MEDSCI 302 : Cancer Biology
Medical and Health Sciences
2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)
Course Prescription
Course Overview
This course provides a strong foundation in scientific and selected clinical disciplines relevant to cancer biology. The following main topics are discussed in lectures: DNA damage and repair; mechanisms of cell proliferation, death, differentiation, metabolic reprogramming and cell stress response; tumour hypoxia and radiation biology; genomics, bioinformatics and epigenetics; certain pathways to cancer development (familial, viruses and hormonal); cancer immunology and metastasis; cancer staging and modern, integrated approaches to clinical cancer diagnosis as well as elements of treatment.
There are also five 3-hour interactive laboratories that provide an opportunity to practice some laboratory methods and reflect on their use in cancer research and clinical cancer diagnosis. The following topics are covered during laboratories: 1. Examination of an apoptotic mechanism; 2. Radiation-induced cell killing; 3. Colorectal cancer: pathology, detection and treatment; 4. Bioinformatics approaches; 5. Diagnosis of chronic and acute leukaemia.
Capabilities Developed in this Course
Capability 1: | Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice |
Capability 2: | Critical Thinking |
Capability 3: | Solution Seeking |
Capability 4: | Communication and Engagement |
Capability 5: | Independence and Integrity |
Learning Outcomes
- Explain the basic science of the fundamental processes involved in carcinogenesis. (Capability 1)
- Understand the means by which the essential cellular controlling mechanisms are subverted in cancer. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Gain a basic understanding of a multi-disciplinary process through which cancer diagnosis is reached in the clinic. (Capability 1 and 2)
- Be familiar with selected experimental approaches used to investigate mechanisms of cancer development. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
- Demonstrate some experience in methods used in cancer research. (Capability 3, 4 and 5)
Assessments
Assessment Type | Percentage | Classification |
---|---|---|
Assignment 1 - Lab 1 report | 6% | Individual Coursework |
Assignment 2 - Lab 2 report | 6% | Individual Coursework |
Assignment 3 - Lab 3 report | 6% | Individual Coursework |
Assignment 4 - Lab 4 report | 6% | Individual Coursework |
Assignment 5 - Lab 5 report | 6% | Individual Coursework |
Mid-term term | 10% | Individual Coursework |
Final Exam | 60% | Individual Examination |
7 types | 100% |
Assessment Type | Learning Outcome Addressed | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||||||
Assignment 1 - Lab 1 report | ||||||||||
Assignment 2 - Lab 2 report | ||||||||||
Assignment 3 - Lab 3 report | ||||||||||
Assignment 4 - Lab 4 report | ||||||||||
Assignment 5 - Lab 5 report | ||||||||||
Mid-term term | ||||||||||
Final Exam |
You are required to achieve a satisfactory performance both in the coursework and the exam in order to pass the course.
Learning Resources
Course Contacts
Workload Expectations
This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.
For this course, you can expect 3 hours of lectures, 1.5 hours practical laboratory (3 hours every second week), 2 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 3.5 hours of work on assignments and/or test preparation.
Other Information
BioSci 356 allows an alternative entry path to this course for students who did not take MedSci 203; it is not an absolute pre-requisite. This will no longer apply in 2021 when Cancer Specialisation pathway begins.
Digital Resources
Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).
Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.
We provide all lecture slides. Lecture recordings are automatic.
Academic Integrity
The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.
Inclusive Learning
All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.
Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz
Special Circumstances
If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.
If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.
This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.
Student Feedback
At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.
Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.
Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.
Student Charter and Responsibilities
The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).
Disclaimer
Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.
In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.