The Master in Applied Biotechnology aims to prepare students with scientific, technical and human skills to develop applied research and management activities in the field of Biotechnology.
This course intends to provide students with advanced training in the field of Biotechnology to apply in the development and implementation of projects in the areas of pharmaceutical biotechnology, food biotechnology and marine biotechnology.
During the second year of the course, the student will carry out a research on a specific topic, which will be compiled in an internship / project /dissertation. The successful defense of this internship / project /dissertation will lead to a Master´s degree.
All information related to the international student application should be consulted on our International Students webpage.
Our established programme in Biotechnology, which has been extensively updated, includes a wide range of modern molecular biology techniques and how biotechnology can be used by today's society. You will complement your theoretical studies with hands on experience of fully controlled fermenters that are up to pilot-plant scale, and are linked to modern monitoring and control systems.
You will study a range of subjects in considerable depth, including bioactive compounds, industrial bioprocesses, microbial physiology and fermentation technology, microbial production of novel metabolites, monitoring and control of fermentation, topics in biotechnology, and types of bioreactors.
Our facilities include:
Students normally find employment in the biotechnology industry e.g.
We have links with Sekisui Diagnostics, an international company that manufactures enzymes for diagnostic purposes and students get the opportunity to visit their facilities and experience first-hand how an industrial scale bioprocess operates.
Biotechnology is defined as the industrial exploitation of living organisms or the exploitation of components derived from these organisms. Its practical applications include age-old techniques such as brewing and fermentation, which are still important today. In recent decades, gene modification has revolutionized the biotechnology industry, spawning countless new products and improving established processes.
More and more types of fermentation are being used, and most new medicines are products of biotechnology. Modern biotechnology has become an applied area of science with a multidisciplinary approach embracing recombinant DNA technology, cellular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, as well as process design, engineering, modelling and control.
Biotechnology is a broad, multidisciplinary area of science. A Master of Science in Biotechnology is an expert in one (group of) discipline(s) and has to have sufficient knowledge and skills in other disciplines to cooperate with experts from the other disciplines. Therefore, students specialise during the Master programme and learn how to solve complex biotechnological problems in a multidisciplinary team.
On the programme of Biotechnology page you can find the general outline of the programme and more detailed information about courses, theses and internships.
Within the master's programme you can choose one of the following Specialisations to meet your personal interests.
The first job after graduation, obtained by Msc biotechnologist, is often localised at a research institute or an university in- or outside The Netherlands. It usually concerns a research project or, more detailed, a PhD project: more than 50% of the graduated biotechnologist becomes PhD. Although most graduates choose for a career in science about 1/3 also starts in functions as engineer or technical expert. Read more about career perspectives and opportunities after finishing the programme.
Related programmes:
This programme offers an expansion of our already successful MSc Biotechnology into industrial biotechnology and business management. It is jointly run with Adam Smith Business School.
There are two semesters of taught material and a summer session working on a project or dissertation. September entry students start with management courses and January entry students with biotechnology courses.
Semester 1
You will be based in the Adam Smith Business School, developing knowledge and skills in management principles and techniques. We offer an applied approach, with an emphasis on an informed critical evaluation of information, and the subsequent application of concepts and tools to the core areas of business and management.
Core courses
Semester 2
You will study biotechnology courses, which aim to enhance your understanding of using biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life. These courses will provide training in state-of-the-art biotechnology applications what have resulted in ground-breaking developments in the areas of medicine, pharmaceuticals, agriculture and food production, environmental clean-up and protection and industrial processes.
Core course
Optional courses
Project or dissertation
If you are studying for an MSc you will undertake individual project in the summer period (May–August). This will give you an opportunity to apply and consolidate the course material and enhance your ability to do independent work, as well as present results in the most appropriate format. Project options are closely linked to staff research interests.
The aims of the courses are to
This programme will prepare you for a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industrial sectors or for entry into PhD programmes.
The programme aims to provide students with training and learning opportunities in the skills and specialised knowledge needed to equip them for a career in biotechnology, molecular biotechnology or molecular biology, in particular in industry.
Practical skills will include sessions on fermentation, molecular biology, immunology, cell biology and protein chemistry, and you will go on to complete a major, supervised laboratory or computer-based research project.
The programme aims to provide students with training and learning opportunities in the skills and specialised knowledge needed to equip them for a career in biotechnology, molecular biotechnology or molecular biology, in particular in industry.
Programme content
Modules (all core) are as follows:
Module descriptions can be found here
Learning and teaching is via lectures, workshops, independent study, laboratory practicals, research and a lab-based project.
Skills gained
Transferable skills gained via this programme will include written and oral presentation skills, statistics, and the ability to plan and write a grant application or a business plan. Subject-specific skills will include key techniques used in molecular biotechnology, specialist knowledge in theoretical and practical aspects of the subject, including: process engineering, molecular biology, functional genomics, 'omics' technologies, protein expression systems and antibody engineering. Practical skills will include fermentation, molecular biology, immunology, cell biology and protein chemistry.
Careers
While many graduates will go on to employment in biotechnology companies, you will also be employable in other life sciences industries or able to go on to further study and research.
Related links
School of Biosciences website: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/biosciences
The MSc Molecular Biotechnology will provide you with the skills and specialised knowledge required for a career in biotechnology, molecular biotechnology or molecular biology, in particular within an industry setting.
Overall our aim is to equip you with a theoretical and practical background needed to apply your knowledge to biotechnology problems. We focus on key techniques used in molecular biotechnology, including aspects of process engineering, molecular biology, functional genomics, 'omics' technologies, protein expression systems and antibody engineering.
Practical skills will include sessions on fermentation, molecular biology, immunology, cell biology and protein chemistry, and you will go on to complete a major, supervised laboratory or computer-based research project. The course provides the opportunity to develop your writing and presenting skills and you will also study relevant numerical methods, and learn how to plan and write a grant application or a business plan.
What can I do with an MSc in Molecular Biotechnology?
Graduates from this programme will be well-placed for future careers in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biomedical and other science-based industries, many of which are undergoing a period of rapid international growth.
The programme was designed in consultation with a senior scientist in a global pharmaceutical company, and includes relevant applied elements such as modules on product development and business plans, in addition to those covering the scientific aspects of the subject.
Whether you are a new graduate or already employed and seeking to further your career prospects, this course offers a solid career development path. You can also choose this course if you wish to pursue research in biotechnology at PhD level.
Biotechnology is the application of biological processes and is underpinned by • cell biology • molecular biology • bioinformatics • structural biology. It encompasses a wide range of technologies for modifying living organisms or their products according to human needs.
Applications of biotechnology span medicine, technology and engineering.
Important biotechnological advances including
You gain
The course is led by academics who are actively involved in biotechnology research and its application to the manipulation of proteins, DNA, mammalian cells and plants. Staff also have expertise in the use of nanoparticles in drug delivery and the manipulation of microbes in industrial and environmental biotechnology.
You are supported throughout your studies by an academic advisor who will help you develop your study and personal skills.
What is biotechnology
Biotechnology is the basis for the production of current leading biopharmaceuticals and has already provided us with the 'clot-busting' drug, tissue plasminogen activator for the treatment of thrombosis and myocardial infarction. It also holds the promise of new treatments for neurodegeneration and cancer through recombinant antibodies.
Genetically modified plants have improved crop yields and are able to grow in a changing environment. Manipulation of cellular organisms through gene editing methods have also yielded a greater understanding of many disease states and have allowed us to understand how life itself functions.
You begin your studies focusing on the fundamentals of advanced cell biology and molecular biology before specialising in both molecular and plant biotechnology. Practical skills are developed throughout the course and you gain experience in molecular biology techniques such as PCR and sub cloning alongside tissue culture.
Core to the program is the practical module where you gain experience in a range of techniques used in the determination of transcription and translational levels, for example.
All practicals are supported by experienced academic staff, skilled in the latest biotechnological techniques.
Research and statistical skills are developed throughout the program. Towards the end of the program you apply your skills on a two month research project into a current biotechnological application. Employability skills are developed throughout the course in two modules.
The masters (MSc) award is achieved by successfully completing 180 credits.
The postgraduate certificate (PgCert) is achieved by successfully completing 60 credits.
The postgraduate diploma (PgDip) is achieved by successfully completing 120 credits.
Core modules:
Optional modules :
As students progress through the course they are exposed to a wide range of teaching and learning activities. The assessment strategy of the postgraduate course considers diverse assessment methods. Some modules offer dedicated formative feedback to aid skills development with assessments going through several rounds of formative tutor and peer feedback. Summative assessment methods are diverse, with examinations present in theory-based modules to test independent knowledge and data analysis. Several modules are entirely coursework-based, with a portfolio of skills such laboratory practical's and research proposals generated throughout the course forming the summative tasks. In all cases, the assessment criteria for all assessed assignments are made available to student prior to submission.
The course is suitable for people wishing to develop their knowledge of molecular and cell biotechnology and its application to solving health and industrial problems.
You can find career opportunities in areas such as
Students on this course have gone on to roles including experimental officers in contract research, research and development in scientists, diagnostics specialists and applications specialists. Many of our graduates also go on to study for PhDs and continue as academic lecturers.
Investigate the effects of pathogens on the body, the intricacies of the human immune system and the impact of infections. You will explore current topics in medical microbiology and biotechnology, studying specific global health issues and the involvement of biotechnology in medicine, and you will collaborate with experts in our new Centre for Biomedical Science Research.
You will be trained in research methods and study science communication across a range of media. You will gain advanced laboratory expertise across a number of key areas, learning techniques including immunoassays, protein analysis and spectrophotometry as well as developing your expertise in molecular virology and molecular biology. Guided by tutors and working as part of a research team you will carry out a detailed research project chosen from a range of microbiological areas.
Research Excellence Framework 2014
Research Excellence Framework 2014: twice as many of our staff - 220 - were entered into the research assessment for 2014 compared to the number entered in 2008.
You will spend a considerable proportion of your time in a hands-on environment, spending over 200 hours within the biomedical science laboratories, completing practicals and working on a specific research project that interests you and aligns with our expertise.
We will give you access to Class 2 microbiology facilities, along with cell culture and micro-electric fabrication equipment. With our new dedicated biomedical sciences research laboratory (opened in 2013) you will be able to conduct project work in a dedicated research environment and will benefit from an enhanced range of equipment.
You'll benefit from working with a first class teaching team. One of our lecturers, Dr Margarita Gomez Escalada, developed internationally-recognised research data on treating acne using the ingredient thyme, with a student who performed all the practical tests for her project.
You will be able to go into a range of careers, including those within pharmaceutical companies, food manufacturing, chemical facilities or developing further investigative and innovative research. A move into a more senior position will be available to you, such as senior researcher or laboratory analyst roles, where you would be involved in designing research projects and analysing the data generated.
This Masters in Biotechnology programme provides you with an advanced practical knowledge of biotechnology and molecular genetic technologies underpinning modern biotechnology and how they can be applied to solve real world problems. The programme offers training in a broad range of topics including environmental biotechnology, synthetic biology, plant engineering, stem cell therapies and vaccine development.
The programme is made up of five teaching modules and a dissertation project. Each module explores different aspects of biotechnology. The dissertation allows you to specialise the degree through a chosen field of research. You will undertake this project with the support and guidance of your chosen academic expert.
The aims of these five course are to
This programme will prepare you for a career in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industrial sectors or for entry into PhD programmes.
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