Overview

The Cancer Biology Training Program at the University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus is an interdepartmental program leading to the PhD in Cancer Biology. The Cancer Biology Program combines training in the basic biomedical sciences with opportunities to apply clinical and translational research to studies on human cancer.

Our highly accomplished training faculty includes over 50 basic and clinical scientists from 13 departments and divisions. Our curriculum is rigorous, yet flexible, and provides opportunities for advanced study in cellular and molecular oncology, as well as the translational medical sciences. Our research community includes a NIH/NCI designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, which brings together scientists with diverse research approaches to focus on the problem of cancer. The training program in cancer biology is supported by a NIH/NCI T32 training grant that provides funding for pre and post-doctoral trainees.

Admissions Requirements

To apply for admission applicants must submit the following:

• Online Graduate School application.
• A $50.00 domestic and $75.00 international non-refundable application fee [credit card (on-line only), check, or money order]. No application will be processed unless this fee is paid.
• One (1) official transcript of all academic work completed to date. To be considered "official", the transcripts must come from the issuing institution directly to the University of Colorado Denver Graduate Admissions.
  • Electronic Transcripts should be sent to: graduate.school@ucdenver.edu
  • If sending a physical transcript, please mail to:

University of Colorado Denver
Graduate School
Mail Stop C296
Fitzsimons Building, W5107
13001 E. 17th Place
Aurora, CO 80045

• Three (3) letters of recommendation.
  • The most informative letters will come from Professors who have mentored you in your research experiences. Professors who have taught science classes you have been enrolled in, or whom you have worked with in an advisory capacity, are also good choices. We do not recommend that you ask postdocs, technicians or fellow students for letters. Likewise, members of the community are generally not good choices, as typically their understanding of biomedical PhD training, and hence their ability to evaluate your potential, is limited.

International students must meet ALL of the requirements above and those required by International Admissions. 

Degree Requirements

A minimum of 3 elective credits are required (as specified in the CANB handbook) in addition to the specified courses below.

First Year

Second Year

Third Year

Fourth Year & Beyond

Learning Objectives

The Ph.D. program in Cancer Biology trains graduate students to become proficient and successful investigators who are able to:

1. Demonstrate a basic knowledge of central concepts in the biomedical sciences.
2. Understand the current concepts in Cancer Biology.
3. Read and critically evaluate the scientific literature.
4. Formulate hypotheses based on current concepts in the field and design, conduct, and interpret their own research projects.
5. Orally communicate ideas and research results effectively.
6. Effectively communicate ideas and research results in written form.
7. Integrate and apply the communication and research skills through oral presentations at scientific seminars, conferences, and other venues, submission of competitive applications for research funding, authorship of abstracts, peer-reviewed publications, and a thesis dissertation.

Training Goals
Training in the Cancer Biology PhD Program is based on six comprehensive training fundamentals that strive to integrate knowledge bases with interrelated skills.

Laboratory based training
Through conduct of laboratory-based research trainees utilize their didactic knowledge base; learn experimental design and hypothesis testing, implementation and problem solving, data interpretation and hypothesis revision, and oral and written communication skills.

Didactic knowledge base
Our coursework provides students with a firm foundation in cancer biology and innovative technologies to enable them to conduct the most relevant and cutting-edge research.

Hypothesis driven research
Our training includes a strong emphasis on skill development for hypothesis generation and testing. These skills are emphasized in course work, journal clubs, written and oral communication, clinical exposure and laboratory research.

Clinical relevance
We believe that understanding the patient experience and the clinical relevance of their laboratory research will help students to better focus their research plan and develop more nuanced hypotheses. Many clinical related opportunities are available including clinic shadowing and special topics courses that include options to learn about clinical trial design, drug resistance, drug targeting of cancer subtypes, etc.

Communication skills
Research advances are only achieved if scientific discovery is effectively communicated to the rest of the scientific community and the public. Written and oral presentation skills are developed by presentations in seminars and journal clubs, written research proposals and fellowship applications.

Career and professional development
Opportunities for professional development are available throughout a student’s matriculation. These include strengths and goals evaluation, mentoring by the primary mentor and research advisory committee, exposure to various scientific career paths, and professional networking at scientific meetings.

Policies

Publication Requirement: Publications are the culmination of the research done in the lab. It is the obligation of all scientists to share their findings with their peers and the public. Students are required to have at least one primary, first-author paper submitted and in review at a peer-reviewed journal at the time of their thesis defense. The student’s manuscript should be the focus of their thesis work. Under exceptional circumstances, co-first author publications may fulfill this requirement with approval of the steering and thesis committees. The decision to let the student defend is at the discretion of the thesis committee and student’s mentor.

Contact Us

Rebecca Schweppe, PhD
Professor
Program Director
Rebecca.Schweppe@cuanschutz.edu

Benjamin Bitler, PhD
Associate Professor
Interim Associate Program Director
benjamin.bitler@cuanschutz.edu

Evelin Zumba
Program Administrator
Evelin.Zumba@cuanschutz.edu
CANB@cuanschutz.edu