Engineering organisms and processes to generate the products of the future
Many everyday products are generated using biological processes. Foods such as bread, yoghurt and beer rely upon microscopic organisms to generate their structure and flavour. Many drugs are made using cells, such as insulin used to treat diabetes and many anticancer chemotherapy drugs. In the future, more products will be made using biological processes as they are typically ‘greener’ than traditional chemical processes – they are less energy intensive and generate fewer harmful chemical by-products. Biological processes are also responsible for many environmentally-friendly biofuels, which aim to reduce fossil fuel use.
Biological processes are key to many UK companies, from small contract manufacturers of protein and DNA drugs to large companies making fuels, commodity chemicals, foods and plastics. Biochemical engineering is an area that is essential to UK, European and Worldwide industrial development.
This is a highly multidisciplinary subject, requiring the integration of engineering and bioscience knowledge. If you are interested in pursuing a career in industrial biotechnology, biochemical engineering, biotechnology or bioprocessing, then this programme will provide you with the basic knowledge and skills required. Optional modules expand your horizons to include specific product areas (such as pharmaceuticals) and other skills required for a career in the area (such as business skills).
Birmingham is a friendly School which has one of the largest concentrations of chemical engineering expertise in the UK. The School is consistently in the top five chemical engineering schools for research in the country.
It has a first-class reputation in learning, teaching and research, and is highly placed in both The Guardian and The Times league tables.
Biochemical Engineering concerns the use of biological organisms or processes by manufacturing industries. It is a multidisciplinary subject, requiring the integration of engineering and bioscience knowledge to design and implement processes used to manufacture a wide range of products; from novel therapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies for treating cancer, vaccines and hormones, to new environmentally-friendly biofuels. It is also essential in many other fields, such as the safe manufacture of food and drink and the removal of toxic compounds from the environment..
This course will provide you with the skills you need to start an exciting career in the bioprocess industries, or continue research in the area of bioprocessing or industrial biotechnology.
Industry involvement
Academics working at Birmingham have strong links with industry, through collaborative projects, so allow students to make contact with companies. Graduates from the MSc programme have gone on to careers in biochemical engineering world-wide, in large and small companies working in diverse areas.
There are also guest lectures from academics working at other institutions.
Practical experience
You will gain practical experience of working with industrially applicable systems, from fermentation at laboratory scale to 100 litre pilot scale, in the Biochemical Engineering laboratories. Theory learned in lectures will be applied in practical terms. In addition, theoretical aspects will be applied in design case studies in a number of modules.
All MSc students complete a summer research project, working on a piece of individual, novel research within one of the research groups in the school. These projects provide an ideal experience of life as a researcher, from design of experimental work, practical generation of data, analysis and communication of findings. Many students find this experience very useful in choosing the next steps in their career.
Special Features
The lecture courses are supplemented with tutorials, seminars and experimental work. Industrial visits and talks by speakers from industrial and service organisations are also included in the course programme.
Pilot Plant
The Biochemical Engineering building houses a pilot plant with large-scale fermentation and downstream processing equipment. The refurbished facility includes state-of-the-art computer-controlled bioreactors, downstream processing equipment and analytical instruments
Course structure
The MSc is a 12-month full-time advanced course, comprising lectures, laboratory work, short experimental projects and a research project. You will take an introductory module, four core modules, and then choose 50 credits of optional themed modules. The course can also be taken on a part-time basis. The Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) lasts for 8 months from the end of September until June.
For the first eight months you have lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. Core module topics include:
There are numerous optional modules available across three themes:
From June to September you gain research training on your own project attached to one of the teams working in the bioprocessing research section.
Related links
The MSc is a 12-month full-time advanced course, comprising lectures, laboratory work, short experimental projects and a research project. You will take an introductory module, four core modules, and then choose 50 credits of optional themed modules. The course can also be taken on a part-time basis. The Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) lasts for 8 months from the end of September until June.
For the first eight months you have lectures, tutorials and laboratory work. Topics include:
You also have practical experience of working in the newly-refurbished pilot plant of the Biochemical Engineering building
From June to September you gain research training on your own project attached to one of the teams working in the bioprocessing research section.
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.
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:
With an emphasis on the application of knowledge and skills to real-world challenges, the course is designed for graduates looking to prepare themselves for a career in the biotechnology field, as well as for those in relevant employment. You will be able to use our excellent laboratories, such as analytical and fermentation facilities (plus a molecular biology research laboratory), to carry out advanced studies in applied microbiology and related aspects of biotechnology. You will gain experience of applying up-to-date scientific knowledge in these areas to industrial situations and the analysis of environmental problems. Through a substantial research project, you will develop high-level skills in cutting-edge technologies, strengthen your problem-solving abilities and study a topic of your choice in greater depth. This modular course incorporates methods of sampling, analysis and data handling, investigation management, critical appraisal of literature, and the communication of scientific ideas.
Typical modules may include:
Career paths vary from technical to managerial in the areas of general microbiology, environmental science, medical science and biotechnology (including pharmaceuticals). Many students progress to postgraduate research at academic or private sector institutions or embark on science teaching careers.
Unique in New Zealand
The breadth and depth of Massey University’s postgraduate microbiology programme is unique in New Zealand.
Find out more about the Master of Science parent structure.
The Massey University Master of Science (Microbiology) is a multi-disciplinary postgraduate qualification that will give you the research skills to move up the hierarchy of your career, or move onto more in-depth research.
You will learn from world-leading specialists in microbiology and related areas like biochemistry, genetics, biotechnology, food science, plant pathology, immunology and epidemiology.
At Massey we use a diverse range of molecular, cellular, plant and animal model tools to investigate the molecular biology of diseases. We also use metagenomics and other advanced genomic technologies to study microbial communities in the environment, including those that may be health threat if found in food or medical environments.
Our biomedical interests are diverse. We research the mechanisms of neurological, skeletal and muscular disorders, infectious microbial diseases and cancer.
Facilities available to you include our microscopy and imaging centre, genomics and dna sequencing facility, protein analysis suite (mass spectroscopy, x-ray crystallography, nmr), bioreactors and fermentation facilities.
Microbiology is an essential science that helps us understand the microbes in the environment, including those that dwell in the soil, air and water, in our food and inside people, animals and plants.
Understanding microbiology can:
You will gain the advantage of learning in a multi-disciplinary environment. Massey has world-leading expertise in many areas of science, especially veterinary, animal, health and environmental science. You can take advantage of this for your learning and research to look at microbiological sub-disciplines, such as environment/ecology, food and biotechnology.
During your study you will gain a contemporary, relevant view of microbiology which is in line with topical research and developments in the area. You will be exposed to the latest discoveries and research.
There is a well-established community of fundamental scientists and students involved in a broad range of microbiological and microbiology-inspired research at Massey. We work together to share discoveries and research and provide peer support.
Postgraduate study is hard work but hugely rewarding and empowering. The workload of the Master of Science (Microbiology) replicates the high-pressure environment of senior workplace roles.
Postgraduate study is not just ‘more of the same’ as undergraduate study. Our experts are there to guide but if you have come from undergraduate study, you will find that postgraduate study demands more in-depth and independent study. It takes you to a new level in knowledge and expertise especially in planning and undertaking research.
This master's programme incorporates knowledge from various sectors (food, biomedical, pharmaceutical, environmental, etc.) to provide a well-rounded graduate-level curriculum in biomechanical engineering. In addition to fundamental (bio)chemical-scientific course units, you will take courses in socio-economics (company management, economics) and biotechnology (engineering, separation techniques, fermentation technology, molecular biology techniques, industrial biochemistry and microbiology, environmental technology, bioreactor design, etc.). A flexible cross-campus elective package and a master's thesis conducted in either a research-specific or industrial context enable you to focus your studies according to your specific interests and career goals.
Medical Bioengineering option
This option relates to biotechnological developments in the medical sector. Knowledge of human physiological systems (the cardiovascular system, neurophysiology, etc.) and medical engineering techniques form the foundation of developments in the area of artificial organs, tissue engineering, biomaterials, bioelectronics and new diagnostic techniques (microarray technology, PCR technology).
Add an in-company or project-based learning experience to your master's programme
You can augment your master's programme with the Postgraduate Programme Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Engineering. This programme is made up by a multifaceted learning experience in and with a company, with an innovative engineering challenge as the central assignment. It is carried out in a team setting, has a distinct international dimension, and usually requires a multidisciplinary approach. Entrepreneurs and students alike are encouraged to innovate, transfer knowledge and grow. It is a unique cross-fertilisation between company and classroom.
International Campus Group T
The Faculty of Engineering Technology maintains close ties with universities around the world. At Campus Group T, more than 20% of the engineering students are international students. They represent 65 different nationalities from all over the world. This international network extends not just to Europe, but also to China, Southeast Asia, India, Ethiopia and beyond.
Campus Group T is the only campus of the faculty who offers all the degree programmes in the business language par excellence: English. The language is ubiquitous both inside and outside the classroom. If you've mastered English, you feel right at home. And if you want to explore more of the world, you can do part of your training at a university outside Belgium as an exchange student.#
This is an initial master's programme and can be followed on a full-time or part-time basis.
This master's programme brings students to the advanced level of knowledge and skills that is associated with scientific work in the broad sense, and more particularly to those areas of the engineering sciences that are related to biochemistry. The programme seeks to offer a broad academic training in biochemistry and biochemical technology, with a distinct emphasis on production, quality management and research in the food industry and related sectors.
Degree holders are able to apply the acquired scientific knowledge independently in a broad social context. Furthermore, they have the necessary organisational skills to hold executive positions.
Our graduates find broad employment opportunities in the food and biotechnology sector, the environmental sector, the pharmaceutical industry and in the life sciences. On completion of the programme, you will be equipped with the skills to lead and coordinate industrial production units and research, analysis and screening laboratories in technical-commercial, administrative and educational environments.
