Doctor of Philosophy

Required courses must be taken for a letter grade, if letter grades are offered.

The Stanford Cancer Institute’s (SCI) Comprehensive Cancer Research Training Program (CCRTP) is a two-and-a-half-day program inviting learners to participate in cancer research lectures and discussions. The program’s curriculum consists of plenary and half-day sessions on two scientific themes, each featuring three to four presentations. Speakers include nationally and internationally renowned Stanford faculty who will expound on current topics of basic, translational, and clinical cancer research.

SCI invites learners from all levels, including undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students (residents, clinical fellows, research fellows), and junior faculty, to attend. Individuals from the School of Medicine, School of Engineering, and the School of Humanities and Sciences are highly encouraged to participate. External students are welcome and highly encouraged to participate as well. Other opportunities during CCRTP include poster sessions where learners can showcase research work through a poster session and networking with faculty, colleagues, and other peers. At the end of the program, we ask for feedback through a post-event survey to further improve the curation of topics and your experience.

Students should participate in CCRTP during autumn quarter of their first year.

Complete at least 6 units in elective courses in the first year. Additional courses may be taken in the second year. Electives must be taken for a letter grade, if letter grades are offered.

A minimum of three one-quarter laboratory rotations are required of all new students during the first year. Students must choose a thesis advisor before the end of summer quarter, first year, but not before the end of spring quarter. Two lab rotations must be done in CBIO 399 with the Cancer Biology Faculty. Students may rotate the third rotation with any faculty member outside the program.

You can find information about our participating faculty’s research interests on the faculty directory page opens in a new tab.

Students undertake investigations sponsored by individual faculty members. Cancer Biology PhD students must register when they begin dissertation-related research work.

Besides coursework, students must do a single qualifying exam based on the student’s thesis proposal in their second year. The qualifying examination aims to determine the student’s preparedness to pursue research on a thesis topic, explore whether potential problems have been considered, assess the student’s ability to think, and evaluate the student’s familiarity with relevant background information and alternative experimental approaches.

The exam consists of an NIH-style written grant proposal and an oral examination. The examining committee includes three faculty members from the Cancer Biology Program but does not include the student’s thesis advisor. The student and thesis advisor chooses the composition of this committee, and it must be submitted to and approved by the Program Directors before it is finalized. If necessary, one non-Cancer Biology faculty member may be substituted to provide specific scientific expertise relevant to the student’s proposal. The written and oral proposal should represent the student’s efforts to identify a question of interest and to develop appropriate experimental approaches. The proposal must be submitted to committee members no later than ten days before the examination. The first page is a Specific Aims page, and other sections include Background-Signifance and Research Plan (including a discussion of alternative approaches). The qualifying exam must be done before the end of December of the second year. If necessary, one retake will be permitted before the end of summer quarter, second year.

A University Oral Examination is also required for the PhD degree. In the Cancer Biology Program, the PhD candidate presents a public seminar (one hour), followed by a closed-door oral examination. The University Oral Examination Committee consists of at least four examiners and a chair from a different academic department than the student’s advisor. The chair may be a faculty member in the Cancer Biology Program, provided they are not in the same academic department as the student’s advisor. All members of the Committee are usually members of the Academic Council, and the oral examination chair must be. With the prior approval of the Program Director or School Dean, one of the examiners may be a person who is not a member of the Academic Council if that individual contributes expertise not readily available from the Stanford faculty. Official responsibility for selecting the oral examination chair rests with the Department. Cancer Biology delegates this to the student and dissertation advisor.

The major accomplishment of each successful PhD student is the presentation of a written dissertation resulting from an independent investigation that contributes to knowledge in cancer biology.  

Annual Dissertation Committee Meetings

In year three, each student must hold an annual dissertation committee meeting to assess progress toward the degree and for the committee to provide advice. 

In the fourth year and beyond, students are required to meet with their committees twice a year.

The Annual Dissertation Committee Meeting Form opens in a new tab should be completed and signed by all committee members attending each meeting. The forms should be returned to Cancer Biology Program Office.