4 Year PhD and Clinical Fellowship Programme in Cancer Studies
Course Structure Year One
Modules
The lecture modules in the first 16 weeks (up to the first laboratory rotation) will cover the areas of Molecular Genetics of Cancer, Signal Transduction in Cancer, Cell Biology, Bioinformatics, Epidemiology, Clinical Trials and the drug discovery process. Skills-based training in Statistics and Research Techniques will complement the issue-focussed modules. Once laboratory rotations start in the spring term, the lecture component will be scaled down and will primarily involve the attendance of focused tutorials in current cancer research topics and the attendance of research seminars by visiting international speakers.
Crystal structure of the protein kinase GSK-3 bound to an oncogene (Frat) and an antioncogene (Axin)
Module Assessment
Lectures will be assessed in the form of compulsory essays. The research techniques in Biosciences lectures given on a Monday morning will require preparation for the Friday morning tutorials.
Additional Courses
In addition to these time-tabled lectures, students will receive formal training on a number of essential topics (e.g., health and safety procedures in the various suites of laboratories, COSHH). If required for subsequent projects, students will also complete an accredited Home Office training course (which is put on several times a year by Cardiff University). This two-day course is followed by a formal examination, and is an essential pre-requisite for a Personal License.
Laboratory Rotations
Each postgraduate researcher will undertake two three-month “rotation” projects starting in the Spring Term that will be selected from a Project List. Each three-month project will entail preliminary research work to confirm the feasibility of the project. At the end of each rotation project the postgraduate researcher will prepare a short report, along the lines of a Project Grant proposal that will include continued project feasibility, description of preliminary work, and explanation of a potential work plan for continuation of the project for a further three years together with timelines, contingency plans and costings. Each project report will be assessed by the Training Committee and used to monitor student progress. At the end of Year 1, the student will select one project for their PhD research (or MPhil/MD) to be continued in Years 2-4 (or year 2 for MPhil/MD), assuming that its plan, feasibility and budget is agreed by the student, supervisor, co-supervisor and Training Committee. In addition, the student will give a brief, PowerPoint presentation of the selected project (10 mins, followed by a discussion). The session of presentations will be attended by the Directors of Postgraduate research, the other PhD students, and the rotation supervisors.
The student will then receive formal feedback on the report and the presentation by the CR-UK Training Committee. Presentations will be graded as either ‘Accept', 'Minor Revision', 'Major Revision' or 'Reject', and feedback provided on each aspect of the presentation. The two rotation projects will provide invaluable first-hand experience of research techniques, a taster for specific research issues, and provide a method of assessment of progress.
The completion of the rotations and their associated reports and presentations take the student to a crucial decision point at the end of year 1 when the student and potential supervisor (s) will decide, by mutual agreement, on a suitable research project for a PhD. Following the agreement of the Teaching Committee, the student will undertake work leading to a conventional PhD during years 2-4. Note, the supervisors for Year 2-4 need not come from the mini-projects (laboratory rotation), although this would normally be expected.