Biology - Cancer Biology

Overview

The improvement of therapeutic regimens for different cancers depends on a deep mechanistic understanding from the earliest molecular events underlying cancer onset to its later stages of progression and invasion. 

This will require training of a new generation of cancer biologists, capable of orienting clinical researchers towards new diagnostic and therapeutic tools, based on mechanistic insight and unbiased molecular investigations. 

Students learn how to grow cancer cells and analyze tumor-relevant samples, apply a broad range of molecular tools, and analyse the data. 

In addition, students will use chemical and genetic perturbations to modulate onset and therapy of specific cancers. 

By the end of the program, each student is expected to have developed a solid foundation leading to a mechanistic understanding of cancer at the molecular level, and is capable of addressing new biological questions inherent to the onset or therapy of specific cancer types. 

Biology - Cancer Biology Master’s graduates from University of Zurich have skills in scientific research. Their knowledge allows them to understand complex biological systems. 

They recognize relevant problems in Biology and are able to plan and conduct experiments using a variety of techniques to address these problems. 

Their ability to adapt technical procedures to specific scientific problems allows them to expand their problem solving skills. 

The ability to work exactly and treat precious materials, instruments and organisms carefully is particularly important. Working with organisms requires students to apply their ethical responsibilities. 

The master’s thesis, which is a research project within the master’s program, teaches students to conduct research independently as would be required for a dissertation. 

Career options

Doctorate in one of the fields of biosciences; teaching and research at universities and other institutes of higher education; work in the chemical, pharmaceutical, medical, agrobiology and food technology industries; teaching at secondary level and in vocational, agricultural and engineering schools; management posts in industry, public administration and politics; planning for nature conservation and environmental protection, private and public; work in zoos, museums, research institutes, laboratories and clinics; scientific journalism. 

The degree courses of biology at the University of Zurich qualify graduates to find work in not only specific biological or educational professions.