• University of Leeds

Exploring Cancer Medicines

Explore the use of medicines in treating cancer and take your first steps towards becoming a science writer.

60,971 enrolled on this course

  • Duration

    2 weeks
  • Weekly study

    2 hours

This course will introduce you to the principles of cancer chemotherapy, and how the development of effective medications for the treatment of cancer remains a significant challenge to scientists.

This course will allow you to research the use and development of cancer medicines, focusing on chemotherapy. In addition, through an exploration of how science is communicated to the general public, you will also look at the skills you need to become an effective science writer.

During the two weeks you’ll consider how chemotherapy has evolved, moving on to look at the modern perspectives of chemotherapy, including major developments over the past 10 years.

Note for students

This course is part of a collection from the University of Leeds which have been specifically designed for those studying at school or college. All of the courses will help to enrich and extend your knowledge in a specific topic and develop your transferable skills. These courses will help you with making decisions about which subject to study at university and will give you examples and evidence when developing your university application.

Throughout the course you will join a community of online learners, providing an opportunity for interactive learning with other students both in the UK and internationally.

Each course is designed to complement your existing studies and aims to:

  • provide evidence for UCAS applications and prepare you for university
  • help you to gain new skills, think critically and learn independently
  • encourage online / social learning
  • develop collaboration and analytical skills
  • embed current research into your online learning

For information about degrees available at the University of Leeds, please visit our course finder website.

Note for teachers

Aimed at prospective Undergraduate students both in the UK and internationally, our online courses provide a ‘taster’ of Undergraduate study at the University of Leeds.

Our courses benefit from being shaped by the latest research from the University of Leeds and are presented by leading academics who are actively engaged in pioneering research. They will inspire your students to think critically and develop their knowledge and analytical skills.

The course can be used as a wider classroom or enrichment resource or can be used independently by students to discover more about the subject area. Each course provides flexible study and benefits from online discussions with other learners.

If you would like to know more about this course or the range of courses from the University of Leeds designed specifically for schools and colleges, please visit our teachers’ pages for further information and resources.

Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 6 seconds Cancer affects one person in three and caused a quarter of all deaths during the year 2014. Consequently, the development of effective cancer medications is one of the greatest health challenges mankind faces. But what progress has been made over the last 10 years? And how is this communicated to the general public? This short course provides the facts. It introduces you to the role that chemotherapy plays in the treatment of cancers and looks at how you can develop your skills as an effective science communicator. Through videos, activities, and quizzes, you’ll become familiar with how chemical knowledge is applied to solve the challenges at the forefront of medicinal chemistry.

Skip to 0 minutes and 51 seconds We start by investigating how cancer cells are formed, exploring the cancer medicines which are used to treat them, focusing on chemotherapy. In week two, we investigate the developments in cancer chemotherapy research and the future of cancer medicines. Along the way, you’ll examine how science is communicated and research and discuss medicinal chemistry with learners from around the world. You’ll also have the opportunity to write a blog post about the major developments in chemotherapy. Sign up now to Exploring Cancer Medicines.

What topics will you cover?

  • The history of cancer medicines with a focus on cancer chemotherapy.
  • The sources of information to use when researching cancer medicines.
  • Important developments that led to the discovery of modern chemotherapeutics.
  • How developments in cancer medicines are reported in the news.
  • Modern perspectives of cancer chemotherapy.
  • An overview of new approaches to cancer treatment.
  • Telling the story: research and write a blog post about future directions in cancer medicines.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Reflect on what cancer chemotherapy is and how it was developed.
  • Identify resources which can be used to find out more about the developments in cancer medicines.
  • Compare examples of science writing, and identify angles and target audiences.
  • Investigate current developments in cancer medicines and discuss potential future approaches to treatment.
  • Produce a short blog post about future directions in cancer medicine treatments.

Who is the course for?

No previous knowledge is required, but having an interest in exploring science and science writing will be beneficial to learners.

Who will you learn with?

I am an academic at the University of Leeds (School of Chemistry) researching the development of new medicines to treat cancer and other diseases.

http://www.chem.leeds.ac.uk/People/Foster.html

I'm from West Yorkshire. I'm a Professor at the University of Leeds & Dean : Student Education. I research cancer & evolution https://physicalsciences.leeds.ac.uk/staff/210/professor-paul-taylor

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

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