Understanding the Biology of Cancer

Catalog description

Approximately 39% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their lifetime, according to the National Cancer Institute. To respond to this pervasive and devastating disease, Congress approved The Cancer Moonshot program in 2016 (and 2022), aimed at accelerating cancer research, prevention, screening, and treatment. But what is cancer? What causes cancer? Why is it so diverse, persistent, and deadly? How do we treat cancer? Can we ever find the "cure" for cancer? This course aims to demystify cancer and provide students with a fundamental understanding of the disease. We will explore the basics of cell biology and how these processes are disrupted, or co-opted, during cancer development. Additionally, this course will highlight foundational and modern treatment strategies and why the process of developing new treatments takes so long. While the course will be firmly rooted in the underlying biology of cancer, no prior college-level biology is required. Students who are interested in understanding cancer or deepening their knowledge of biology are encouraged to take the course. Closed to students who have taken Biology of Cancer (