Cancer Biology – 21 credit hours

There are over 50 graduate faculty members constituting the University of New Mexico Cancer Center. These faculty and their trainees represent the next generation of cancer researchers charged with making cutting edge technological advances in genomics, imaging, molecular and drug discovery.

The flexible curriculum will enable students to choose from a menu of courses that offer training relevant to each of the four Cancer Center research programs: 1) Cancer Control and Disparities; 2) Cancer Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics; 3) Translational Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling; 4) Cancer Biotechnology, Drug Discovery and Targeted Delivery. The concentration is designed to offer required and elective courses as well as professional career development that is relevant to all four programs, yet with sufficient flexibility to enable trainees to focus on selected areas of interest and be prepared to assume jobs in diverse cancer research job sectors.

University Catalog Information

The Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences Cancer Biology concentration provides trainees with focused and individualized training in cancer-relevant disciplines. There are over 50 graduate faculty members constituting the University of New Mexico Cancer Center, which is an NIH-funded P30 Center with emphases on basic research, clinical translation and community studies. These faculty are extramurally funded and internationally recognized leaders in their fields and their trainees represent the next generation of cancer researchers charged with making cutting edge technological advances in genomics, imaging, molecular and drug discovery. The complexity of such medical advances also requires culturally sensitive community outreach and integration to assure that the dissemination of these advances will be effective and accepted by patients, caregivers and health care providers. In recognition of the need for greater interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary graduate training, the Cancer Biology concentration addresses new, national graduate training guidelines that require students to articulate individualized training goals and plans for targeted career development. The flexible curriculum will enable students to choose from a menu of courses that offer training relevant to each of the four Cancer Center research programs: 1) Cancer Control and Disparities; 2) Cancer Genetics, Epigenetics and Genomics; 3) Translational Cancer Cell Biology and Signaling; 4) Cancer Biotechnology, Drug Discovery and Targeted Delivery. The concentration is designed to offer required and elective courses as well as professional career development that is relevant to all four programs, yet with sufficient flexibility to enable trainees to focus on selected areas of interest. Professional and development activities afford training in grantwriting, effective communication and presentation skills, entrepreneurship, and more. Trainees have opportunities to attend national conferences, be appointed to training grants, engage in teaching and mentoring others, and will be well prepared to assume jobs in diverse cancer research job sectors.

Required Coursework

To earn a Concentration in Cancer Biology graduate students are required to take the following:

Following successful completion of the Qualifying Exam and remaining in Good Academic Standing (as defined by the BSGP), graduate training will mainly focus on laboratory research supervised by the student's mentor, and supplemented with the following advanced courses:

Course substitutions may be made with the prior approval of your Committee on Studies (COS).