Courses in Pathology and Molecular Medicine

Detailed information about the requirements for each course may be obtained by contacting the Coordinator of Graduate Studies.

QACS-799 Introduction to Animal Care

This Web-CT course is given early in the academic year and is obligatory for all students undertaking teaching and/or research involving the use of vertebrate animals. The course covers ethical and legal obligations related to the use of animals, standards of care, source and quality of animals, anaesthesia and analgesia, and choice of biomedical models.

Research Ethics Education: Gateway to CHRPP

This interactive program will provide you with essential knowledge from the Tri-Council Policy Statement on ethical conduct for research involving humans (TCPS) and a deeper understanding of the ethical treatment of human research participants. It will also provide you with the tools to navigate quickly and effectively the process of applying for research ethics clearance.

PATH-822 Experimental Cancer Therapeutics

This course will introduce and discuss essential questions in basic science and translational approaches to experimental cancer therapeutics. Participation of students with interests in diverse cancer research areas is encouraged. The course will explore novel therapy development from identification of potential targets through to evaluation of an improved therapy for the treatment of cancer.

Topics of discussion will include: novel drug discovery; emerging therapeutic modalities; challenges with existing and new cancer therapeutics; mechanisms of drug delivery; preclinical and clinical evaluation of novel therapies; and interpretation and implementation of clinical trial results for improved cancer treatment.

Recommended background courses: BCHM-411, PHAR-340, MICR-360, PATH-310, CANC-440, or similar, or with permission of the department. The number of students may be restricted.

Half course, fall term. Course offered in alternate years.
Offered Fall 2027, 2029

Contact the Course Coordinator: QUPATH822-823@queensu.ca

PATH-823 Cancer Biology

This course explores the underlying processes that contribute to Cancer Biology, considered through basic science, translational, epidemiological and clinical perspectives. Essential questions relating to cancer occurrence, neoplastic transformation, tumour progression and treatment response will be discussed. Topics include pathology of cancer; epidemiology of population risks; tumour initiation; progression and metastasis; oncogenes and tumour suppressors; the relationship of tumour and microenvironment; determinants of therapeutic response.

Recommended background courses: BCHM-411 or BCHM-431, MICR-360, CANC-440 or similar, permission of the department.

The number of students may be restricted.

Half course fall term, Lecture and seminar format.

Offered Fall 2026, 2028

Contact the Course Coordinator: QUPATH822-823@queensu.ca

· Course materials available to students through Queens OnQ

PATH-826 The Molecular Basis of Disease

This course covers several diseases and integrates the genetic, biochemical, physiologic, anatomic, and general etiologic factors which play a role in the progression of each disease from its inception to death or recovery. The perspective will demonstrate that each disease is the result of an evolving interplay of genetic and environmental factors.
Given jointly with PATH-430. Ad ditional work is prescribed for graduate students.
Prerequisites: PATH-310, BCHM-310, PHGY-212, or equivalents.
Total combined class size will be limited to 40 students (36 undergraduate path430, 4 graduate path826). Students are encouraged to register prior to December 1st. Half course; winter term. Course offered annually.

Enrollment: 4

Offered Winter 2027, 2028, 2029

PATH-827 Research Project in Pathology

Research projects in the physiological, biological, genetic and molecular basis of disease. Students will review the literature related to their proposed graduate research thesis project and write a series of essays on topics selected in consultation with a supervisory committee consisting of their supervisor and two other faculty. They will also develop a written draft research proposal that will be presented to their supervisory committee and defended in a final oral examination. To be taken by all students in the first full term of the graduate program.

PATH-828 Bioinformatics for Cancer Research

PATH 828 – Bioinformatics for Cancer Research

The course is designed to train biomedical scientists in proper data analysis techniques and statistical approaches to enable students to perform their own data analysis, regardless of data type, using statistics, data mining and machine learning methods. It consists of four assignments, each addressing a specific aspect of data analysis such as data preprocessing, sequence alignment, statistics and feature selection. The course project requires students to apply all the skills learned through the assignments and lectures and perform data analysis from scratch on data of their choice. Students may use data from their own research or a publicly available data set that is relevant to their thesis.

Offered Winter 2027, 2028

Contact the Course Coordinator: qupath828@queensu.ca

PATH-830/930* Pathology and Molecular Medicine Research Seminar Series

This seminar series consists of weekly presentations by visiting external speakers, Queen's faculty, and Departmental MSc and PhD students. MSc students will give 1/2 hour seminars in their first year, and one hour seminars in their second year; PhD students will give 1 hour seminars in their first and third years, and an exit seminar in their final year. Attendance by all Departmental graduate students is compulsory and will be monitored by the Graduate Program Coordinator. Departmental faculty will provide evaluations of student presentations. Only one mark will be assigned, based on the average of the student's first two seminars. If a grade is submitted for Path 830, a second grading for Path 930 is unnecessary.