Natural Science 0164 - Cancer: Emperor of All Maladies

Cancer is currently the second largest cause of death in the United States. One would think that science would have developed a cure for cancer by now, but it hasn't. Why is developing treatment options so difficult? This course will address the biology of malignancy and treatment including some traditional and cutting-edge strategies. We will uncover the truth behind cancer misconceptions and explore some of the ethical and social justice considerations of disease research (including some of the darker examples from cancer research's past). We will also work in the laboratory a little to study cancer first-hand. Students will develop skills in reading primary literature, writing papers, and performing presentations Keywords:Cancer, genetics, biomedical research, bioethics, disease treatment

Media and Technology Students should expect to spend 8 hours weekly on work and preparation outside of class time Books: Title:The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Author:Rebecca Skloot ISBN:978-1-4000-5217-2 Title:Cancer: Emperor of All Maladies Author:Siddhartha Mukherjee ISBN:978-1-4391-0795-9