Cancer Frontiers Course Guide

Module 1 - The Taught Module

In this 12-week teaching block you will receive interactive, engaging teaching sessions from leading experts in the fields of cancer research and associated disciplines. The topics covered include:

• The Hallmarks of Cancer
• Cancer models – 3D, animal models and patient avatars
• Cancer and the immune system - viruses, vaccines and immunotherapy
• Precision medicine – understanding and applying ‘omics and informatics
• Frontiers in imaging and bioengineering
• Advances in surgery, treatments and trials

Module 1 Assessment

Module 1 is assessed via three pieces of in-course assessment which account for 30% of the overall BSc mark:

Written Task (15% of Module 1)

Students will write a 1,000-word 'Critic at Large' article which will address a topical or controversial area of scientific research. 

Oral Task (15% of Module 1)

Students will give a 10-minute poster presentation critically evaluating an area of cancer research followed by questions from assessors. 

Data Management and Interpretation (70% of Module 1)

Students will undertake laboratory research, analyse and interpret the data and then write a results compendium, together with a scientific abstract and a lay summary. 

How is this Module Taught?

Module 1 provides a blend of face-to-face teaching on campus, lab work, group work and online teaching. We aim to make our teaching as interactive as possible to promote student enagement with the content and cohort building. 

The Module includes three consolidation weeks without teaching, where students can work on assessments, associated self-directed learning, on-line modules and group work. The consolidation weeks will also provide an opportunity to meet with the Course Lead to discuss progress, issues and receive feedback on coursework and progress.

Module 2 - Self-Directed Learning

Module 2 is a 4-week block which provides students with a collaborative experience of working with their peers to produce a critical synthesis of a scientific problem. Students will also work independently on a clinical case study involving a real patient, where they will investigate the science underpinning the patient's diagnosis and treatment.

Module 2 Assessment

Module 2 is assessed via two pieces of in-course assessment which account for 25% of the overall BSc mark:

Group Literature Review (25% of Module 2)

Students will work in groups of 4-5 to develop their team working, communication, critical appraisal and clinical translation skills through a literature review assignment that focusses on translation of basic understanding of cancer into patient-orientated research.

This assignment is submitted in 3 stages and is designed to mirror the process of submitting research to a scientific journal:

• Each group will produce a 3,500-word critical summary of a cutting-edge area of cancer research
• They will then produce a 1,000-word review of another group's critical summary
• Finally, groups will produce a revised critical summary addressing the peer referee group’s comments

Science in Context (10% of Module 2)

Students will be provided with a clinical case that forms the basis for an in-depth scientific exploration of the current and emerging evidence for either the underlying cause of the disorder or current treatment options. Students will be assessed via a scientific poster and poster presentation.

How is this Module Taught?

Module 2 is self-directed learning so there are guidance sessions but no taught sessions. For both pieces of Module 2 assessment, all students will be supported by an academic supervisor who is an expert in the field of study. 

Module 3 - Research Project

In Module 3 students will conduct a 14-week supervised research project resulting in a project write-up in the style of an academic research paper. Students will have the opportunity for critical reflection on the design of research, validation of approach, and robustness of data interpretation. 

Students will choose from a range of current and topical research projects. Examples of past projects include:

Clinical Projects

• The systemic inflammatory reaction as a predictive biomarker of response to immunotherapy
• The association of smoking and vaping with ovarian cancer risk in the Cancer Loyalty Card Study
• Screening for Hepatocellular Carcinoma via Breath Analysis of Exhaled Volatile Organic Compounds

Laboratory Projects

• Light-driven generation of reactive oxygen species as a research tool for oxidative stress
• Molecular profiling of gut microbiota as a biomarker of response to checkpoint inhibitors
• Generating CRISPR/Cas9-derived models of ovarian high grade serous carcinoma

Module 3 Assessment

Module 3 is assessed via two pieces of in-course assessment which account for 45% of the overall BSc mark:

Project Report (78% of Module 3)

Students will produce a 5,000-word project report.

Oral Presentation of Project (22% of Module 3)

Students will give a 10-minute oral presentation reflecting on their individual research journey and future research directions, followed by 5-minutes of questions.

How is this Module Taught?

All students will have a dedicated project supervisor who will be a senior academic at Imperial. The supervisor will guide support the student throughout their research journey. 

Additional support will be provided by the Module Lead, who will run regular project support sessions. Students will give a project progress presentation with their BSc Cancer Frontiers cohort at regular intervals.