Delhi University has introduced a new five-year integrated course in M.Sc and PhD. The cluster innovation centre (CIC) in partnership with 12 other departments of DU will run the course.
As per DU sources the course is likely to be started by next year. The first two years will take students into the biological world of cancer while the remaining period will focus on research, CIC head M M Chaturvedi said.
“India has low overall rate of cancer, but incidence of cancer has been increasing over the past decade, and the factors behind the surge range from change in dietary habits to indiscriminate use of pesticides,” he said.
Chaturvedi told Deccan Herald that the course will involve a “holistic” approach and focus on areas related to understanding of disease progression and exploring the scientific rationale for therapeutic options, including use of traditional medicines. “There will be a need to analyze complex data, wherein the role of a mathematics student comes into play. An economics student can look into aspects related to pricing of anti-cancer drugs,” the DU professor said. “We are coordinating with departments. There are two-three meetings lined up for finalising the course structure and working out other modalities. If all goes well, the course will start in January 2015,” he said Deccan Heralds.
University institutions such as Departments of Biochemistry, Dr. Ambedkar Centre for Biomedical Research and Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute are collaborating with CIC for running the new course.
The university is also planning to sign MoUs with US-based MD Anderson Cancer Centre and King’s College London.
The course is approved by the university’s statutory bodies and it will start with an intake of 12 students. Graduates from any discipline are eligible to apply.
View Latest News