Dive into the fundamentals of neural networks with this comprehensive lecture by Debarka Sengupta, part of the "Theoretical Approaches in Cancer Progression and Treatment" program organized by the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences. Explore the application of neural networks in cancer research, understanding how these computational models can be leveraged to analyze complex biological data and potentially revolutionize cancer treatment approaches. Learn about the basic architecture of neural networks, their training processes, and how they can be applied to interpret and utilize diverse data sources in cancer studies. This nearly two-hour lecture serves as an excellent introduction for researchers, students, and professionals interested in the intersection of artificial intelligence and cancer biology, providing a solid foundation for further exploration of mathematical and computational approaches in cancer research.