Application deadline

Registration deadline for PhD students and students at the Medical Student Research Program at UiT - The Arctic University of Norway: June 15th

Application deadline for other applicants: June 1st

Application code in SøknadsWeb 9301

Type of course

Admission requirements

PhD students or holders of a Norwegian master´s degree of five years or 3+ 2 years (or equivalent) may be admitted. PhD students must upload a document from their university stating that they are registered PhD students. This group of applicants does not have to prove English proficiency and are exempt from semester fee.

Holders of a Master´s degree must upload a Master´s Diploma with Diploma Supplement / English translation of the diploma. Applicants from listed countries must document proficiency in English. To find out if this applies to you see the following list:

Proficiency in English must be documented - list of countries

For more information on accepted English proficiency tests and scores, as well as exemptions from the English proficiency tests, please see the following document: Proficiency in English - PhD level studies

Course content

The course is divided into three modules:

Module I: Module I covers the topic molecular genetics of cancer, and discusses the basic molecular mechanisms leading to development of cancer. The main themes are mechanisms for cell-cycle regulation, proliferation, transformation and cell survival. How dysregulation of any of these processes may contribute to cancer development is discussed.

Module II: The topic of Module II is signal transduction and cancer. Here the various intracellular signalling pathways that are found to be dysregulated in cancer are discussed. Among these are the pathways that regulate cell proliferation, cell survival, transformation and differentiation.

Module III: Module III is covering tumor biology. Here the main mechanisms that regulate metastasis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis are described. These processes are fundamental for embryogenesis, but are also central in the establishment and maintenance of cancer cells.

Objectives of the course

After completing the course the students will have the

Knowledge to:

• Explain the central processes within the topic genetics of cancer and understand the basic molecular mechanisms leading to development of cancer. This includes mechanisms for cell-cycle regulation, proliferation, transformation and cell survival.
• Discuss how dysregulation of any of these processes may contribute to cancer development.
• Explain the various intracellular signalling pathways that are found to be dysregulated in cancer, especially pathways that regulate cell proliferation, cell survival, transformation and differentiation.
• Discuss the main mechanisms that regulate metastasis, angiogenesis, and apoptosis in tumor biology.
• Describe central methods applied to investigate cell signalling and tumor biology.

Skills to:

• Justify which signalling pathways are central in the establishment and maintenance of cancer cells.
• Justify how dysregulation of metastasis, angiogenesis and apoptosis may contribute to cancer development.
• Present and critically review high impact research papers within the field of basic and translational cancer research.

Competence to:

• Interpret results from own research and link it scientifically into the context of international basic and translational cancer research.
• Evaluate and implement relevant methods of advanced research in tumor biology and basic cancer research into own project.

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

Learning methods include lectures, seminars, presentations and self-study. The course consists of approximately 260 hours, including 34 hours of lectures, 16 hours of seminars, 80 hours reading syllabus, and 130 hours of self-tuition (preparation for lectures and exams).

The course is given each autumn.

Assessment

Course work requirements: Lectures and seminars are obligatory.

Exam: The exam is divided into three parts, 2 student presentations on given topics (Research papers) and an Essay (20 pages). All three exams are evaluated separately as passed/fail, and each exam must be passed to pass the course. The three exams are weighted equally.

Re-sit exam: A re-sit exam will be arranged for this course early in the spring semester. Only the part of the exam that is evaluated to "fail" is necessary to re-sit. Registration deadline for the re-sit exam is January 15th.

Recommended reading/syllabus