Chemical biology is the application of chemical tools and ideas to biological and medical problems. This programme is designed to build on an existing knowledge of chemical structure and reactivity to give you a thorough grounding in contemporary chemical biology and drug discovery as well as introducing you to topics from the research frontier.
You’ll be taught by experts from across the Astbury Centre in chemical biology, biophysics and medicinal chemistry using a "problem-based" approach. Visiting lecturers from the pharmaceutical industry will share their expertise in industrially-relevant applications of chemical biology and drug design with you.
Bridging the gap between your undergraduate degree in a core subject, and interdisciplinary research in chemical biology, you’ll develop the skills to solve real-life research problems, benefitting from a multi-million pound investment in fantastic research facilities. Rather than focusing on a single discipline, you’ll learn to use either chemical or biological approaches to tackle the problem in hand.
Royal Society of Chemistry Accreditation
The University of Leeds launched the first taught MSc degree in Chemical Biology in the UK. The course was one of the first two MSc courses in the UK to receive accreditation from the Royal Society of Chemistry; graduates from the programme with an appropriate first degree in chemistry satisfy the academic requirements for the award of Chartered Chemist (CChem) status.
The Organic Chemistry: Drug Discovery MRes at UCL offers students the opportunity to follow an integrated course of research and interdisciplinary study. Students gain outstanding training in synthetic organic chemistry applied to drug design, together with a breadth of experience in several areas of synthetic methodology and chemical biology.
The programme provides a thorough foundation in drug design, advanced organic synthesis and biological chemistry, together with modules on research techniques, professional development and entrepreneurship. Students will carry out a substantial research project on organic/medicinal chemistry or chemical biology over a ten-month period.
MRes students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of five core modules (75 credits) and a research project /dissertation (105 credits).
Core modules
Students take five 15-credit modules including two Master's-level chemistry modules, one transferable/research skills module, one analytical chemistry module, and one professional development module.
Optional modules
There are no optional modules for this programme.
Dissertation/report
Students will undertake a laboratory-based research project lasting 10months. An interim report is submitted after five months, and at the end of the project each student writes a dissertation, gives a short presentation and has a viva voce examination.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, problem classes, workshops and projects. Assessment is through unseen written examination, coursework, project reports and presentations.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Organic Chemistry: Drug Discovery MRes
Students can be self-funded or find sponsorship from funding agencies such as research councils, the European Union, industry or charities.
There are also a number of Graduate School Scholarships and departmental bursaries and prizes available.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
The MRes has been developed in response to the needs of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors for highly qualified students as leaders in the discovery of new medicines. The pharmaceutical sector is a major employer in the UK and high-quality graduates with an understanding of the sector are always in demand. Our recent graduates have taken up PhD positions, are working in industry and have entered teacher training.
This degree involves a cutting-edge research project in the laboratory a member of research staff at UCL Chemistry. This is one of the leading research departments in the UK with staff undertaking world-leading research in all areas of chemistry and chemical biology.
This specialisation involves studying the design and synthesis of complex molecular systems, and addressing challenging problems, such as wound healing and drug delivery. At the interface of biology and chemistry you will get a solid foundation in modern synthetic organic chemistry, physical organic chemistry and chemical biology. This multidisciplinary knowledge is essential for industries of the future, where chemistry and the life sciences become more and more intertwined. As a Chemistry for Life Master's student you will obtain the knowledge and skills you need to develop the next generation of medicines.
The Master’s specialisation in Chemistry for Life is taught at the Faculty of Science. It has a course load of 120 EC* (two years). The track consists of:
- 15 EC of compulsory courses
- 15 EC of electives
- Two internships of in total total 90 EC
If you can handle the studyload and want to add another course to personalise your Master’s programme, you are certainly free to do so.
You can either follow the above-mentioned research Master's specialisation as a whole (2 years), or you can combine the first year of the research track with an additional year of one of three societal Master’s specialisations, namely:
- Science in Society
- Science, Management and Innovation
- Science and Education (in Dutch only)
* European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)
The workload of an academic year is equivalent to 60 European credits (EC), where 1 EC point is 28 hours of study. This system allows you to check whether the courses you have followed in a particular year (along with other activities that earn credits) meet the European requirements.
In order to take part in the programme, you need to have fluency in English, both written and spoken. Non-native speakers of English without a Dutch Bachelor’s degree or VWO diploma need one of the following:
- TOEFL score of ≥575 (paper based) or ≥90 (internet based);
- An IELTS score of ≥6.5;
- Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE) or Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE), with a mark of C or higher
Career perpectives of chemical biologists are very broad: our graduates work in the pharmaceutical, biotech and life sciences industries. High tech start-ups are also an option. There are numerous opportunities for PhD positions, including at the national Graduate School in Chemical Biology.
We stimulate our Master's students to develop a critical mind and a problem solving attitude. Some of them will become the next generation of top scientists, all of them will have a job within a few months after graduation:
- 40% become PhD students at a university
- 60% work at a research institute, in the (bio)chemical industry or in one of our spin-off companies
- A small proportion do not work in science but for instance as a policymaker at a governmental organisation.
Teachers and researchers at Radboud University are very open and approachable for students, and the student-teacher ratio is low. The teachers also introduce you to their research: the knowledge from their lab is your course material. During your internships, you'll get to know them even better, as you'll become member of one of their research groups.
Research internships can be performed at the Institute of Molecules and Materials (IMM), the Radboud Institute of Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), or other institutes and companies. Possible research subjects are:
- Drug delivery using nanocapsules
- Developing hydrogels for wound healing
- Designing new responsive biocompatible materials
- Unraveling the structure and function of proteins
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/chemistryforlife
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 programme aims to train students in the fast-growing area of synthetic biology, a discipline which takes the knowledge and understanding we now have of the individual parts of biological systems and uses them in a defined way to design and build novel artificial biological systems.
Students develop an understanding of the areas involved in synthetic biology, including engineering principles, mathematical modelling, advanced molecular biology, microbiology, biochemical engineering and necessary chemistry. Modules also provide the necessary skills for acquisition and critical analysis of the primary scientific literature and transferable research development skills. The programme includes a major research project that will provide in-depth training in synthetic biology research methods.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits.
The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits) and an extended research project (120 credits).
Core modules
Optional modules
There are no optional modules for this programme.
Dissertation/report
All students undertake an independent laboratory-based extended research project which culminates in a dissertation of 15,000–18,000 words.
Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through lectures, seminars and tutorials, combining research-led and skills-based modules. The taught modules are assessed by assignments and coursework. The research project is assessed by an oral presentation, submission of a dissertation and is subject to oral examination.
Further information on modules and degree structure is available on the department website: Synthetic Biology MRes
The Synthetic Biology MRes will qualify students to go on to work in the growing number of small companies engaged in synthetic biology both here in London and across the UK and the world. There are many large companies that are building their own synthetic biology potential and some of our students are already working with these groups. Our students often go on to do further research in PhDs and EngDs globally. Our graduates have practical experience of generating novel research with our unique facilities that makes them of great value to employers and collaborators.
Recent career destinations for this degree
Employability
Synthetic biology is a fast growing area of research and will have a major economic and social impact on the global economy in the coming decades. The involvement of molecular biologists, biochemists, engineers, physical scientists, chemists and biologists can create designed cells, enzymes and biological modules that can be combined in a defined manner. These could be used to make complex metabolic pathways for pharmaceuticals, novel hybrid biosensors or novel routes to biofuels. A future integration of biological devices and hybrid devices as components in the electronics industry might lead to a whole new high value industry for structured biological entities.
UCL is recognised as one of the world's best research environments within the field of biochemical engineering and synthetic biology as well as biological and biomedical science.
UCL Biochemical Engineering is in a unique position to offer tuition and research opportunities in internationally recognised laboratories that carry out synthetic biology research, and an appreciation of the multidisciplinary nature of synthetic biology research.
Students on this MRes programme undertake a major research project where topics can be chosen spanning the expertise in six departments across UCL.
Chemistry is the central science enabling a healthy future in a sustainable society. During this master's programme you will learn to take a fundamental approach in finding tailored solutions for complex societal problems in human health and environmental issues.
The aim of this two-year programme is to train you as an independent scientist and to develop the necessary skills and proficiency to advance your career. The master’s programme in Chemistry offers you access to cutting edge research. The research is concentrated in two major research areas:
Read more about our Chemistry programme.
Find more reasons to choose Chemistry at Leiden University.
The programme is open for students with an internationally recognized bachelor’s degree in chemistry or a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in chemistry. Chemistry is the right master’s programme for you if you are interested in fundamental chemistry and applied research. You will be trained for a career in research within or outside academia. You can also choose a specialisation where you combine one year of Chemistry research with one year of training in business, communication or education.
Read more about the entry requirements for Chemistry.
This one-year programme at the University of Edinburgh will immerse you in the most current developments in chemical engineering, through a combination of taught modules, workshops, a research dissertation, and a number of supporting activities delivered by the key experts in the field.
The programme will develop from fundamental topics, including modern approaches to understanding properties of the systems on a molecular scale and advanced numerical methods, to the actual processes, with a particular emphasis on energy efficiency, to the summer dissertation projects where the acquired skills in various areas are put into practice, in application to actual chemical engineering problems.
The programme develops from compulsory courses, emphasizing modern computational techniques and research methods, to a range of options. It is complemented by a strong management and economics component, culminating in a research project leading to a masters thesis.
Compulsory Courses
Optional Courses
Students must select one of the following courses during semester one:
Plus, five or six courses (depending on the weighting of the course) from the options listed below in semester two:
On completion of the research dissertation, the students will be able to:
Our graduates enjoy diverse career opportunities in oil and gas, pharmaceutical, food and drink, consumer products, banking and consulting industries. Examples of the recent employers of our graduates include BP, P&G, Mondelēz International, Doosan Babcock, Atkins, Safetec, Xodus Group, Diageo, Wood Group, GSK, Gilead Sciences, ExxonMobil, Jacobs, Halliburton, Cavendish Nuclear to name a few. This wide range of potential employers means that our graduates are exceptionally well placed to find rewarding and lucrative careers. According to the Complete University Guide, the chemical engineering programme at the University of Edinburgh is ranked one of the top in the UK in terms of graduates prospects.
Find out more about career opportunities:
The MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering may also lead to further studies in a PhD programme. With the 94% of our research activity rated as world leading or internationally excellent (according to the most recent Research Excellence Framework 2014), Edinburgh is the UK powerhouse in Engineering. As an MSc student at Edinburgh you will be immersed in a research intensive, multidisciplinary environment and you will have plenty of opportunities to interact with PhD, MSc students and staff from other programmes, institutes and schools.
Find out more about our research:
Study a Masters in biological or chemical sciences at one of the UK's leading universities
