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Mark your calendar - 10. Feb. - 2 pm - Presentation of the Master Program (read 'News' for more details)

Overview

The Major "Cancer Biology", which is part of the Master Program "Molecular Biosciences" of the Faculty of Biosciences, University of Heidelberg, has been designed to cover all relevant aspects of cancer research. It offers an outstanding environment for Master thesis research and, at a later stage, also for doctoral thesis research. It provides splendid interdisciplinary training and research opportunities in basic, translational, and clinical cancer research. The fields which are covered include molecular and cellular tumor biology, biophysics and medical physics, structural and functional genomics and proteomics, systems biology, tumor immunology, tumor virology, tumor epidemiology, toxicology, and translational oncology.

Many DKFZ laboratories are incorporated into our innovative Major "Cancer Biology" Program. This allows the students to experience cutting edge science and to interact with internationally leading scientists at a very early stage of their career.

General Organization

The regular study program comprises 4 semesters

Schedule and Calendar

All updates, more details, also from other majors of this Master program, may also be obtained from the LSF online directory of the University.
Choose the link "Course Overview" on the right, this will bring you to the "Vorlesungsverzeichnis", choose semester of interest, scroll down to "Fakultät für Biowissenschaften" - "Biologie" - "Master Molecular Biosciences" - "Cancer Biology"

Semester 1: 'Frontiers in Bioscience' (Winter Term 2011/2012)

Lecture Series and Tutorials on Molecular Biosciences

mandatory for all Master students of all majors, centrally organized by the Faculty of Biosciences

• 1. Lecture period (Frontiers I): 11. October - 14. November 2011 (date of exam: 9. December 2011)
• 2. Lecture period (Frontiers II): 13.-19. December 2011, 11. January - 6. February 2012 (provisional date of exam: 13. April 2012)

3-week Practicals with Student Seminars

two out of six are mandatory

• HP-F1: Translational Oncology and Gene Therapy; 17.-28.10. and 07.11.-11.2011 (capacity: 10 students)
• HP-F2: Molecular, Genetic and Cellular Approaches in Cancer Research; 07.-25.11.2011 (capacity: 9 students)
• HP-F3a: Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Oncology; 09.-27.01.2012 (capacity: 11 students)
• HP-F3b: Biophysics of Macromolecules; 09.-27.01.2012 (capacity: 6 students)
• HP-F4: Advanced Methods in Cell Biology; 30.01.-17.02.2012 (capacity: 8 students [4 Cancer Biology + 4 MCB])
• HP-F5: Oncolytic Viruses and Gene Therapy; 13.02.-02.03.2012 (capacity: 8 students)

Semester 2: 'Focus in Bioscience' (Summer Term 2012)

Module 1: Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer

Lecture Series and Tutorials on "Molecular Principles of Cancer Development"

Lecture period: 18. April - 22. May 2012

Lectures and tutorials take place from 08:15 - 10:00

The lecture series recapitulates various chapters of the book "The Biology of Cancer" by Robert Weinberg.

Date of written examination: Wednesday, 6. June 2012, 10:00-12:00

3-week Practicals with Student Seminars

• HP-F6: Components and Mechanisms of Signal Transduction; 16. April - 4. May 2012 (capacity: 8 students + 2 from Major MCB)
• HP-F7: Epigenomics, microRNAs and Cancer; 23. April - 11. May 2012 (capacity: 8 students)
• HP-F8: Cancer Genomics, Proteomics and Systems Biology; 30. April - 18. May 2012 (capacity: 8 students)

Module 2: Tumor Immunology, Virology and Cancer

Lecture Series and Tutorials on "Immunology and Virology"

Lecture period: 
29. May - 15. June 2012 (Immunology lectures)
26. June - 27. July 2012 (Virology lectures)

Lectures and tutorials take place from 08:00 - 09:45/10:00

Date of written examination: Thursday, 9. August 2012, 09:00-11:00

3-week Practicals with Student Seminars

• HP-F9: Immunological Methods; 04.06.-22.06.2012 (capacity: 12 students)
• HP-F10: Molecular and Immunological Methods in Tumor Virology; 09.-27.07.2012 (capacity: 12 students)

Semester 3: 'Biolab' and 'Working in Bioscience'

Each student undertakes two lab practicals - regular minimum duration: 6 weeks - that consist of a small scientific project, either in the laboratory of a Major Faculty member (Module 'Biolab'; for choice of supervisor see "Faculty" list in the navigation bar on the left), or in the context of another Major, within a foreign research program, or in a company with oncological research (Module 'Working in Bioscience').

Semester 4: 'Master Thesis and Oral Defense'

The Module 'Masters Thesis Work' lasts up to six months and is done in the laboratory of one of the teachers in the Cancer Biology program. You undertake a laboratory research project relevant to the Major, write a thesis, and defend it in an oral presentation.

> Do you have questions?

> Interesting Link: DKFZ Summer Internship in Cancer Research

The DKFZ Summer Internship in Cancer Research is an 8-week program for outstanding and ambitious masters students who are interested in gaining laboratory research experience.