Cancer Biology Program Academics

Core Requirements (Year 1) | Emphasis Tracks (Year 2)

Requirements

First Year PhD Students: In year one, the program builds on the core curriculum that is common to the Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group with our two-semester flagship course Concepts in Cancer Biology (CAMB 5120). This approach provides all students with foundational knowledge in genetics, cell, and molecular biology of normal cells and then colors that with a deep dive into the cellular and molecular processes that underlie cancer etiology and cancer therapy. The courses are as follows:

Fall Semester

• BIOM 6000: Cell Biology & Biochemistry
• CAMB 6050: Cell and Molecular Biology First Year Seminar
• CAMB 5120: Concepts in Cancer Biology I

Spring Semester

• BIOM 5550: Regulation of the Genome
• CAMB 5120: Concepts in Cancer Biology II

Emphasis Tracks 

Second year PhD students will design an Emphasis Track that caters to their research interests. Though encouraged to choose a predesigned track, students are given the flexibility to create their own from the relevant CAMB or BGS Courses and Curricula. Alternate emphasis tracks require approval of the program chair.

Five predesigned Emphasis Tracks are as follows:

Immunology and Tumor Microenvironment Track

• Stress Responses and Metabolism in Cancer (CAMB 7040)-(Fall)
• Biologic Data Analysis (BIOM 6100:)-(Fall)
• The Tumor Microenvironment (CAMB 7010)-(Spring)
• **Immunology for CAMB (CAMB 5100)-(Spring) 
  
  ** This course can be taken in the first year if desired.

Close

Cell and Molecular Pathogenesis Track

• Stress Responses and Metabolism in Cancer (CAMB 7040)-(Fall)
• The Cell Cycle, Genome Integrity, and Cancer (CAMB 5300)-(Fall)
• Biologic Data Analysis (BIOM 6100:)-(Fall)
• The Tumor Microenvironment (CAMB 7010)-(Spring)

Close

Molecular Genetics and Cancer

• The Cell Cycle, Genome Integrity, and Cancer (CAMB 5300)-(Fall)
• Biologic Data Analysis (BIOM 6100:)-(Fall)
• **Genetic Principles (CAMB 5500)-(Spring)
• Seminar in Genomics (GCB/CAMB 7520)-(Spring)
  
  ** This course can be taken in the first year if desired.

Close

Computational Genomics Track

• Fundamentals of Computational Biology (GCB 5360)-(Fall)
• Introduction to Bioinformatics (GCB 5350)-(Fall)
• *Statistics for Genomics and Biomedical Informatics (GCB 5330)-(Fall)
• Seminar in Genomics (GCB/CAMB 7520)-(Spring)
  
  *This course can substitute as equivalent for BIOM6100.

Close

Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Track

• Macromolecular Biophysics (BMB 5080)-(Fall)
• The Cell Cycle, Genome Integrity, and Cancer (CAMB 5300)-(Fall)
• *Data analysis and Scientific Inference (BMB 5100)-(Fall)
• Structural and Mechanistic Biochemistry (BMB 5090)-(Spring)
  
  *This course can substitute as equivalent for BIOM6100.

Close

MD/PhD and VMD/PhD Students

First year Fall:
•Topics in Molecular Medicine (CAMB 5420)

First year Spring:
CAMB elective is encouraged.

Second year Fall:
•Case Studies in Translational Research (BIOM 5100)

Second year Spring:
No required CAMB/CB Program Activity

Third Year MD/PhD and VMD/PhD Students: Fall
•***BIOM 6000: Cell Biology & Biochemistry
•Concepts in Cancer Biology I (CAMB 5120)

Third Year MD/PhD and VMD/PhD Students: Spring
•Regulation of the Genome (BIOM 5550)
•Concepts in Cancer Biology II (CAMB 5120)

Fourth+ Year MD/PhD and VMD/PhD Students
•BIOM 6100 (*or equivalent): Biologic Data Analysis
 

*** BIOM6000 can be substituted for elective coursework with the approval of the program chair. Demonstrated cell and molecular biology proficiency that covers the extensive array of topics in BIOM6000 via prior coursework is required