initial lectures are focused on the nature of the cancer cell, describing the genetic, biochemical and pathological changes in cancer. The essentials of pharmacology and toxicology are briefly described as tools used for the assessment of drug action. Following these introductory sessions the majority of the course is dedicated to reviewing the biochemistry, molecular pharmacology and therapeutic properties of the anticancer and chemopreventive agents. These include DNA reactive agents, antimetabolites, hormones, cytoskeletal poisons, chemopreventive agents, molecular targeted agents and biological response modifiers. The clinical uses of these therapeutic agents are given together with the basis for their use in combination (chemo)-therapies. Emphasis is placed on an understanding of the principles of drug action and the molecular mechanisms of each drug discussed. Examples of ongoing research programs are presented.

RPN 560 Cancer Control & Prevention: The purpose of this course is to instruct students in the principles and practice of cancer prevention and control.  The course focusses on concepts, methods, issues and applications related to the field.  Students will gain experiences through didactic lectures, critical appraisal of the literature, group discussion and presentations.

PTR 505/506 Recent Advances in Pathology Seminar (1,1): Consists of student presentation of current topics and guest lectures. All students in the program are required to attend and participate every semester.

PTR 509/510 Laboratory Rotations (1): PhD students begin hands-on work in a research laboratory immediately upon their arrival. Rotations in three different laboratories are completed (minimum of 120 hours each) concurrently with core courses during the first year. These rotations provide laboratory experience in various experimental systems so that by the end of the first year students may choose a laboratory and begin their thesis research.

PTR 661-724 Graduate Research: Students perform independent research, guided by an individually chosen thesis advisory committee in addition to the thesis research mentor, leading to a written dissertation. Each candidate defends his or her original research project at the end of the individualized training period in a formal thesis defense. Typically two to three years are spent performing independent research.