This program's mission is to provide students with:

  • Advanced knowledge in current concepts in molecular, cellular, and genetic processes that contribute to the development and treatment of cancer
  • Specialized training in experimental methodology used to study cancer in a laboratory setting
  • Required shadowing of clinical oncologists to help identify clinically-relevant research questions leading to projects with a potential impact on cancer patients

Learn about our program's curriculum

Curriculum Overview

The Graduate College requires the satisfactory completion of 72 semester hours in order to obtain a Ph.D.

Required Courses

For the first year, students take common courses with other Biomedical Science students.

Cancer is a term that encompasses over 210 different types of malignancies, each with a unique set of biological, etiological, and clinical features. Cancer researchers continue to widen their scope as more is learned, requiring a breadth of knowledge in many areas of research (e.g. cell biology, genetics, immunology, and cell metabolism) to understand the complexities of cancer etiology and treatment.

The Cancer Biology Program provides this knowledge through classroom and research training leading to a PhD degree, and preparing students for a variety of career paths in academic, clinical, and industry environments dealing with the study and/or treatment of cancer.

A campus visual from the Carver College of Medicine outdoor lawn space.

Ready to apply?

You can learn more about the application process and requirements here.

Events

Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Seminar, Candice Paulsen, PhD promotional image

Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Seminar, Candice Paulsen, PhD

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 9:30am to 10:30am
Bowen Science Building
Iowa ReSpectacle Back to School Donation Drive promotional image

Iowa ReSpectacle Back to School Donation Drive

Tuesday, September 15 to Friday, September 25, 2026 (all day)
Medical Education Research Facility
Donate used glasses to be recycled and redistributed across the globe during the back-to-school season! Drop-off locations are available from Aug. 24 to Sept. 25 across the University of Iowa campuses and clinics.
Biochemistry Seminar: "Harnessing Single Cell Long-Read Sequencing and RNA Proximity Labeling to Define Nuclear Speckle-Associated Splicing Programs in Stem Cells" promotional image

Biochemistry Seminar: "Harnessing Single Cell Long-Read Sequencing and RNA Proximity Labeling to Define Nuclear Speckle-Associated Splicing Programs in Stem Cells"

Tuesday, September 15, 2026 12:30pm to 1:20pm
Medical Education Research Facility

"Harnessing Single Cell Long-Read Sequencing and RNA Proximity Labeling to Define Nuclear Speckle-Associated Splicing Programs in Stem Cells"

Presented by Steve Guzman, Ph.D., Postdoc Fellow in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Michigan