Module Information

Module Identifier
BR25920
Module Title
Cell and Cancer Biology
Academic Year
2024/2025
Co-ordinator
Semester
Semester 2
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment 1 Hours   Multiple Choice Questions  1 hour individual MCQ under examination conditions based on Cancer Case Study where students work in teams to assess the symptoms, pathology, prognosis and treatment options.  40%
Semester Exam 2 Hours   Examination  60%
Supplementary Exam 1 Hours   Supplementary MCQ  Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  40%
Supplementary Exam 2 Hours   Supplementary Examination  Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module.  60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

Critically evaluate the roles of gene expression, signalling and cell-cell interactions in development and relate these to developmental disorders.

Critically evaluate the molecular cell biology of cancer and relate this to clinical situations.

Analyse and communicate data in an appropriate fashion.

Demonstrate the ability to proactively work within a team and reflect on teamwork.

Brief description

From stem cells to metastatic cancer the molecular mechanisms regulating cells are central to our understanding of how life on Earth functions. Furthermore, cell biology is critical for the development of treatments for many of the most significant conditions afflicting humans. In this module we will use the life of the cell and cancer as frameworks to examine the fundamental processes, shared by so many organisms, which regulate the normal and abnormal function of cells.

Content

The module will begin with an introduction to the key molecular mechanisms underpinning cell biology such as signaling and gene expression.
The molecular biology of the cell will then be explored further in the context of aspects of the life of the cell such as the cell cycle, differentiation or apoptosis. The molecular biology of cancer has revealed much about the workings of normal cells and disruptions to signaling and gene expression, amongst other processes, will be examined in the context of oncogenesis. We will also examine the role of cell behavior, and its molecular basis, in the development of metastatic disease. Finally, we relate the molecular biology of cancer to its treatment and prognosis.

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number Processing and analysis of experimental data.
Communication Discussion of cancer case studys.
Information Technology Use of software to analyse and prepare data for presentation.
Problem solving Interpretation of cancer case study
Research skills Use of online bibliographies and search engines to source literature for practical and case study reports.
Subject Specific Skills Subject-specific analysis of cell biology data and use of appropriate cell biology techniques.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 5