MPhil in Cancer Biology and Medicine (Taught)

Course Overview

The MPhil in Cancer Biology and Medicine is a 1-year, full-time taught Master’s degree which aims to equip students with in-depth, cutting-edge understanding of the molecular, cellular, genomic, and pathophysiological basis of cancer, and how this knowledge can be translated into clinical and population health benefit.

Building on Cambridge’s international leadership in cancer research, the programme provides an integrated, multidisciplinary foundation spanning cancer prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment.

A substantial research project embedded in a world-class laboratory forms the backbone of the programme, enabling students to apply theoretical knowledge in a real research environment. The programme prepares graduates for impactful careers across cancer research, clinical training, policy, and the life sciences sector.

Educational Aims

The course aims to:

• give students with relevant experience at first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focused research in the discipline under close supervision; and
• give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

• provide a strong foundation in the fundamentals of cutting-edge cancer biology and biomedicine;
• enable hands-on practical training in cancer biology and oncology research methods and advanced analyses;
• allow flexibility for students to explore their specific research interests via independent projects and journal clubs;
• train students in academic scientific writing and oral and poster presentation

Teaching

Taught material will take a mixture of formats, including traditional lectures and interactive, discussion-based workshops to stimulate active, critical thinking. Students will benefit from building strong cohort connections, fostering a supportive environment that promotes peer-to-peer learning and collaboration.

Course-specific teaching includes approximately 43 hours of lectures covering topics such as tumour genomics, genome integrity and DNA repair, cancer cell biology including the tumour microenvironment, tumour initiation, invasion, and metastasis, signalling pathways in cancer, tumour immunology, AI in cancer research and oncology, the evolutionary biology of cancer, cancer epidemiology, prevention, screening, early detection, cancer therapy, precision cancer medicine, and drug discovery and development including oncology clinical trials.

These will be supplemented with up to 27 hours of hands-on tutorials and interactive workshops enabling deeper learning in areas including (but not limited to) multi-omic profiling, mutational signatures, AI in cancer, somatic genomics and tumour evolution, precision cancer medicine, drug development, and clinical trials in oncology.

Students will also receive training in Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, and a Research Skills Module including research ethics, time management, scientific writing, and oral, written and poster presentation skills.

During the 32-week research project, students will be fully embedded in the research group of their selected supervisor and will receive ongoing training and research support. They will participate in meetings of the research group and have regular meetings with the research project supervisor and other lab members supporting the project. In many cases they will receive project-specific skills training from researchers who have expertise in the selected field of study.

Assessment

The course is divided into three sections, each contributing a third of the final mark.

Section 1: Taught Material, Coursework and Presentation Skills:

Assessed through a combination of coursework and skills-based evaluation:

• Biostatistics assessment.
• Multiple-choice examination.
• “Perspectives” essay comparing three contrasting papers in a topical field (1,500-2,500 words).
• Oral seminar style presentation on a laboratory/analytical method and how it has changed the field.
• Poster presentation delivered on the research project.

Sections 2 and 3: Research Project

The 32-week research project begins in November and forms the core of the course.

Students select from a range of projects and supervisors, supported by an assigned advisor. Time is provided early in the course to meet potential supervisors and develop a project outline, with a project plan submitted for approval before commencing research.

Assessment comprises:

• Section 2: Literature review (max. 5,000 words)
• Section 3: Project report, including aims, methods, results, data analysis, and discussion (max. 5000 words).

Funding

This MPhil does not come with funding, so candidates are required to source their own funding.

Applicants are recommended to apply to the University funding scheme by ticking 'Yes - I wish to apply for funding' in the funding section of the Applicant Portal by the relevant deadline. You will then automatically be considered for any University funding for which you are eligible.

Cambridge funding is very competitive, and we therefore recommend candidates also apply for funding via external fellowships and funding bodies.

Master’s applicants from Africa may also be eligible for funding through the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at the University of Cambridge.

For more information on how to apply for University funding and to explore further funding opportunities, please visit this link.

How to apply

All applications must be made via the Applicant Portal: https://apply.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/

Applicants are not required to identify a supervisor at application stage. Research projects/supervisors will be chosen once the course has started.

Recruitment timeline (Michaelmas Term Starters)