Course syllabus for Molecular oncology and biostatistics
Molekylär onkologi och biostatistik
Essential data
Specific entry requirements
At least grade E (pass) for the courses Introduction to Biomedicial Science, General and Organic Chemistry, Medical Biochemistry, Cell Biology and Genetics, Integrative Physiology, Tissue Biology and Biostatistics. Passed part one within the course "Infection and Immunity" and passed parts Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics (2 credits), Laboratory work in pharmacology (1.5 credits) and Group assignments in pharmacology and toxicology (2.5 credits) within the course Pharmacology with toxicology.
Outcomes
After the course the students should be able to:
- describe general principles of cancer diagnostics and treatment,
- understand the basic processes underlying the transformation of a normal cell to its malignant counterpart, and the consequences of malignant transformation on the cellular and organism level,
- understand how the biological knowledge of cancer development is used in modern cancer treatment,
- show knowledge and skills in laboratory techniques used in experimental cancer research,
- demonstrate knowledge in cancer epidemiology,
- use basic epidemiological research methods and describe their importance incomplementing other (e.g., laboratory) research investigations,
- use the principles of good experimental design to plan valid and efficient experimental studies,
- have knowledge about and be able to discuss ethical aspects in research.
Content
Molecular oncology
Tumor biology: Causes of cancer. Cancer related genes, including oncogenes and tumor
suppressor genes; their normal cellular function, mutagenesis and consequences of their mutant state in cancer. Hereditary cancer. The stepwise transformation process. The biological behaviour of tumors. Cell cycle control and apoptosis. Tumor progression and metastasis. The interaction between malignant and normal cells. Tumor virology. Research methodology.
Oncology
Malignant diseases. Diagnosis. Molecular tumor pathology. The major treatment principles of cancer (surgery, radiotherapy, hormonal treatment, and biological therapy). Novel and developing treatment strategies. Ethics. Palliative treatment. Cancer epidemiology. Prevention. Clinical trials.
Biostatistics
Study design: Randomized controlled trial, cross-sectional study, case-control study, cohort study.
Epidemiological concepts: confounding bias, selection bias, mediation, interaction.
Statistical models and methods: linear regression (with ANOVA), logistic regression, proportional hazards regression.
The course is divided into the following parts:
Integration of Molecular Oncology and Biostatistics, 5.0 credits
Grading scale: AF
Summative written examination of the different components of the course.
Laboratory practicals, 5.0 credits
Grading scale: UG
Problem based seminars and group seminars, 5.0 credits
Grading scale: UG
Teaching methods
The teaching includes lectures, patient demonstrations, problem based seminars, group seminars and laboratory practicals.
Examination
Laboratory practicals(5 credits). The examination consists of active participation. Graded Fail/Pass.
Problem based seminars and group seminars (5 credits). The examination consists of acitve participation. Graded Fail/Pass.
Integration of molecular oncology and biostatistics (5 credits). The examination consists of a written examination. Graded A-F.
The final grade for the whole course is based on the grade for the part Integration of molecular oncology and biostatistics. To pass the whole course (grade E or above), the grade pass must have been obtained for the other parts on the course.
Compulsory participation
Laborations, seminars, patient demonstrations and a written part exam covering the first parts of the course are compulsory. The course director decides if and how absence from compulsory components can be compensated. The component is not registered in LADOK unless the student has passed the compulsory component or compensated according to the course directors directions.
Limited number of examinations or practical training sessions
Students who have not passed the regular examination are entitled to participate in five more examinations. If the student is not approved after four examinations, he/she is recommended to retake the course at the next regular course date, and may, after that, participate in two more examinations. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination or new admission is provided.
The number of times that the student has participated in one and the same examination is regarded as an examination session. Submission of a blank examination is regarded as an examination. An examination, for which the student registered but not participated in, will not be counted as an examination.
Transitional provisions
The course has been cancelled and was offered for the last time in the autumn semester of 2015.
Other directives
The course language is English.
Course evaluation will be carried out in accordance with the guidelines established by the Board of Higher Education.
Oral evaluation in the form of course council meetings will be carried out during the course.
Literature and other teaching aids
Mandatory literature
- Weinberg, Robert A., The biology of cancer, 2. ed. : New York : Garland Science, 2014 [dvs 2013] - 876, 6, 30, 28 s. ISBN: 9780815342205 (hft.), LIBRIS-ID: 14608758, *