Molecular Medicine and Cancer Research MSc

The course is offered on a one-year full-time basis, taught over three terms, or on a two-year part-time basis, taught over six terms.

You will complete six modules in total. Four modules will each be taught over a two-week period in a ‘block’ mode. These taught modules will not run concurrently allowing you to focus on one module at a time and will help promote better time management skills. All lecture material will be available via Vista and will be accessible from your home computer.

You will take a Research Planning module to develop skills required for your dissertation. You will then study a unique Research Dissertation module over a 9 month (full-time) or 18 month (part-time) period, to allow you to conduct a detailed investigation into a research question of your choice.

If in full-time employment, and attending the course on part-time mode, it may be possible to conduct the research dissertation at the workplace.

This module aims to develop knowledge and critical awareness of various research methods and appropriate methods of data analysis. You will enhance your skills of designing and evaluating research studies and data presentation.

This module will teach up-to-date practical technologies, methodologies and skills used in clinical cytogenetics for the diagnosis of cancer.

Main topics of study: prenatal, postnatal and acquired chromosomal abnormalitiesclinical sample type and referral reasonskaryotypinggenetic counselling and ethical issuesethics associated with genomic studiesmethodology of fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH)diagnostic applications of FISHother molecular techniques used in clinical cytogenetics and diagnosis including multi-colour FISH, Comparative Genomic Hybridisation (CGH), Microarray CGHmodern day light and fluorescence microscopydigital imagingfluorescence image analysisFISH data analysis.

This module aims to provide an understanding of the modern biotechnology in functional genomics and cancer biology.

Main topics of study include: general knowledge of genomic and proteomic technologymicroarrary technologytransgenic technologydrug discovery technologyRNA interference technology.

This module aims to provide a detailed understanding of cancer to include the epidemiology and causes of cancer, diagnosis and treatment. The module will provide detailed information of the genetic basis of cancer and demonstrate how the genome project has led to novel treatments for the disease.

Main topics of study: the multistage nature of canceroncogenes and tumour suppressor genes and specific metabolic pathwaysepidemiology of cancerprinciples of cancer diagnosisbasic methods of cancer chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgerythe role of translational research in cancer genetics and therapy – development of new therapiesthe causes, genetics and treatment of breast, colon and melanoma as specific models.

This module aims to provide an understanding of the principles and current knowledge of the cellular signalling pathways that are misregulated in human cancers. Attention will be given to how knowledge of these signalling pathways and their targets can be used in therapeutic intervention in human cancer.

Signalling pathways resulting from activation of membrane, intracellular or nuclear receptors including G-Protein coupled receptor signallingWnt signallingJAK/STAT signalling and cytokine signallingSteroid signalling

The dissertation allows you to undertake an in-depth study from a choice of research topics and will normally be associated with a number of research groups within Biosciences led by international experts in the field.

*These modules are also available as CPPD (Continuing Personal and Professional Development) courses. To find out more information and to apply, please click .