Cancer Research UK estimates that 1 in 2 people in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. It is a disease that impacts on most people’s lives at some stage. So understanding cancer, and the development of new treatments, is of intrinsic interest to us all.

This free online course is open to anyone, although it is designed for individuals with a prior interest in biology, including current undergraduate students, and nurses or medics who want to further their knowledge in this area.

Over six weeks, we will examine three key questions about cancer diagnosis and treatment:

• Where have we come from?
• Where are we now?
• And where are we going?

The course will offer insights into patients’ experiences and enable discussions on key issues. Guest lecturers will include active researchers and those involved in direct patient care.

You will also get the chance to undertake your own internet-based investigation into one of the most exciting areas of cancer research.

You can read more about this course in Dr Leah Marks’ post for the FutureLearn blog: “New horizons: cancer and the genomic revolution.”

A background in biology may be helpful, but isn’t absolutely necessary as the course will build your knowledge week-on-week.

Students who are interested in applying for the Cancer Sciences or Medical Genetics MSc programmes at the University of Glasgow are also encouraged to enrol on this course.

FutureLearners who have completed the University of Bath’s “Inside Cancer: How Genes Influence Cancer Development” course will find that this course builds upon their previous knowledge.