STEM Classroom Toolkits

Cancer and Biomedical Engineering

Explore the biology of cancer, and how a targeted approach avoids some of the damaging side effects of traditional chemotherapy

The Lesson

This activity asks students to consider the biology of cancer, and to use the information they research to produce a document summarising their main points. Dr Eleanor Stride is developing a treatment for cancer that encloses cancer treating drugs in bubbles that can be directed by magnetic fields to the cancer site before releasing the drug using ultrasound. This targeted approach avoids some of the damaging side effects of traditional chemotherapy, which is untargeted, and results in healthy cells being destroyed.

What is Provided

There is a full set of hand-picked resources to go with this lesson including teacher and student sheets.

Curriculum links

Curriculum links include cancer, chemotherapy, uses of ultrasound, targeted drug delivery, growth and development of cells, non-communicable diseases in humans, cell biology.

SUBJECT(S) Careers, Engineering, Science, Biology
AGEPUBLISHED 2017


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These teaching parts were developed in partnership with STEM Learning.

STEM Learning Ltd operates the National STEM Learning Centre and Network; providing support locally, through Science Learning Partnerships across England, and partners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; alongside a range of other projects supporting STEM education.