MEDSCI 302 : Cancer Biology

Medical and Health Sciences

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A study of the scientific basis of cancer including: mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of cancer, carcinogenesis, DNA damage and repair, properties of cancer cells (including abnormalities of growth and cell cycle control), the growth of tumours, the classification and histopathology of cancers, and an introduction to therapeutic strategies.

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. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: BIOSCI 356 or MEDSCI 203

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
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Science

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Explain the basic science of the fundamental processes involved in carcinogenesis. (Capability 1)
  2. Understand the means by which the essential cellular controlling mechanisms are subverted in cancer. (Capability 1 and 2)
  3. Gain a basic understanding of a multi-disciplinary process through which cancer diagnosis is reached in the clinic. (Capability 1 and 2)
  4. Be familiar with selected experimental approaches used to investigate mechanisms of cancer development. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  5. 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
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

The lecture material will guide your learning process. 
We also recommend the following textbooks:
1. Ian Tannock, Richard Hill, Robert Bristow, Lea Harrington, The Basic Science of Oncology, Fifth Edition, 2013, McGraw-Hill.
2. Robert A. Weinberg, The Biology of Cancer, Second Edition, 2014, Garland Science.

Course Contacts

Course Director:
Dr Maggie Kalev
m.kalev@auckland.ac.nz

Course Coordinator:
Dr Rachelle Singleton
r.singleton@auckland.ac.nz

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.

In 2019 SET Evaluations, the overall level of student satisfaction with this course was very high. The final score for the course was above the average of other undergraduate courses in the Faculty and the University. Students indicated high-level satisfaction with the course content, structure and organisation. 

This is what students said they liked about MedSci 302:
Students were satisfied with the quality of laboratories and tutorials associated with this course (100% felt so). The organisation of the course was good, students felt they were informed on how they would be assessed. Students also reported they found the course intellectually stimulating (87.5% felt so), and they received helpful feedback on the learning progress that helped them develop their own thinking skills (87.5% felt so). 

This is what students criticised:
Students felt laboratory reports were quite time-consuming. In response, we increased weightings of the reports from 5% to 6%, and reduced weightings of the mid-term test from 15% to 10%.
Students felt epigenetics lectures were scheduled too late. This was due to a sudden departure of an academic who previously taught on this topic. The scheduling of these lectures has changed in 2020.


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.

Published on 29/06/2020 12:59 p.m.