Theory

Lectures with an emphasis on student participation and learning, fostering discussion and engagement. Historical aspects will be discussed to understand the evolution of cancer molecular biology, and current topics will also be addressed.

Problem-solving classes

Problem-solving, interpretation of scientific article results, and reflections on practical and experimental topics. Questions and topics to be answered and/or presented by students will be proposed, which also forms part of continuous assessment.

Laboratory Work

Laboratory sessions attendance is mandatory. Sessions will be conducted with cell cultures, exploring aspects of in vitro chemotherapy and treatment resistance. They will be carried out in groups of 2-3 people, followed by a report submission. Lab manuals will be made available in advance on the course's virtual campus.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

• This course does not foresee a single evaluation system.
• All evaluable activities must be performed in English
• Assessment: Delivery of written assignments, 40% of the total grade; laboratory work report, 10% of the total; written midterm exams, 50% of the total. Total course grade: 100%. A passing grade is 5 out of 10.
• Exams: A first midterm exam, approximately after Topic 4, and a second midterm after Topic 8. The final written exam grade will be the weighted average of the two midterms according to their relative weight (the first midterm counts for 1/3 and the second for 2/3) and will provide an "exam grade" for the course. Exams will be open-book, allowing access to personal class-written notes, but laptops, internet or informatic tools will not be allowed.
• Work through the course: There will be 4 written assignments per course. Assignments may include problem-solving, data interpretation, literature research, video preparation, etc., as proposed by each teacher via the course platform’s assignment submission tool. Each assignment will contribute 10% (total: 40%).
• Grade Review: After each written exam, there will be a designated day and time slot for grade review, announced on the Virtual Campus at least 48 hours in advance. Students must confirm by email their intention to attend the exam review.
• Students who cannot attend an individual assessment due to a justified reason (such as illness, death of a first-degree relative, or an accident) and provide official documentation to the Degree Coordination will be entitled to take the assessment on another date. The Degree Coordinator will arrange this with the instructor of the affected course.
• Description of the Retake Process:
• For grades obtained in retake activities to be considered for final grades, students must have been assessed in a set of standard activities equivalent to at least two-thirds of the total course grade. Thus, a student will receive a "Not Evaluable" grade if the sum of the maximum grades of all standard assessable activities (before retakes) is less than 67% of the total course grade.
• Any grade obtained in retake activities will replace the grade from the corresponding standard activity, regardless of whether the original grade was higher or lower. Retake activities will apply to standard assessments equivalent to at least 50% of the total course grade. Therefore, the parts of the course affected by the retake process will be the grades for Exams 1 and 2 (50% of the total grade). The practicals, assignments, and problem-solving components are not eligible for retakes. Retake activities will be open-book, allowing access to personal class-written notes, but laptops, internet or informatic tools will not be allowed
• Students opting for grade improvement in the retake process will be excluded for "highest honours" (Matrícula d'Honor) assignment
• To avoid unnecessary printing of assessment materials or reserving spaces for retake activities that may not be needed, students interested in retakes must communicate their intention to attend at least 48 hours before the scheduled retake via the Virtual Campus. Only students who have given such notice will be admitted to the retake activity. If no students request to participate, the retake will be canceled.

The commission of any irregularity in an assessment activity (academic fraud, plagiarism, or improper use of AI, unless such use is explicitly authorized in the course guide) that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade will result in that assessment activity being awarded a grade of 0 (zero). If the course guide establishes that obtaining a minimum grade in that assessment activity is an essential requirement to pass the course, or if multiple irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for the course will be 0 (zero). Furthermore, independently of these academic consequences, disciplinary proceedings may be initiated against any student who commits any of these irregularities.