Cancer Biology for EveryoneCornell Certificate Program

How cancer develops and progresses is essential knowledge for anyone creating or marketing cancer-related products or interacting with oncologists or other cancer experts.

In this course, you will identify the biological origins of cancer and consider different modes of dysregulation that alter cell behavior. You'll also examine how medicine, radiation, and surgery are used to treat cancer in different ways and situations.

To navigate the evolving landscape of personalized and precise cancer care, a foundation in the genetic and inherited aspects of cancer is essential for engineers, scientists, and others working in this field.

In this course, you will trace cancer's journey from DNA mutation to clinical manifestation, gaining insight into the specific genetic changes that disrupt normal cellular processes and create intervention opportunities. You'll interpret signaling diagrams that reveal promising targets for cancer therapeutics and evaluate the effectiveness of different treatment strategies.

Whether you are developing cancer-related products, are involved in cancer-related research, or need to engage with clinicians on cancer-related topics, this course will give you insight into how mutations and a person's genes play a role in cancer.

You are required to have completed the following course or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• How Cancer Works

For professionals involved in the cancer field, insight into strategic treatment planning and implementation informs productive discourse and shapes the creation of more effective tools, diagnostics, therapeutics, and policies.

In this course, you will begin with the cell-level workings of chemotherapy agents, determining how drug properties influence biological processes and outcomes. You'll analyze targeted therapies and immunotherapies, connecting specific molecular markers and pathways to different intervention approaches.

You will also explore how cancer-specific characteristics guide treatment selection and delivery, and you'll locate critical decision points in surgery and radiation plans. Case studies and decision-making frameworks will support your application of these clinical insights in your career and beyond.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• How Cancer Works
• Cancer Genetics and Mutations

Lung and colon cancer rank among the leading causes of cancer death worldwide, highlighting the critical importance of innovating methods of detection, treatment, and monitoring.

In this course, you will begin by linking risk factors and screening methods to the detection of lung or colorectal cancer. You'll research how surgical decisions incorporate emerging technologies and discover the trade-offs that surgeons must navigate to optimize patient outcomes.

You will then map the stages and clinical relevance of biomarker testing, identifying opportunities to address current limitations. In whatever way you hope to professionally impact cancer care, this course will prepare you to expand your base knowledge of cancer biology and apply techniques and concepts to specific situations and advancements.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• How Cancer Works
• Cancer Genetics and Mutations
• Cancer Treatment Fundamentals

For scientists, product developers, and others working in the cancer field, understanding hormone-driven cancers is essential, as they account for nearly one-third of all diagnoses and illustrate the future of precision oncology.

In this course, you will examine how age-based factors, genetic risks, and screening capabilities guide the clinical approach to breast and prostate cancer. Through the analysis of case studies, you'll investigate how molecular subtypes and hormone receptor status influence treatment selection throughout disease progression.

You will also explore how treatment resistance patterns create unique challenges in these typically slow-growing cancers, and you'll consider how molecular approaches are transforming cancer classification and treatment decisions. Each element of this course will set you up for specific discussions and applications of cancer biology in your workplace and beyond.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• How Cancer Works
• Cancer Genetics and Mutations
• Cancer Treatment Fundamentals
• Lung and Colon Cancer

Lymphoma, leukemia, and other cancers that circulate in blood and lymph present unique opportunities for diagnosis, treatment, and drug development. In this course, you will consider the molecular origins of these liquid tumors.

Through the analysis of biomarkers and testing methodologies, you will examine how blood cancer classification guides treatment selection and monitoring. You'll explore innovative therapeutic strategies while discovering how rare cancer populations create distinct pathways for drug development and approval.

By the end of this course, you will be able to confidently discuss these specific cancers in clinical spaces and with other crucial stakeholder groups, such as in patient advocacy or research fields.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• How Cancer Works
• Cancer Genetics and Mutations
• Cancer Treatment Fundamentals
• Lung and Colon Cancer
• Breast and Prostate Cancer