At the beginning of the curriculum, the “beginners” are supervised by the advanced participants. It's about finding out something about literature research, scientific work, doctoral theses and doctorates.

In the second half of the first half of the year, the cell and molecular biological basics of tumor biology will be developed. The textbook "Biology of Cancer" by Robert Weinberg ('The biology of Cancer', Robert A. Weinberg, Garland Science; 2nd edition (2014), ISBN 978-0-815340761) serves as the basis for the seminars and presentations.

Various mechanisms and processes are addressed that can lead to tumor development, tumor progression and metastasis. For example, it will be discussed how the cell's division cycle is stimulated or slowed down and which intracellular proteins are involved, how they have to change in a tumor cell or whether they may even fail completely. The "big" oncogenes such as Ras or myc discussed as well as tumor suppressor genes such as p53, pRB or p27, the failure or change of which is significantly involved in the development of tumors. It also discusses how viruses or other external factors contribute to the development of a tumor cell. Mechanisms are discussed with which the tumor protects itself from the immune system, with which it sprouts new blood vessels to supply it and ultimately manifests itself as a metastasis in another organ. Finally, it is about how tumor cells develop in the course of their development Go through kind of "evolution".

At the end of all lectures, the topic presented will be discussed, with a particular focus on the resulting clinical consequences and new therapeutic strategies. Often the lecturers also add a few aspects from current clinical or molecular biology research to round it off.

At the end of the first year you are well prepared to work in the two clinical modules on how to get from a cellular process to a disease with clinical appearance and to a therapy or treatment of the tumor disease.