MSc Cancer Molecular Pathology and Therapeutics

Modules

In the taught modules you will gain expertise and knowledge in cancer molecular and cell biology, treatment, prevention, anti-cancer target discovery and validation, clinical trials, imaging, cancer risk and epidemiology and biostatistics.

 

• Molecular Pathology and Cell Biology of Cancer
• Molecular Methods and Experimental Design
• Cancer Therapeutics

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

 

Project

 

One of the most valued features of this course is the MSc Research Project, in which you will put your newly acquired practical skills and knowledge to the test. For up to six months, you will work as a member of a dedicated research team, designing and conducting your own research, culminating in the production of a dissertation.

 

Recent research project titles offered include:

• Use of human adult stem cell models for assessing the efficacy of cancer chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents
• Accelerating cancer prevention therapies to the clinic – towards an improved understanding of the mechanisms of action of resveratrol, curcumin and aspirin.
• Addressing the role of amino acids metabolism in cancer metastasis
• Monitoring the circulating cancer genome for patient follow up
• Molecular characterisation of sputum from lung cancer patients: search for biomarkers of early detection
• Developing a cellular model of malignant mesothelioma for translational studies
• Development and application of PCR assays for detection of cancer driver mutations
• Studies of epithelial mesenchymal transition as a key mechanism of tumour progression
• Finding the genetic determinants of response to radiotherapy
• Comet assay measures of DNA damage in cancer

 

Publications

 

Many of these projects have led to publication in highly respected scientific journals:

• Wood JP, Smith AOJ, Bowman KJ, Thomas AL, Jones GDD (2015). ‘Comet assay measures of DNA damage as biomarkers of irinotecan response in colorectal cancer in vitro and in vivo.' Cancer Medicine 2015, 4(9):1309–1321. doi: 10.1002/cam4.477
• Higgins JA, Zainol M, Brown K, Jones GDD (2014) ‘Anthocyans as tertiary chemopreventive agents in bladder cancer: anti-oxidant mechanisms and interaction with mitomycin C’. Mutagenesis, 29: 227-235. doi.org/10.1093/mutage/geu009
• Britton RG, Horner-Glister E, Pomenya OA, Smith EC, Denton R, Jenkins PR, Steward WP, Brown K, Gescher A, Sale S (2012). 'Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel flavonols as potential anti-prostate cancer agents.' Eur. J. Med. Chem. 54: 952-958 doi:10.1016/j.ejmech.2012.06.031
• Al-Salmani K, Abbas HHK, Schulpen S, Karbaschi M, Abdalla I, Bowman KJ, So KK, Evans MD, Jones GDD, Godschalk RW, Cooke MS (2011). 'Simplified method for the collection, storage, and comet assay analysis of DNA damage in whole blood.' Free Radical Biol. Med. 51: 719-725. doi:10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2011.05.020
• Sayan AE, Griffiths TR, Pal R, Browne GJ, Ruddick A, Yagci T, Edwards R, Mayer NJ, Qazi H, Goyal S, Fernandez S, Straatman K, Jones GD, Bowman KJ, Colquhoun A, Mellon JK, Kriajevska M, Tulchinsky E. (2009). 'SIP1 protein protects cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis and has independent prognostic value in bladder cancer.' Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 106: 14884-14889 doi:10.1073/pnas.0902042106

 

Modules shown represent choices available to current students. The range of modules available and the content of any individual module may change in future years.

2:2 degree (or equivalent) in a relevant bioscience subject such as biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology etc.

 

We also welcome applicants with significant relevant industrial or professional experience, and medically qualified applicants with a strong background in molecular biology and/or cell biology.

 

English Language Requirements
IELTS 6.5 or equivalent. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence of your English language ability. If you do not yet meet our requirements, our English Language Teaching Unit (ELTU) offers a range of courses to help you to improve your English to the necessary standard.

 

International Qualifications
Find your country in this list to check equivalent qualifications, scholarships and additional requirements.

UK Students

This is the total course fee.

Starting in September 2022

• £9,500

If you are resident outside the UK and the Republic of Ireland, you will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

 

International Students

This is the total course fee.

Starting in September 2022

• £21,000

You will need to pay a deposit of £3,000 to secure your place. This will be subtracted from your total tuition fee.

 

From 2022 onwards, EU nationals will pay the International fee. If you are an EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU settlement scheme, you may qualify for the UK fee (subject to criteria).

The research training you receive and the research project you conduct will provide a training that PhD supervisors and employers value highly when recruiting their postgraduate research students from around the world.

 

International students who study at the University of Leicester may be eligible for a Graduate Visa which grants permission to stay in the UK for at least 2 years after successful completion of their course.

 

Our Career Development Service is here to support you, with advice on interviews, CVs, work experience, volunteering and more. From Freshers’ Week to Graduation and beyond, they are here to help you reach your professional goals.