Advancing AI Literacy Lessons

When Cells Misbehave: Cancer Research with AI

Biology | 9-12
Duration: 70 minutes
Author: Dr. Vashunda Warren, STEM Teacher and High School Principal

In this lesson, students will explore how normal cell differentiation keeps tissues healthy and what happens when this process goes wrong, leading to cancer. Through case studies and AI-generated summaries, they’ll analyze how artificial intelligence supports cancer research and treatment strategies. The class will also debate ethical implications of using AI in medicine, weighing benefits against potential risks. This lesson connects biology concepts to real-world applications, encouraging critical thinking about science and technology.

Lesson Plan Series

  1. AI Meets Medicine: A New Lens on the Cell Cycle
  2. Cracking the Code: DNA Replication with AI Insights
  3. When Cells Misbehave: Cancer Research with AI
  4. Hacking the Cell Cycle with AI

Lesson Objectives

  • Differentiate normal cell differentiation (specialization) from dysregulated cell cycles that can culminate in cancer, using case evidence.
  • Analyze AI‐generated case summaries about oncology to identify oversimplifications, uncertainty, and missing context; propose corrections.
  • Appraise ethical, equity, and access considerations of AI in cancer screening/treatment and argue a position supported by evidence.
  • Synthesize biological and ethical insights into a short, evidence‐based brief or discussion claim.

Essential Questions

  • Why does cellular specialization matter for multicellular organisms, and how can breakdowns in regulation lead to cancer?
  • Who benefits—and who might be left out—when AI informs healthcare decisions, and how should we respond?

Digital Resources

Lesson Plan

Assessment Rubric

Comparison Chart Template

Instructional Considerations