This is a full-time 1 year MSc programme suitable for biomedical or life scientists who wish to acquire an extensive knowledge and key skills relating to the fundamental molecular and cellular regulation of immunity and its application to the treatment of disease. The programme will be delivered by world leaders at the forefront of immunology and immunotherapy research, each with an internationally renowned research group.
Over the past few years significant advances have been made in our understanding of the molecular and cellular control of immune responses. These discoveries are now being translated into the design and testing of immunotherapeutic interventions for a range of diseases including cancer, autoimmunity and inflammatory disease. This programme is for biomedical or life scientists who wish to extend their knowledge and skills in both immunology and its translation to immunotherapy.
A series of interlinked taught modules cover molecular mechanisms in immune cell differentiation and function, autoimmunity, transplant and tumour immunology, and inflammation. This is complemented by comprehensive coverage of the latest developments in immunotherapy including the use of microbial products in immunomodulation and vaccination, small molecules and biologics, as well as cellular immunotherapy.
The programme aims to allow you to understand the research process, from the fundamental discoveries at the forefront of immunological research, to the application of novel interventional immune-based therapies.
A key part of the MSc programme is the planning, execution and reporting of a piece of independent study leading to submission of a dissertation. This study will be in the form of an extensive laboratory research project carried out in internationally renowned research groups. Each student will be a fully-integrated member of one of the large number of research teams in a wide variety of topics across both immunology and immunotherapy. We also plan to offer some projects within external biotechnology companies.
As a Birmingham student, you will be joining the academic elite and will have the privilege of learning from world-leading experts, as well as your peers. From the outset you will be encouraged to become an independent and self-motivated learner. We want you to be challenged and will encourage you to think for yourself.
This programme is delivered via teaching from Monday to Friday approximately 9am-5.00pm, with only a few hours of direct face-to-face contact each day to allow time for independent learning. During the first part of the research project you will have a single day of taught element modules, with the remaining days carrying out their research. Once the taught modules have been completed the project will be full-time.
You will have access to a comprehensive support system that will assist and encourage you, including personal tutors and welfare tutors who can help with both academic and welfare issues.
Students who complete this MSc programme will have an in-depth up-to-date knowledge of this rapidly advancing field and will have developed the key skills required to either pursue a PhD in these areas or significantly improve their employability for the biomedical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industrial sectors.
Careers Support for Postgraduate Students
Careers Network – We can help you get ahead in the job market and develop your career
We recognise that as a postgraduate student you are likely to have specific requirements when it comes to planning for your next career step. Employers expect postgraduates to have a range of skills that exceed their subject knowledge. Careers Network offers a range of events and support services that are designed for all students, including postgraduates looking to find their niche in the job market. The Careers Network also have subject specific careers consultants and advisers for each College so you can be assured the information you receive will be relevant to your subject area. For more information visit the Careers Network website.
Help improve human or animal health through creating new or more effective drugs and medicines. Learn the research processes used to identify drug targets and develop new therapeutics.
Your studies will combine the biological sciences with chemistry, giving you the skills to target, design, synthesise, create and assess new drugs. You'll also learn about protecting intellectual property, assessing the financial viability of drugs and the pre-clinical and clinical trial processes.
Tailor your studies to your strengths, interests and career goals. You'll learn a mix of academic and practical skills that are closely aligned to the needs of industry.
The Master of Drug Discovery and Development is best suited to very able students with backgrounds in chemistry or relevant life-science subjects such as biochemistry, biomedical science, pharmacy or pharmacology. It is an intensive one-year taught programme, unique in New Zealand.
Learn from academics and professionals who are leaders in the field and have experience in successfully taking drugs to market. Each course is taught by at least three academics so you'll be exposed to a wide range of expertise.
Drug Discovery and Development is taught by the Schools of Chemical and Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences in collaboration with the University's Ferrier Research Institute and the Centre for Biodiscovery.
You'll be able to take advantage of the research expertise of the Ferrier Research Institute in drug design and development, and if you're doing a Master's, you'll be working alongside the more than 30 scientists who make up the largest carbohydrate research team in the world. The Institute also has its own manufacturing facility so you'll have the opportunity to observe the drug development process from discovery to product.
You'll also benefit from the programme's links with the Centre for Biodiscovery where you will interact with the research teams that are actively discovering, designing and assessing novel bioactive compounds.
Get wise to the real-world issues facing pharmaceutical development and make the most of the hard-earned experiences of staff who have worked in the local and international biotech industry. Learn not only how to handle chemicals on a large scale, but to develop the mindset to do this in a way that is safe, reliable and robust—so you end up providing medicines that will change people’s lives.
Victoria offers three postgraduate qualifications in Drug Discovery and Development. Choose the one that suits your career goals, time constraints and financial situation.
If you begin by enrolling in the Certificate or Diploma programme you can continue on to complete your Master's. Or if you enrol in the Master's but can't complete it, for whatever reason, you may have completed enough points to be awarded a Certificate or Diploma.
Each qualification includes the core courses DRGD 401 Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, and a choice between DRDG 402 Drug Design or CHEM 421 Organic Chemistry and Bio-organic Chemistry.
After that you'll choose from selected courses from the study areas of Drug Discovery and Development, Biomedical Science, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Clinical Research and Microbiology.
All three qualifications give you the opportunity to do at least some research.
Postgraduate Certificate
You'll complete four courses worth 60 points made up of the two core courses and two further choices.
Postgraduate Diploma
You're likely to take seven courses that will include the two core courses, your elective options and the 30-point Research Preparation course.
Master's
You'll study for your Master's in two parts over three trimesters. In Part 1, the first two trimesters, you're likely to take seven courses that will include the core courses and a 30-point Research Preparation course.
In Part 2, you'll complete a full research project. Choose between DRDG 561 Applied Research Project, where you'll complete one or more problem-solving projects, or DRGD 590 Research Project, where you'll focus on medicinal chemistry and the formulation of active pharmaceutical products. In some cases you may be able to replace the research project with the thesis course DRGD 595.
Your Master's may be endorsed with a specialisation in either Drug Discovery, Drug Development or Chemical Biology. Check the requirements to find out what you need to do for these.
You can expect a workload of 40–45 hours a week for much of your studies.
The MDDD can be completed in 12 months full time, or in two years of part-time study but you'll need to discuss this option with the programme directorfirst. The Diploma will take you two trimesters and the Certificate one trimester.
You'll study at Wellington's Kelburn campus where you will have access to state-of-the-art research facilities. Students doing a research programme will also work in partnership the world-renowned Ferrier Research Institute in Lower Hutt.
Be part of a dynamic and collaborative scientific research community. Past students' research areas in drug discovery and development have included:
Become part of an active community of scientists. Postgraduate study at Victoria will help you build valuable relationships and networks with peers, university staff and future colleagues. You'll have unprecedented access to world industry leaders who visit as guest lecturers and run seminars with students.
You'll have the broad skills you need to work in drug discovery in companies, universities, research institutes or with drug regulatory authorities. You might work within the pharmaceutical, bioanalytical or chemical industries, or take your skills into nutraceuticals or agrichemicals.
This MRes Cancer Biology course will give you advanced knowledge of cellular systems. You will learn about the pathogenesis of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and kidney fibrosis, along with an exploration of current approaches to cancer gene therapy and immunotherapy.
Visit us on campus throughout the year, find and register for our next open event on http://www.ntu.ac.uk/pgevents.
Immunology is linked to our ability to remain healthy and free of disease - fighting off infections and disease and understanding our genetic factors and risk factors in inheriting disease. You look at behavioural factors and their links to disease to understand protection methods and you go into the detail of bioinformatics and genomics to understand DNA and analyse within practical research when you test for specific issues such as stress, hunger and so on and responses in the body.
The programme is designed for you to develop your academic knowledge of immunology and its relevance to disease with analysis and research skills designed to enhance your career prospects, or continue to PhD. You can use your training within educational establishments to apply training, work in patents, science outreach and public engagement.
Focusing on the relevance of the immune response in the maintenance of health and development of disease, graduates will be able to attain the intellectual and practical skills needed to address both theoretical and technical aspects of modern biomedical research.
In common with the other molecular biosciences Masters courses, the MSc in Immunology & Immunotherapy builds on recent advances in genomics to understand the generation of immunological diversity at a cellular level, how this imparts variability in immune responses at the individual and population level and the relevance of the immune system in disease areas such as autoimmunity, cancer, allergy and microbial infections.
You may also be interested in the Scottish Innovation Centres research and enterprise work with companies in Scotland to find out more about the possibilities in this area of health science and spin-out research going on from Aberdeen and other universities:
Semester 1
Semester 2
Find out more detail by visiting the programme web page
Find out about fees:
*Please be advised that some programmes have different tuition fees from those listed above and that some programmes also have additional costs.
View all funding options on our funding database via the programme page
Find out more about:
Find out more about living in Aberdeen and living costs
We invite postgraduate research proposals in a number of disease areas that impact significantly on patient care. We focus on exploring the mechanisms of disease, understanding the ways disease impacts patients’ lives, utilising new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques and developing new treatments.
As a student you will be registered with a University research institute, for many this is the Institute for Cellular Medicine (ICM). You will be supported in your studies through a structured programme of supervision and training via our Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate School.
We undertake the following areas of research and offer MPhil, PhD and MD supervision in:
Newcastle hosts one of the most comprehensive organ transplant programmes in the world. This clinical expertise has developed in parallel with the applied immunobiology and transplantation research group. We are investigating aspects of the immunology of autoimmune diseases and cancer therapy, in addition to transplant rejection. We have themes to understand the interplay of the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory responses by a variety of pathways, and how these can be manipulated for therapeutic purposes. Further research theme focusses on primary immunodeficiency diseases.
There is strong emphasis on the integration of clinical investigation with basic science. Our research include:
We also research the effects of UVR on the skin including mitochondrial DNA damage as a UV biomarker.
This area emphasises on translational research, linking clinical- and laboratory-based science. Key research include:
Focus is on applied research and aims to underpin future clinical applications. Technology-oriented and demand-driven research is conducted which relates directly to health priority areas such as:
This research is sustained through extensive internal and external collaborations with leading UK and European academic and industrial groups, and has the ultimate goal of deploying next-generation diagnostic and therapeutic systems in the hospital and health-care environment.
There is a number of research programmes into the genetics, immunology and physiology of kidney disease and kidney transplantation. We maintain close links between basic scientists and clinicians with many translational programmes of work, from the laboratory to first-in-man and phase III clinical trials. Specific areas:
We have particular interests in:
Novel non-invasive methodologies using magnetic resonance are developed and applied to clinical research. Our research falls into two categories:
Our studies cover a broad range of topics (including diabetes, dementia, neuroscience, hepatology, cardiovascular, neuromuscular disease, metabolism, and respiratory research projects), but have a common theme of MR technical development and its application to clinical research.
We focus on connective tissue diseases in three, overlapping research programmes. These programmes aim to understand:
This research theme links with other local, national and international centres of excellence and has close integration of basic and clinical researchers and hosts the only immunotherapy centre in the UK.
Genetic approaches to the individualisation of drug therapy, including anticoagulants and anti-cancer drugs, and in the genetics of diverse non-Mendelian diseases, from diabetes to periodontal disease, are a focus. A wide range of knowledge and experience in both genetics and clinical sciences is utilised, with access to high-throughput genotyping platforms.
Our scientists and clinicians use in situ cellular technologies and large-scale gene expression profiling to study the normal and pathophysiological remodelling of vascular and uteroplacental tissues. Novel approaches to cellular interactions have been developed using a unique human tissue resource. Our research themes include:
We also have preclinical molecular biology projects in breast cancer research.
We conduct a broad range of research activities into acute and chronic lung diseases. As well as scientific studies into disease mechanisms, there is particular interest in translational medicine approaches to lung disease, studying human lung tissue and cells to explore potential for new treatments. Our current areas of research include:
Our research projects are concerned with the harmful effects of chemicals, including prescribed drugs, and finding ways to prevent and minimise these effects. We are attempting to measure the effects of fairly small amounts of chemicals, to provide ways of giving early warning of the start of harmful effects. We also study the adverse side-effects of medicines, including how conditions such as liver disease and heart disease can develop in people taking medicines for completely different medical conditions. Our current interests include: environmental chemicals and organophosphate pesticides, warfarin, psychiatric drugs and anti-cancer drugs.
Our new School of Pharmacy has scientists and clinicians working together on all aspects of pharmaceutical sciences and clinical pharmacy.
Aspiring to contribute to the development of new therapies for metabolic, infectious and immunological diseases or cancer? Radboud University's internationally acclaimed Research Master's programme in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease provides an excellent foundation for a career in academic or commercial research.
Only by dissecting the molecular mechanisms that trigger and advance diseases and dysfunctions can we design effective treatments and medicines. The Research Master's in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease (MMD) offers you an intensive two-year programme that provides you with in-depth knowledge and research experience of disease-related molecular mechanisms. In addition, you will acquire skills such as academic writing and presentation skills and learn how to successfully apply for grants and market yourself.
As an MMD student you will be part of the unique research community that is found within the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS). Like you, RIMLS researchers have a strong passion for research. They will assist you throughout the programme with guidance and expertise, supporting you in acquiring knowledge and developing excellent research skills. The RIMLS is one of the research institutes of the Radboud university medical center, so their research is closely linked to the clinic and thus aimed at translating results into treatments for patients. Examples include the translation of insights into the biology of antigen-presenting cells into new immunological cancer therapies and understanding the mutations underlying blindness into the development of gene therapies for patients with inherited blindness.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/mmd
- You will follow a broad biomedical programme that allows you to specialise in your specific field-of-interest.
- You will have intense daily contact with established researchers.
- You will participate in group-oriented education and be part of a small group of highly motivated national and international students.
- A personal mentor will help you to reflect on your study programme and career perspective.
- You will do two 6-months research internships one of which will be abroad.
- There is a 92% pass rate of MMD students within the two years.
- International MMD students can apply for scholarships from the Radboudumc Study Fund.
There is considerable demand for experts in the molecular biomedical sciences as well as in their application to the development of treatments for diseases such as cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory disorders, and metabolic diseases.
Graduates in MMD are equipped with cutting-edge knowledge of multidisciplinary research in the mechanisms of disease and in state-of-the-art diagnostic methods and technologies. During the programme, you will develop a highly critical, independent approach to problem-solving. You will also acquire the basic management skills needed to lead R&D projects in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.
Most of our graduates will enter an international PhD programme to continue with research in academia or industry.
The MSc Molecular Mechanisms of Disease aims to provide all skills and knowledge necessary to rapidly enter an international PhD programme. In the Netherlands and many places in Europe, it is impossible to start a PhD programme directly after obtaining a Bachelor's degree. This research Master’s programme seriously increases your chances for obtaining an excellent PhD training position by giving you a mature perspective and a broad range of experimental approaches. In fact, over 90% of our graduates has started a (funded) PhD project.
The Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS) recruits about fifty PhD students a year. MMD graduates are excellent candidates for these positions. Furthermore, the Radboud university medical centre offers the opportunity for its research-oriented Master's students to write their own research project. The best candidates are awarded a fully funded four-year PhD studentship at the department of their choice.
The molecular regulation of cellular processes is crucial for human development, and maintenance of health throughout life. It's evident that cellular malfunction is the cause of common multi-factorial diseases such as diabetes, immune and inflammatory disorders, renal disease, cardiovascular, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases as well as obesity and cancer.
The Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS) Graduate School plays a key role in developing new therapies for the fight against such diseases. RIMLS aims to improve diagnostics and develop new treatments by generating basic knowledge in the molecular biomedical life sciences and translating it into clinical application and experimental research in patients.
The RIMLS – which is part of Radboud university medical center – offers an exclusive Master's programme in Molecular Mechanisms of Disease. Top researchers and clinicians teach the programme.
The MMD programme is organised along three major educational themes which reflect the main research areas present in the RIMLS and which each include both a fundamental and a disease-related aspect:
- Theme 1 Infection, Immunity and Regenerative Medicine / Immunity-related Disorders and Immunotherapy
- Theme 2 Metabolism, Transport and Motion / Metabolic Disorders
- Theme 3 Cell Growth and Differentiation / Developmental Disorders and Malignancies
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/mmd
The course will allow you to expand your understanding of immunology, immunopathology and immunotherapy, to further develop skills in analytical approaches to immunodiagnosis and molecular therapeutics, as well as enhance your competence in the design and execution of a laboratory based project. You will be able to take a proactive role in research, development, evaluation and implementation of current immunological techniques while perceiving the subject in the broader perspective of health care and scientific progress.
The scope of the modules included will ensure a breadth of knowledge appropriate for the scientific and professional needs of practising immunologists, at the same time making use of your knowledge and experience. This course is designed so that you can plan your own taught programme to match your interests and experience by combining core and optional modules with emphasis on therapeutics, diagnostics, haematology or public health.
The following modules are indicative of what you will study on this course.
Core modules
Option modules
The course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).
The course has been designed to provide professionals with a broad range of skills in immunology, immunopathology and immunotherapy. Successful completion of the course will enhance your career prospects in education, in PhD programmes, in academia, research institutes, as well as in pharmaceutical and related industries. UK part-time students are normally employed in hospital or NHSBT laboratories or in research establishments.
You will develop a range of transferable skills that will enhance your employment prospects and research opportunities in the UK or overseas.
As an international student with experience in biomedical sciences, following completion of their studies, you will be able to return to your home country to pursue research opportunities or promotion, seek employment as research technician, biomedical scientist, scientific or medical technical officer or research assistant. You may also seek jobs in industry, research or healthcare or apply for further training (biomedical or clinical scientist routes).
We need well-trained and creative minds to help us solve public health problems of the future. Do you see yourself tackling the increasing incidences of allergies and autoimmune disease, working on emerging infections such as Ebola and MRSA? Would you spend your time on developing personalised medicine to treat cancer or chronic inflammatory diseases? Join our programme!
This Master’s programme gives you the knowledge and research expertise needed to solve the public health problems of the future. Emerging infectious are a threat to human and animal well-being and an increasing number of allergies and chronic inflammatory diseases have a major impact on individuals and society as a whole. Knowledge of the immune system provides us with potential health care solutions for cancer, transplantation and downregulation of a hyperactive immune system as for example in rheumatoid arthritis. By training students in the field of Infection and Immunity, this programme contributes to accumulation of knowledge that is directly or indirectly leading to faster diagnosis of diseases and better treatment options.
This Master’s programme will give you a firm foundation in the field of infection and immunity and covers a variety of topics such as fundamental and clinical immunology, vaccines, immunotherapy, mechanisms of infectious diseases, molecular epidemiology of infections, virulence factors of microorganisms, and resistance to treatment.
Infection, immunity, and the role of microflora in human and animal welfare is one of Utrecht University’s core research areas and the Graduate School of Life Sciences is home to a large number of world-leading research groups working in this field. Utrecht’s life science campus comprises over 50 Infection and Immunity groups in the field of human and animal health covering the whole range from molecular biology to population level. This two-year research Master's offers an unique combination of studying Immunology and infectious diseases in one comprehensive Master’s programme including extensive training in laboratory research skills. As a student you will have the opportunity to carry out two hands-on research projects at renowned research groups.
Infection and Immunity has intensive collaboration with international research institutes, allowing students to do their minor internship abroad at prestigious partner universities all around the world.
Read more on why in Utrecht
As a Master’s student of Infection and Immunity, you will take theory courses and seminars, as well as master classes led by specialists in the field. You will study molecular, cellular, and clinical aspects of pathogens and immune responses. During your six to nine month internships you work in a lively research environment during which you will gain hands-on experience of biomedical research in Infection and Immunity. We believe that understanding both pathogens and host reactions provides deeper insight into the mechanisms of illness, so you will complete internships in both infection and immunity.
The annual scientific symposium is a particular highlight. This symposium is organised by Master’s students and features talks by international experts and poster presentations by second year Master’s Infection and Immunity students on their own areas of research.
Read more on our study programme
Translating fundamental biomedical discoveries into applied clinical practice and public health issues
Human Biology is the only specialisation in the Netherlands that combines fundamental human biology with clinical studies. It provides you with an extensive biological knowledge, and experience in working with animal and patient samples. In this way you’ll be trained to bridge the gap between early biomedical research results and clinical practice.
This wouldn’t be possible within the walls of the Faculty of Science. That’s why there’s an extensive collaboration between the Faculty of Science and the Radboud university medical center in the field of Human Biology. You’ll get the best of both worlds: a thorough background in for example molecular oncology, human genetics, physiology and metabolism as well as a clinical view on diseases. This is an excellent background for a medical researcher or a job at the interface of science and society, such as a consultant, policy officer or communications advisor in the area of food or health.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/humanbiology
- It is the only programme in the Netherlands that bridges the gap between fundamental biomedical research and clinical treatments.
- You’ll get the opportunity to work together with researchers from the Radboud university medical center.
- Radboud biologists and clinicians stand out in the fields of animal and human physiology, human genetics and disease, and molecular and cellular clinical studies.
- Clinical Biology offers internships at multiple related research institutes, such as the Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), the Radboud Institute for Health Sciences (RIHS) and the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour (DI).
- There are various opportunities to do an internship abroad thanks to our wide network of cooperating research groups.
After graduation, our students quickly take up positions as researchers in government departments, research organisations and medical or pharmaceutical companies. However, many of our graduates also apply their academic background to societal issues, for example as a communications or policy officer. In general, clinical biologists end up as a:
- Researcher in a hospital or a university
- Researcher in a company, either a large or a start-up company
- Supervisor of clinical trials
- Consultant in the area of health or food
- Policy officer in the area of health or food
- Communications officer at a hospital or a governmental organisation, like RIVM
- Teacher in biology or medical biology
PhD positions at Radboud University
Each year, Radboudumc offers PhD positions in this field of research. Of course, many graduates also apply for a PhD position at related departments in the Netherlands, or abroad.
- From human biology to clinical treatment
Human Biology at Radboud University connects fundamental biological research to clinical treatments. The courses will provide you with a solid background in human physiology and molecular biology, which you’ll apply in developing clinically-oriented research questions. As there’s an extensive collaboration between the Faculty of Science and the Radboud university medical center, you’ll become familiar with both perspectives.
- Biomaterials
In your internships you’ll work with biomaterials, such as patient and animal samples. This means you’ll apply your biological knowledge to real-life situations. Clinical biologists do not work with patients or clinical treatments directly.
- Three focus areas
This Master’s specialisation focuses on three main topics:
- Molecular Mechanisms of Novel Therapeutics
Which molecular mechanisms lead to cancer? And how can these be translated into clinical practice? These are key questions in the specialisation in Human Biology. For example, we’ll dive into the functioning of epigenetics (heritable modifications of chromosomes without altering the nucleotide sequence), transcription factors, tumour suppressors and immunotherapy.
- Human Genetics and Physiology
This part is about how new developments and discoveries in genetic and molecular fields can help individual patients to improve functionality, independence and quality of life. You’ll study genetic pathways and the functionality of individual organs, organ systems, regulatory mechanisms, and individuals as a whole, in an integrative way.
- Metabolism, Transport and Mobility
The energy balance in our body is one of the most important factors in health and disease. We’ll teach you how energy and metabolites are integrated into the larger cellular networks for metabolism, transport and motility.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/humanbiology
