Cancer Biology PhD Program | PCOM School of Health Sciences
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PhD in Cancer Biology

Philadelphia Campus

  • Offered in partnership with The Wistar Institute.
  • Prepares graduates for careers in academic, government or industrial research.
  • Equips students to succeed in a multidisciplinary environment.
PHD IN CANCER BIOLOGY
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PhD in Cancer Biology

The PhD in Cancer Biology program at PCOM is focused on understanding the biological and molecular basis of cancer initiation and progression with an emphasis on the process of drug discovery and therapeutic development.

Offered in partnership with The Ellen and Ronald Caplan Cancer Center at The Wistar Institute, the nation’s first independent institution devoted to biomedical research and training, the PhD in Cancer Biology prepares graduates for careers in cancer biology or drug development. Students will have access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and equipment. Additionally, students will participate in a cancer biology journal club where they will have the opportunity to discuss current research in molecular oncology, cancer genetics and more.

As a student in the PhD in Cancer Biology program, you will:

  • gain further understanding of the fundamental cellular process of cancer;
  • learn to successfully collaborate with others in a multidisciplinary environment;
  • develop effective work habits including the time management and organizational skills critical for career success;
  • apply clinical and translational research to human cancer studies; and
  • prepare for careers in academic, government or industrial research.

About the PhD in Cancer Biology Program

The PhD in Cancer Biology program is designed to be completed in 5-7 years of full-time study. The program is offered on PCOM's main campus in Philadelphia, PA and requires 99-121 credit hours to complete. All full-time students will receive a full scholarship, health insurance through PCOM and a stipend while they are in the program.

DOWNLOAD PROGRAM BROCHURE

Graduates of our PhD program may choose to pursue careers in academia or the corporate sector. Potential career options include:

  • Principal investigator
  • Bench scientist
  • Faculty research or teaching positions
  • Drug development
  • Postdoctoral fellow
  • Clinical research coordinator
  • Health educator
  • Clinical investigator
  • Science policy, management and administration

In the first year of the program, students will take classes in biostatistics, vaccine and immune therapeutics, the molecular basis of medicine, medical pharmacology and physiology at PCOM and will do lab rotations and participate in a cancer biology journal club at The Wistar Institute.

Year two classes include cancer biology and bioinformatics. Students will continue pre-doctoral research and participation in the journal club at The Wistar Institute.

Beginning in the third year, students will focus exclusively on their doctoral research.

Visit our application requirements page to learn about course prerequisites, program requirements, the application process and more for the PhD in Cancer Biology program.

For more information, please contact:

PCOM Office of Admissions
Email: admissions@pcom.edu
Phone: 215-871-6700 | Fax: 215-872-6719

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