Study Program

Motivation and Aims

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.

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'Frontiers in Biosciences' (program schedule of Winter Term 2024/2025)

“Crash Course”

• Theoretical and Practical Training in Basic Laboratory Methods and Techniques  - mainly for incoming students with little practical experience in standard molecular biological methods
• Participants are identified and assigned to the course during the Welcome Events
• Dates and location: week 21.-25. October 2024, DKFZ Teaching Lab
• Instructors: Dr. Richard Harbottle and his team from the DNA Vector Lab

Lecture Series and Tutorials on Molecular Biosciences

Schedule of Lecture Series

• Frontiers in Biosciences I (schedule of WS 2023/2024; planning for WS 2024/2025 still in progress) (PDF | 231,15 KB)
• Frontiers in Biosciences II: Overview and Minor in Cancer Biology details (Weeks 6 & 7) (PDF | 284,24 KB) 

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

• 1st Lecture period (Frontiers I):
  lecture period: 16. October - 22. November 2024 [lecture pause: 30. Oct. – 5. Nov.]
  lecture times: 18:15–19:45 (lectures on Wednesday-Thursday-Friday)
  tutorials: 8:15–9:45 (tutorials in parallel groups on Monday or Tuesday)
  date of written exam: 16. December 2024; retake: date t.b.d./t.b.a.
• 2nd Lecture period (Frontiers II): 
  lecture period: 7. January - 7. March 2025
  Week 1: Core Competencies (mandatory attendance): 
  Epigeum Course: Research Integrity, responsible conduct of research; Science Communication, Ethics and statistics, the replication crisis
  Weeks 2 - 9: all seven Majors of the program organize 2-week modules ("Minors") of lectures and tutorials (choice of two topics, preferably different from their own Major, is mandatory for all students)

3-week Practical Courses with Student Seminars

two out of seven are mandatory for each student, one before (module Frontiers-I) and one after (module Frontiers-II) the Christmas break

• HP-F1: Molecular, Genetic and Bioinformatic Approaches in Cancer Research
  date: 11.-29. November 2024
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F2: Applied Tumor Immunity, Bioinformatics, and Stress Response in Stem Cells
  date: 4. November - 8. December 2024 [pause: 11.-22. Nov.]
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F3: Cancer Metabolism, Translational Proteomics and Epigenetics, Organoid Cancer Models
  date: 25. November - 12. December 2024 [pauses: 6.-10. Nov., 20. Nov. - 1. Dec.]
  capacity: 8 students

• HP-F4: Biomedical Imaging and Radiation Oncology
  date: 7.-24 January 2025
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F5: Advanced Methods in Cell Biology
  date: 3.-21. February 2025
  capacity: 8 students [4 Major Cancer Biology + 4 Major MCB]
• HP-F6: 'Oncolytic Viruses' and 'Gene Therapy'
  date: 27. January - 14. February 2025
  capacity: 6 students
• HP-F7: Transcriptional and Translational Control of Cell Fate
  date: 17. February - 7. March 2025
  capacity: 6 students

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'Focus Bioscience' (program schedule of Summer Term 2024; planning for 2025 in progress)

Module 1: Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer

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

Schedule of Lecture Series

• Focus in Bioscience 1 (2024) (PDF | 398,21 KB)
• Lecture period: 8. April - 17. May 2024
• Lectures and tutorials take place from 8:15 - 9:45 am
• Location: Buchleither Seminar Room, TP3 Bldg., INF 580
• The lecture series recapitulates various chapters of the book "The Biology of Cancer" by Robert Weinberg.
  
  Date of written examination: Wednesday 29th May 2024, 10:00-12:00 (exam time: 90 min)

3-week Practical Courses with Student Seminars

one course is mandatory for each student

• HP-F8: Components and Mechanisms of Signal Transduction; 15. April - 17. May 2024 (capacity: 8 students + 2 from Major MCB)
• HP-F9: Cancer Genomics, Proteomics and Murine Tumor Models; 3 planning days ahead in March/April, 12 practical days in the period 8. April - 17. May 2024 (capacity: 8 students)
• HP-F10: Epigenomics and Cancer; 22. April - 10. May 2024 (capacity: 8 students)

 

Module 2: Tumor Immunology, Virology and Cancer

Lecture Series and Tutorials on "Tumor Immunology and Tumor Virology"

Schedule of Lecture Series

• Focus in Bioscience 2 (2024) (PDF | 553,88 KB) 

Lecture period:
10. - 28. June 2024 (Tumor Immunology lectures)
1. - 26. July 2024 (Tumor Virology lectures)
 
Lectures and tutorials take place from 08:15 - 09:45

Location: various DKFZ and TP3 seminar rooms

Date of written examination: Friday 2nd August 2024, 10:00-12:00 (exam time: 90 min)

3-week Practical Courses with Student Seminars

one course is mandatory for each student

• HP-F11: Tumor Heterogeneity and Proteomics; 17. June - 9. July 2024 (capacity: 8 students)
• HP-F12: Immunological Methods; 17. June - 5. July 2024 (capacity: 8 students)
• HP-F13: Molecular and Immunological Methods in Tumor Virology; 8. - 26. July 2024 (capacity: 8 students)

'Biolab' and 'Working in Bioscience'

Each student undertakes two lab internships - regular minimum duration: 6 weeks lab work (expendable for up to 6 months), followed by report writing time - that consist of a small, hypothesis-driven scientific research project, either in the laboratory of a Major Faculty member (Module ‘Biolab’), or in the context of another Major, within a foreign research program, or in a company with oncological research (Module 'Working in Bioscience').

Specifications:

• Both projects can be done within the Major, only one of them can be done externally.
• External projects require the approval of the Coordinator.
• Most of the projects announced are also open to students from other Majors of MSc Molecular Biosciences, or from other Heidelberg master programs, or for external guest and international exchange students; for individual specifications see description.
• Application and arrangements are made directly with the supervisors. 

Download:

• Overview of "Biolab" and "Working in Bioscience" Internship announcements offered by Major Cancer Biology faculty members (selection):
  collective list of projects (updated and published in January 2025)

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'Master Thesis and Oral Defense'

The Module 'Masters Thesis Work' lasts 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.