Cancer Chemistry Degree

Posted by Simon Davies Jun 5, 2007

The United Kingdom has been criticised over recent years for its failure to keep up with new drugs available for treating cancer patients. News from the University of Leicester, however, shows that when it comes to research into these drugs, the UK is leading the way.

Leicester University has been leading the British clinical research into cancer treatments with the Department of Chemistry a key component of that research. Dr Paul Jenkins, who has a large amount of expertise in developing chemotherapy treatment, has been instrumental in setting up a new taught course for chemistry graduates.

The aim of the course is to equip graduates with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the vitally important cancer research work. The treatment of cancer by chemotherapy involves intervening in the biological pathways in the body which produce cancer cells. Students on the course will learn about the biological pathways themselves and about how drugs can be produced to interfere with those pathways. The aim of research into these areas at the present time is to find chemicals which succeed in impeding the cancer growth, but with less side effects than the ones currently used.

This course is a very positive step forward in the battle against cancer, which seems more and more to be affecting a broad cross-section of the population of the world.