Training in mechanisms that contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer takes place in several Brown faculty laboratories and involves studies of multiple cancer types and models. Studies often include complementary molecular biology in vitro studies together with rodent genetic or carcinogen models. Because particular environmental exposures or infectious agents are known to contribute to specific cancer types, there is overlap between faculty listed under Cancer Biology with those working in thematic areas of Environmental Pathology/Toxicology and also with faculty working in Infection & Immunity.
Cancer Research training is aided by availability of outstanding core facilities available to the Brown community including the RIH COBRE Center for Cancer Research Development (CCRD) in Molecular Pathology and Proteomics, the Brown Center for Genetics and Genomics, COBRE facilities in Transgenics and Microarray and other state of the art instrumentation and expertise.
A graduate course in Cancer Biology, BIOL 1290, which focuses on recent research and selected major processes including metastasis and genetic regulation of cell proliferation and cell death, forms the foundation of course work in this area. Additional advanced coursework is offered in the Topics in Pathobiology/Cancer course on a rotating schedule. These courses lay the foundations for thesis research in the field.
