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.

“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

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

Lecture Series and Tutorials on Molecular Biosciences

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)
• Download of schedules:
  Frontiers in Biosciences I
  Frontiers in Biosciences II: Overview and Minor in Cancer Biology details

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

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

'Focus Bioscience' (program schedule of Summer Term 2025; planning in progress, will be continuously updated)

Module 1: Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer

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

The lecture series recapitulates various chapters of the book "The Biology of Cancer" by Robert Weinberg.
Schedule of Lecture Series “Focus in Bioscience 1” with speakers and lecture topics [download 1-page overview]

• Lecture Period: 7. April - 16. May 2025
• Time/Mode: Lectures and tutorials take place from 8:15 - 9:45 am; location: DKFZ seminar rooms
• Written Examination: Wednesday 28th May 2025 (exam time: 90 min)

3-week Practical Courses with Student Seminars

one course in this module is mandatory for each student

• HP-F8: Components and Mechanisms of Signal Transduction course description in heiCO
  date: 7. April - 9. May 2025
  capacity: 8 students + 2 from Major MCB
• HP-F9: Cancer Genomics, Proteomics and Tumor Organoid Models course description in heiCO
  date: 15 days in 7. April - 23. May 2025
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F10: Epigenomics and Cancer course description in heiCO
  date: 5.-23. May 2025
  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" with lecture topics and names of lecturers is in preparation (final schedule available for download soon)

• Lecture Period: 10. June - 4. July 2025 (Tumor Immunology lectures); 7.-25. July 2025 (Tumor Virology lectures)
• Time/Mode: Lectures and tutorials take place from 8:15 - 9:45 am; location: various DKFZ and TP3 seminar rooms
• Written Examination: Friday 1st August 2025 (exam time: 90 min)

 

3-week Practical Courses with Student Seminars

one course in this module is mandatory for each student

• HP-F11: Tumor Heterogeneity and Proteomics course description in heiCO
  date: 7.-25. July 2025
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F12: Immunological Methods course description in heiCO
  date: 16. June - 11. July 2025 t.b.c.
  capacity: 8 students
• HP-F13: Molecular and Immunological Methods in Tumor Virology course description in heiCO
  date: 30. June - 19. July 2025
  capacity: 8 students

'Biolab' and 'Working in Bioscience'

Each student undertakes two lab research 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" Research Internship project announcements offered by Major Cancer Biology faculty members (selection):

• collective list of projects (updated and published in February 2025)

'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.