PhD in Medical Science (MRC Cancer Unit)

The MRC Cancer Unit (CU) is based within the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre - a state-of-the-art cancer research facility. The Unit provides a world-class environment for academic and clinical research and an excellent education and training programme for prospective students.

Our mission is to study the earliest steps in the emergence of cancer, particularly epithelial cancers, and translate this knowledge to clinical application for the benefit of patients. Our focus is (a) to improve the early detection of cancer, (b) to help identify individuals who are most at risk of developing cancer, and (c) to create more effective strategies for intervention.

We believe that improved understanding of the earliest steps in the transformation of normal cells into cancers - a relatively less well-studied area - will lead to new, improved and cost-effective methods with fewer side effects that ultimately benefit the care and survival of patients with common and serious malignancies such as oesophageal, skin, lung, kidney and pancreatic cancer. Our Unit is one of only a few centres worldwide whose mission is to address this priority.

Assessment

Thesis

The final thesis should be no longer than 60,000 words and will be subject to a viva examination.

Other

All PhD students are probationary in their first year. Towards the end of the first year, students are required to submit a report, the purpose of which is to provide evidence of their suitability for registration for a PhD. The report should be 20–40 pages of A4 (including figures). This report will be assessed at an oral examination by two examiners, and the student will need to pass in order to be formally registered for the PhD.