The curriculum of the graduate program in Cancer Biology is designed to introduce students to research related to the induction, properties, and therapy of cancer and to assure that they have the necessary background in one or more areas of related, fundamental science to enable them to do original research. Since cancer research encompasses biology, biochemistry, and genetics, the curriculum requirements are flexible and provide the students with ample opportunity for specialization within this field.
The research interests of the program members span cellular and viral biology, genetics, and biochemistry. Specific research projects focus on the mechanisms and regulation of gene expression; the replication of animal cells and viruses; the mechanisms of environmental, chemical, and viral carcinogenesis; and fundamental processes in mutation, developmental biology, and immunology. Intact organisms and cell culture systems – ranging from bacteria to humans – are exploited in each field. The ratio of graduate students to faculty is purposely kept low to maximize student and staff interaction.
The requirements for the Ph.D. degree are detailed below. A master's degree is not required for students continuing to the Ph.D. degree.
For the Ph.D. degree, the courses are drawn from the Department of Oncology as well as various related departments, including Bacteriology, Biochemistry, Biomolecular Chemistry, Chemistry, Genetics, Human Oncology, Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and Pharmacology. Students have considerable flexibility in course work.
In all matters not specifically covered in this outline, the general regulations of the Graduate School apply.
Students should have a B.S. or B.A. degree, usually with a major in chemistry, biochemistry, biology, molecular biology, or a related area, and with a grade-point average of at least 3.0 (B). The background of the students should include basic courses in these areas as well as several advanced courses from among chemistry, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, and molecular biology. Deficiencies must be made up as soon as possible.
Prior research experience is highly desirable and may demonstrate competency in a particular discipline. Three letters of recommendation are required.
All applicants must take the general Graduate Record Examination (GRE). One of the subject tests in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry and cell and molecular biology is strongly recommended.
Applications for graduate appointments should be submitted by January 1 for Fall admission. Additional information regarding admissions procedures may be obtained by contacting the program administrator at admissions@oncology.wisc.edu.
The student and the major professor will select a Certification Committee of at least five members during the first year. This committee, chaired by the major professor (dissertation advisor), shall consist of at least three members from the Cancer Biology training program and at least one member from outside the mentor’s department. For students who choose minor Option A, one member of the committee must represent the minor department. The committee generally will serve as the committee for the student's preliminary and final examinations. It will advise the student regarding professional development and will meet with the student at least once a year to evaluate and assist the student. For these annual meetings, three members shall constitute a quorum. Each student is required to meet with his/her Certification Committee on an annual basis. At the start of each meeting, the Certification Committee will choose a member of the Committee, other than the major professor, to act as chair for that meeting. At the end of each meeting the Committee will hold an executive session (without the student present) to prepare a written evaluation of the student (see attached evaluation form). The designated chair will be responsible for completing the written evaluation form. The form should be returned to the graduate program coordinator, who will give copies of the completed evaluation to the student, to all members of the student's committee, and to the Curriculum Committee for review of a student's progress toward the degree.
Oncology 401 - Introduction to Experimental Oncology; 2 credits. (Familiarity with the textbook for this course, Fundamentals of Oncology, by Henry C. Pitot, may be substituted for registration in Oncology 401.)
Oncology 703 - Carcinogenesis and Tumor Cell Biology; 3 credits. A grade of B or better must be received or the course must be repeated.
Oncology 675 (to be renumbered) – Problems in Cancer Research; 3 credits. The emphasis is on the development of skills in data analysis and interpretation, proposal writing, and oral presentation. Open to first-year graduate students only. A grade of B or better must be received or the course must be repeated.
Seminars – Students are required to give a formal presentation on their own research once a year beginning in their second year. These presentations should be part of the program's seminar series (Oncology 675). It is the responsibility of the student and his/her major professor to ensure that these presentations are given.
Oncology 950 - Colloquium, every semester; 0 credits. Predissertator students are required to enroll in the Colloquium. All students are expected to attend the Colloquia throughout their graduate career.
Other courses as required by the student's Certification Committee. These courses likely will include some of the following Oncology courses: Oncology 625, 640, 675, 707, 750 (descriptions at end), as well as advanced courses in related fields.
Second-year Cancer Biology students will be required to take the course "Appropriate Conduct and Effective Communication of Science"; 1-credit.
Courses taken by students at other institutions will be accepted only when the level of work is comparable to that at the University of Wisconsin . The credentials will be evaluated by the student's Certification Committee.
The Graduate School requires that a minor be arranged in a single department under Option A or in more than one department under Option B. These options are described below. Acceptance of the minor requires the approval of the department concerned and of the major professor. The student's Certification Committee must approve the minor program.
Option A: A student must complete at least 10 credits from a degree program outside of Cancer Biology. Courses crosslisted with Oncology may fulfill the minor requirement, provided this is approved by the student's Certification Committee and the minor department. The student's Certification Committee must include one member of the minor department. The minor department's requirements for the minor must be fulfilled. See individual departments for specific requirements.
A minor program must be approved by the student's Certification Committee no later than halfway through the minor course sequence and must be completed before a student will be granted dissertator status. Help in choosing an appropriate minor is available from the Curriculum Committee and/or the graduate program coordinator.
The Graduate School requires an average of B or better in all course work taken as a graduate student.
The Program in Cancer Biology does not require demonstration of competency in a language other than English for the Ph.D. degree.
A satisfactory written dissertation must be presented.
Each student must take an oral preliminary examination based on a written research proposal. A "warrant" must be signed by the Certification Committee upon successful completion of the Preliminary Examination. To obtain the warrant, students must inform the graduate administrator of the date of the oral preliminary examination at least 3 weeks prior to the examination.
The student must pass the Preliminary Examination no later than the end of the first semester of the third year. In special circumstances, a 6-month extension will be granted by the Chair of the Curriculum Committee when justified in writing by the student and the major professor. Students who successfully complete the Preliminary Examination will continue work toward the Ph.D. degree. Soon after the successful completion of the Preliminary Examination, the student is encouraged to meet with each member of his/her committee to discuss in detail the student’s proposal and presentation. Students who receive a "conditional" pass on the Preliminary Examination must address deficiencies as requested by his/her Committee prior to continuing work toward the Ph.D. degree. Students who do not pass the Preliminary Examination will be granted a Master's degree on the basis of their successful completion of the required course work (they will not be required to complete a thesis).
The student’s anticipated dissertation research will be the subject matter of the proposal. The proposal is to be the student's own work. However, the student is encouraged to consult with the major professor and other colleagues in planning and writing the research proposal. The proposal must be read and approved by the major professor prior to circulation to the rest of the Committee (at least 10 days prior to the oral examination). Failure to distribute the proposal in a timely manner may result in rescheduling of the examination.
Format for the Preliminary Examination:
The written proposal should be prepared in a format similar to a National Institutes of Health grant application. The length of the proposal should not exceed 20 pages, double-spaced (12-point type, 1-inch margins), excluding title page and literature cited. Number the pages consecutively beginning with the title page. Adherence to this format will be considered in the final evaluation.
Title Page (not included in page limit). Descriptive title of proposal. Your name. Date, time, and location of the oral defense. Names of all committee members.
Abstract (less than one page). Summarize the research proposed clearly describing the objectives.
Specific Aims (less than one page). State the broad, long-term objectives and describe concisely and realistically what the specific research is intended to accomplish and any hypotheses to be tested.
Background and Significance (2-3 pages). Briefly sketch the background to the proposal, critically evaluate the existing knowledge, and specifically identify the gaps the project is intended to fill. Concisely relate the specific aims to the broad, long-term objectives.
Preliminary Studies. Use this section to provide an account of preliminary studies by you (and/or the members of your laboratory with proper credit) pertinent to this application and/or any other information that will help to establish the experience and competence of the student to pursue the proposed project.
Experimental Design and Methods. Outline the experimental design and the procedures to be used to accomplish the specific aims of the project. Include the means by which the data will be collected, analyzed, and interpreted. Describe any new methodology and its advantages over existing methodologies. Discuss potential difficulties and limitations of the proposed procedures and alternative approaches to achieve the aims. Provide a tentative timetable for the investigation.
Figures and Tables. Figures and tables (with legends) critical to the proposal must be included within the 20-page limit. The student will have the opportunity to present additional figures during the oral presentation.
The student will give a 20-minute oral presentation describing the research proposal. After this presentation, the student will respond to questions by the Certification Committee. The major professor must not contribute to the student's responses unless specifically asked to by the other members of the Committee. The questions will deal with the proposal itself and any related material. For example, the student might be asked to clarify the rationale for the overall goals, to explain why one technique is better than another, to discuss relevant literature on the topic or related topics, etc. The purpose of this examination is to determine whether the student has mapped out a sound approach to an important and answerable question and to assist the student in planning the project. The oral examination is usually completed within 2 hours. Following the examination, the Committee will reach a consensus on the student's performance.
Approximately 6 months before the anticipated completion of the dissertation, the student shall present a research report on the proposed dissertation to the members of the Certification Committee. The goals of this "6-month" meeting are to inform the committee of the proposed content of the student's dissertation in detail and to seek the committee's approval for that proposed content. With this approval, the student can be assured that if she/he fulfills the proposal, then the content of the dissertation will warrant a Ph.D. At least 7 days prior to this meeting, the student must distribute to his or her Committee a proposed outline of the dissertation (which has already been reviewed and approved by the major professor). It is essential that this outline of the dissertation be sufficiently detailed so that the committee can evaluate the questions addressed, the exact experiments used to address the questions, and any other information needed. This outline must be approved by the Certification Committee. The approval form, which must be signed by the Certification Committee, may be obtained from the program's graduate administrator.
A dissertation that represents the candidate's original research is required. Details about formal requirements for preparation of the dissertation may be obtained from the Graduate School Ph.D. office (www.wisc.edu/grad).
Upon completion of the dissertation, a final oral examination will be conducted by the student's Certification Committee. This will include an open seminar by the candidate, followed by a meeting with the Committee. The oral examination covers the dissertation and the general field of the major and minor studies.
The dissertation must be distributed to the members of the Committee at least 10 days before the date of the final oral examination. Failure to distribute the dissertation in a timely manner may result in rescheduling of the examination.
The preliminary and final oral examinations for the Ph.D. will be conducted by the Certification Committee, consisting of at least five members of the graduate faculty, including the major professor (see Section II.A.). The oral examinations will be chaired by a committee member other than the major professor (selected by the Certification Committee at the time of the meeting). For students who choose minor Option A, one member of the committee must represent the minor department.
All other requirements of the Graduate School not specifically mentioned above also apply.
The requirements for Cancer Biology in a joint major are the same as the requirements for a major in Cancer Biology.
(awarded as a terminal degree when students in the Ph.D. program do not continue; students are accepted only for the Ph.D. program):
A minimum of 1½ years of graduate work, including Oncology 703 (with a grade of B or better) and not less than 9 additional credits from among the course requirements for the Ph.D. degree in Cancer Biology.
A minor in Cancer Biology (Option A) requires 10 credits, to be selected from courses required for the major in Cancer Biology, including Oncology 703 and at least 3 other credits of Oncology courses.
401- Introduction to Experimental Oncology. Semester I; 2 credits. The biological processes associated with and characteristic of neoplasia. Prerequisites: 1 year of undergraduate biology and organic chemistry or consent of instructor. Biochemistry, genetics, and physiology recommended. Text: H. C. Pitot, Fundamentals of Oncology. Instructor: Henry C. Pitot.
545 - Topics in Biotechnology. Semester II; 1 credit. Crosslisted with Bacteriology 545. Current topics in medical, agricultural, and industrial biotechnology are covered. Content varies from year to year. Prerequisites: Biochemistry 501 and Genetics 466 or equivalent. Instructor: Richard R. Burgess.
625 - Toxicology. Semester I; 3 credits. Crosslisted with Animal Health and Biomedical Sciences 625, Environmental Toxicology 625, Medicine 625, Pathology 625, Pharmacology 625, Pharmaceutical Sciences 625, and Population Health Sciences 625. A basic course on the principles of toxicology and biochemical mechanisms of toxicity in mammalian species, including humans. Correlation between morphological and functional changes caused by toxicants in different organs of the body. Prerequisites: Biochemistry and physiology; pathology and pharmacology recommended. Team taught: instructors vary each year.
640 - General Virology--Multiplication of Viruses. Semester I; 3 credits. Crosslisted with Bacteriology 640 and Plant Pathology 640. Lectures on bacterial and animal viruses, their structure, multiplication, and effects on the host cells. Prerequisites: Introductory courses in bacteriology, biochemistry, and genetics, or consent of instructor. Instructors: Paul Ahlquist and Rob Kalejta.
675 - Advanced or Special Topics in Cancer Research. Semester I, II; 1 to 3 credits. Various minicourses on a variety of topics have been offered under this title. Specific information is provided each semester.
The following courses are regular 675 offerings:
Protein Purification, Semester I in odd-numbered years; 2 credits. A course on the theory and practice of protein purification. Topics covered include conventional and recent protein fractionation techniques; enzyme assays, handling, and characterization; purification strategy; and overproduction of cloned gene products. The emphasis is on micro and laboratory scale purifications. Prerequisites: Biochemistry and physical chemistry or consent of instructor. Instructor: Richard R. Burgess.
Statistics in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Semester II in even-numbered years; 2 credits. Meets with Genetics 677 and Medical Genetics 677. This course is for scientists who generate data and want to be able to interpret their results. The emphasis is on the logic and probabilistic nature of statistics. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Instructor: Norman R. Drinkwater.
Appropriate Conduct and Effective Communication of Science, Semester II; 1 credit. A review and discussion of the fundamentals of good scientific communication and ethical issues in science. Instructors: Michael Gould and Sally Leong.
Student Seminars, Semesters I and II; 1 credit. Presentations of original research in areas related to viral oncology and cancer biology. To aid students in presentation of data. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Instructor: varies.
Current Techniques in Protein and Genetic Engineering, Semester III; 2 credits. This is an intensive, ten-day laboratory course focusing on protein and genetic engineering with an integrative format combining lectures, hands-on laboratory exercises, and interactive problem-solving sessions. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor. Instructors: Richard R. Burgess and others.
699 - Special Research Problems. Semester I, II, Summer; 1 to 3 credits. Primarily for undergraduate students carrying out a senior research project. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
703 - Carcinogenesis and Tumor Cell Biology. Semester I; 3 credits. Factors involved in tumor production in humans and experimental animals; biology and biochemistry of neoplasia, both in vivo and in vitro. Instructors: Chris Bradfield (organizer), Caroline Alexander, Paul Lambert, and Jeffrey Ross.
Number to be determined – Current Problems in Cancer Biology. Semester II; 3 credits. A review and discussion of the current literature on topics related to cancer biology. The emphasis is on the development of skills in data analysis and interpretation, proposal writing, and oral presentation. Open to first-year graduate students only. Instructors: varies.
707 - Growth and Differentiation. Semester II; 3 credits. Meets with Genetics 707 and Medical Genetics 707. Odd-numbered years: Genetic Analysis of Human Biology; Instructors: William F. Dove and faculty in Medical Genetics. Even-numbered years: Methods and Logic in Genetic Analysis; Instructors: William F. Dove and others. Round table discussion format, in conjunction with the Genetics Colloquium and, in odd-numbered years, the McArdle Colloquium. Enrollment is limited, and preference in registration is given to students with a Minor in Genetics (Option A).
950 - Colloquium. Semesters I, II; 0 credits. Presentations by visitors from other institutions and by University of Wisconsin scientists.
990 - Research . Semesters I, II, Summer; 1-12 credits. Prerequisites: Consent of instructor.
