Masters Degrees (Protein Engineering)

Chemical & Biological Engineering is a discipline that integrates chemistry and biology at the molecular level and uses this broad foundation along with engineering fundamentals to study the synthesis of new processes and products. Our graduate program in Chemical and Biological Engineering is an interdisciplinary program that combines chemical engineering fundamentals and systems biology to meet the research challenges of the future.

Current faculty projects and research interests:

• Drug Discovery
• Tissue Engineering
• Plant Biotechnology
• Protein-Protein Interactions
• Protein Folding
• Process Dynamics, Control and Optimization
• Systems Engineering
• Catalysis
• Supercritical Fluids
• Synthesis of Nanostructured Materials
• Fuel Cells and Sustainable Development
• Computational Fluid Dynamics
• Polymer Science and Engineering

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Biomedical Engineering is at the forefront of medical research, applying biotechnology and engineering to solve a wide range of medical problems. The overall aim is to create new products and medicines that advance our understanding of biology and improve healthcare.

When you join this course, you will start by learning about cell and molecular biology before focusing on genomic and systems’ data, cell visualisation and protein localisation in cells and tissues.

You will also study methods to create three-dimensional cultures and tissues.

Visit the website: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/courses/postgraduate/next-year/biomedical-engineering

Course detail

• Study with tutors who possess wide ranging research experience in each subject area, and with specialists from external academic institutions, industry or government agencies
• Explore those areas of biological science that offer clear commercial applications in future healthcare developments, and learn how technology and engineering can be used to treat human disease
• Develop the ability to synthesise and use information from relevant sources, and independently and critically evaluate current research and advanced scholarship
• Gain the practical, hands-on knowledge and expertise that will equip you with the skills necessary for employment within emerging areas of the Biotech and Pharmaceutical industries
• Benefit from a wide choice of laboratory based research projects using state-of-the-art technologies and instruments, working under the supervision of dedicated research-active staff.

Modules

• Cell and Molecular Biology
• Computational Biology
• Medical Imaging and Cryobiology
• Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering
• Laboratory Based Research Project (Biomedical Engineering)

Assessment

Assessment is undertaken in all units of the course to check that you have met (or are working towards meeting) the threshold standards expected of all students.

Each unit of study has three summative assessment points and when each is marked you will be provided with feedback that is designed to show you where you are meeting/exceeding the standards and where/how you can/should make further improvement.

Careers

In addition to developing your specialist knowledge and understanding, there is emphasis on developing your approach and attitude to working by emphasising and encouraging the professional standards expected by employers. This is supported by a departmental seminar programme, which includes speakers from industry who will give you an insight into what they expect from employees.

The University also has a programme of seminars and workshops designed to help you recognise and boost the attributes expected and appreciated by employers. This is supplemented by trips and visits.

The University also has a programme of internal and external internships that provide excellent opportunities to gain additional work experience.

Funding

For information on available funding, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/money/scholarships/pg

How to apply

For information on how to apply, please follow the link: https://www.beds.ac.uk/howtoapply/course/applicationform

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This course offers advanced training for biological, chemical and physical scientists (pure and applied) for careers in the pharmaceutical, food/nutrition, health-care, biomedical, oil and other important industries or as a basis for entry to MRes or PhD.

Biomolecular Technology underpins the production of drug delivery systems, the making of healthier food products, the design of health-care products, the making of antisera and vaccines - and even the efficient extraction of oil from the harsh environment of a deep well: these are among the biotechnology processes which depend in fundamental terms on our ability to handle giant molecular complexes of living origin. Furthermore, molecular biologists and chemists are now increasingly able to ‘engineer’ new types of proteins and complexes over and beyond those which 3 billion years of evolution have provided.

Industry needs skilled personnel capable of understanding how these molecules may be used in an industrial context and the processes of gene cloning and protein engineering.

It is taught by the School of Biosciences in conjunction with the University's Schools of Pharmacy, Biomedical Sciences and Clinical Sciences and The School of Biosciences at the University of Leicester. Experts from local and national industry also contribute, ensuring access to the latest developments in the field.

A 3 month industrial placement module offers an exciting opportunity to discover first hand the needs of modern industry and provides advanced training for employment and further academic studies.
By suitable arrangement non-UK students can do this in their normal country of residence.

Applicants should hold first degrees at honours level in any Biological, Chemical or Physical Science subject (e.g. Biochemistry, Chemistry, Pharmacy, Genetics, Food Sciences, Plant Sciences, Physics). Suitably motivated candidates with Engineering or Mathematics degrees will also be considered.

A number of scholarships and European bursaries may be available.

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This programme will give you hands-on practical experience of both laboratory and bioinformatics techniques. You will also be trained in biotechnology research strategies. A strong practical foundation is provided in the first semester (Semester A) when you study two modules: 'Cellular Molecular Biology' and 'Core Genetics and Protein Biology'. These modules concentrate on the basic principles and the techniques used in modern molecular biology investigations, and on aspects of cellular molecular biology and development.

The second semester (Semester B) has a problem-based learning approach to the application of the knowledge you gained in Semester A. You will study two modules: 'Industrial Biotechnology' and 'Molecular Biotechnology'. These modules will give you an in depth understanding of the application of molecular biological approaches to the production of industrial and medicinal proteins. You will also learn how to apply and design industrial and environmental biotechnology processes, such as process kinetics and design, reactor design and oxygen transfer, sterilization kinetics and the application of biotechnology processes for the bioremediation of contaminated sites.

In the third semester (Semester C) you undertake a research project to develop your expertise further. The research project falls into different areas and may include aspects of fermentation biotechnology, genetic manipulation and protein engineering, bioinformatics, microbial physiology and environmental biotechnology.

Why choose this course?

-This course gives in-depth knowledge of biotechnology and molecular biology for biosciences or biological chemistry graduates
-It has a strong practical basis giving you training in biotechnology research strategies and hand-on experience of laboratory and bioinformatics techniques
-It equips you for research and development positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as a wide range of non-research roles in industry
-Biosciences research facilities cover fermentation biotechnology, high performance liquid chromatography, (HPLC), cell culture, molecular biology and pharmacology
-There are excellent facilities for chemical and biomedical analysis, genetics and cell biology studies and students have access to the latest equipment for chemical synthesis and purification, PCR, qPCR and 2D protein gel analysis systems for use during their final year projects
-The School of Life and Medical Science will move into a brand new science building opening in September 2015 providing us with world class laboratories for our teaching and research. At a cost of £50M the new building provides spacious naturally lit laboratories and social spaces creating an environment that fosters multi-disciplinary learning and research

Careers

On successful completion of the programme you will be well qualified for research and development positions in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, to progress to a research degree or to consider non-research roles in industry such as management, manufacturing and marketing.

Teaching methods

The course consists of five modules including a research project:
-Cellular Molecular Biology
-Core Genetics and Protein Biology
-Industrial Biotechnology
-Molecular Biotechnology
-Biosciences Research Methods for Masters
-Research project

All modules are 100% assessed by coursework which includes in-course tests.

Structure

Core Modules
-Biosciences Research Methods for Masters
-Cellular Molecular Biology
-Core Genetics and Protein Biology
-Industrial Biotechnology
-Molecular Biotechnology
-Project-Mol Biology, Biotechnology, Pharmacology

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Have you ever wondered how the latest life science discoveries - such as a novel stem cell therapy - can move from the lab into commercial scale production? Would you like to know whether it is possible to produce bio-polymers (plastics) and biofuels from municipal or agricultural waste? If you are thinking of a career in the pharma or biotech industries, the Biochemical Engineering MSc could be the right programme for you.

Degree information

Our MSc programme focuses on the core biochemical engineering principles that enable the translation of advances in the life sciences into real processes or products. Students will develop advanced engineering skills (such as bioprocess design, bioreactor engineering, downstream processing), state-of-the-art life science techniques (such as molecular biology, vaccine development, microfluidics) and essential business and regulatory knowledge (such as management, quality control, commercialisation).

Three distinct pathways are offered tailored for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers. Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. The programme offers three different pathways (for graduate scientists, engineers, or biochemical engineers) and consists of core taught modules (120 credits) and a research or design project (60 credits).

Core modules for graduate scientists
-Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
-Bioprocess Synthesis and Process Mapping
-Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control
-Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
-Fluid Flow and Mixing in Bioprocesses
-Heat and Mass Transfers in Bioprocesses
-Integrated Downstream Processing
-Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing

Core modules for graduate engineers
-Advanced Bioreactor Engineering
-Bioprocess Validation and Quality Control**
-Cellular Functioning from Genome to Proteome
-Commercialisation of Bioprocess Research
-Integrated Downstream Processing
-Mammalian Cell Culture and Stem Cell Processing
-Metabolic Processes and Regulation
-Structural Biology and Functional Protein Engineering
-Bioprocess Microfluidics*
-Bioprocess Systems Engineering*
-Bioprocessing and Clinical Translation*
-Cell Therapy Biology*
-Industrial Synthetic Biology*
-Sustainable Bioprocesses and Biorefineries*
-Vaccine Bioprocess Development*

*Core module for graduate biochemical engineers; **core module for both graduate engineers and graduate biochemical engineers

Research project/design project
All MSc students submit a 10,000-word dissertation in either Bioprocess Design (graduate scientists) or Bioprocess Research (graduate engineers and graduate biochemical engineers).

Teaching and learning
The programme is delivered through a combination of lectures, tutorials, and individual and group activities. Guest lectures delivered by industrialists provide a professional and social context. Assessment is through unseen written examinations, coursework, individual and group project reports, individual and group oral presentations, and the research or design project.

Careers

The rapid advancements in biology and the life sciences create a need for highly trained, multidisciplinary graduates possessing technical skills and fundamental understanding of both the biological and engineering aspects relevant to modern industrial bioprocesses. Consequently, UCL biochemical engineers are in high demand, due to their breadth of expertise, numerical ability and problem-solving skills. The first destinations of those who graduate from the Master's programme in biochemical engineering reflect the highly relevant nature of the training delivered.

Approximately three-quarters of our graduates elect either to take up employment in the relevant biotechnology industries or study for a PhD or an EngD, while the remainder follow careers in the management, financial or engineering design sectors.

Top career destinations for this degree:
-Mechanics of Material, Imperial College London
-PhD Biochemical Engineering, University College London (UCL)
-Bio-Pharmaceutical Engineer, GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
-Associate Consultant, PwC
-Genetics Technician, Chinese Academy Of Sciences

Employability
The department places great emphasis on its ability to assist its graduates in taking up exciting careers in the sector. UCL alumni, together with the department’s links with industrial groups, provide an excellent source of leads for graduates. Over 1,000 students have graduated from UCL with graduate qualifications in biochemical engineering at Master’s or doctoral levels. Many have gone on to distinguished and senior positions in the international bioindustry. Others have followed independent academic careers in universities around the world.

Why study this degree at UCL?

UCL was a founding laboratory of the discipline of biochemical engineering, established the first UK department and is the largest international centre for bioprocess teaching and research. Our internationally recognised MSc programme maintains close links with the research activities of the Advanced Centre for Biochemical Engineering which ensure that lecture and case study examples are built around the latest biological discoveries and bioprocessing technologies.

UCL Biochemical Engineering co-ordinates bioprocess research and training collaborations with more than a dozen UCL departments, a similar number of national and international university partners and over 40 international companies. MSc students directly benefit from our close ties with industry through their participation in the Department’s MBI® Training Programme.

The MBI® Training Programme is the largest leading international provider of innovative UCL-accredited short courses in bioprocessing designed primarily for industrialists. Courses are designed and delivered in collaboration with 70 industrial experts to support continued professional and technical development within the industry. Our MSc students have the unique opportunity to sit alongside industrial delegates, to gain deeper insights into the industrial application of taught material and to build a network of contacts to support their future careers.

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Our environmental science research is multidisciplinary, including subjects ranging from biology to geography and geosciences. Supported by the global outlook and impact of the Newcastle Institute for Sustainability, you will have access to international experts, the latest facilities and a unique research support package to ensure your future success.

We offer MPhil supervision in the following subjects areas associated with environment science:

Applied and environmental biology

We conduct research on organisms and processes of commercial and environmental importance, embracing experimental approaches that encompass genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry and physiology. Our research provides evidence for the underlying molecular and physiological processes that affect animal behaviour and physiology.

Our research is driven by the desire to develop new biological systems that address health, food, energy and water security. The applied nature of our work has led to the launch of successful spin-out companies, such as Geneius. These companies offer graduate employment opportunities and make a substantial contribution to the local economy. The commercial applications that result from our research range from natural products discovery and creation of novel antimicrobials and biopesticides to sustainable methods of reducing food spoilage.

Based in the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability (NIReS), our research laboratories include well-equipped molecular laboratories for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) amplification, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and facilities for the production of novel recombinant proteins, including protein engineering. Microbiological laboratories are equipped to Category 2 standard. We have the latest equipment for profiling plant leaf gas exchange and light use efficiency, high performance liquid chromatography, fluorescence and light microscopy and easy access to central facilities for confocal and electron microscopy, DNA sequencing, microarray analyses and proteomics. We also have a suite of licenced controlled environment rooms for growing transgenic plants and for housing quarantine invertebrate pests.

Applied and environmental biology research is based in the School of Biology and led by academic staff with international reputations.

Environmental change and management

We study long-term system evolution and change, developing knowledge relating to the Earth's surface and the processes that form its structure and function. We also study how human behaviour impacts on these systems and influences sustainable management.

Based in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, you will be part of an active research community of nearly 200 social science researchers. We pride our research on being the highest academic quality with an international focus, underpinned by a concern for informing public debate and contributing to public policy formulation.

Research in physical geography is supported by a number of laboratories:
-Newcastle Cosmogenic Isotope Facility
-Geomorphology Laboratory
-Chemical, paleoecology and organic chemistry laboratories
-Spatial Analysis Laboratory

We have over 90 academic and research staff and we will ensure that your project is supervised by experts in your field.

Geosciences

Geoscience research at Newcastle is focused on:
-Biogeochemistry, with particular strength in microbial ecology, mineralogy, organic, inorganic and isotope geochemistry
-Geoenergy, reflecting a balance between fossil fuels as a critical energy resource and the move towards a lower carbon global economy

Our biogeochemistry and geoenergy research forms a strong multi-disciplinary group. We also have links to the engineering community through our work on microbial processes of significance to oil and gas production such as reservoir souring.

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This programme focuses on the integration of structural biology and bioinformatics approaches in order to understand the activity of proteins, including enzymes, antibodies and receptors, at a molecular level.

This understanding provides a platform for techniques such as structure-based drug design, biocatalysis and protein engineering, which are the basis for many recent advances in biotechnology.

The MSc programmes in Biology & Biochemistry are designed for students who wish to specialise further in a particular field or wish to change direction from their first degree (in a related area).If you already have extensive and relevant research experience and would like to specialise, you might consider an MRes programme (http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/taught-programmes/).

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/taught-programmes/msc-protein-structure-function/

Why study Biology and Biochemistry with us?

- Biology & Biochemistry ranked 2nd in the Sunday Times University Guide 2013
- 90% of our research judged to be internationally recognised, excellent or world-leading
- Our current research funding portfolio stands at £14 million, supporting internationally excellent research in the biosciences

What will I learn?

The aim of each of our MSc programmes in Biology and Biochemistry is to provide professional-level training that will develop highly skilled bioscientists with strong theoretical, research and transferable skills, all of which are necessary to work at the forefront of modern biosciences.

For further information please see our department pages (http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/)

Career opportunities

Since graduating, our students have gone on to employment or further research at institutions in the US, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.

Recent employers include:

Morvus-Technology Ltd
Janssen-Cilag
Royal United Hospital, Bath
Ministry of Defence
State Intellectual Property Office, Beijing
Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford University
AbCam
Salisbury Foundation Trust Hospital
BBSRC
Lonza

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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This programme involves the integration of structural biology and bioinformatics approaches in order to understand the activity of proteins, including enzymes, antibodies and receptors, at a molecular level. This understanding provides a platform for techniques such as structure-based drug design, biocatalysis and protein engineering, which are the basis for many recent advances in biotechnology.

The MRes provides a unique mix of taught components, extended laboratory projects, literature reviews and preparation of a grant proposal based on a research dissertation. It gives students an insight into a range of state-of-the-art research activities and techniques, and provides generic, transferable skills training needed for all early stage researchers. The programmes also address the scientific, ethical and commercial context within which the research takes place.

All of the MRes programmes can be studied as the first year of our Integrated PhD programme.

Visit the website http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/taught-programmes/mres-protein-structure-function/

Why study Biology and Biochemistry with us?

- Biology & Biochemistry ranked 2nd in the Sunday Times University Guide 2013
- 90% of our research judged to be internationally recognised, excellent or world-leading
- Our current research funding portfolio stands at £14 million, supporting internationally excellent research in the bioscience

What will I learn?

MRes degree programmes are designed for graduates who are contemplating a research career and who may go on to study for a PhD or to a position in industry involving interaction with research scientists.

If these do not apply, you might consider an MSc programme (http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/postgraduate/)

For further information please visit our department pages (http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/)

Career opportunities

Since graduating, our students have gone on to employment or further research at institutions in the US, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.

Recent employers include:

Morvus-Technology Ltd
Janssen-Cilag
Royal United Hospital, Bath
Ministry of Defence
State Intellectual Property Office, Beijing
Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford University
AbCam
Salisbury Foundation Trust Hospital
BBSRC
Lonza

Find out more about the department here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/bio-sci/

Find out how to apply here - http://www.bath.ac.uk/science/graduate-school/taught-programmes/how-to-apply/

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Our environmental science research is multidisciplinary, including subjects ranging from biology to geography and geosciences. Supported by the global outlook and impact of the Newcastle Institute for Sustainability, you will have access to international experts, the latest facilities and a unique research support package to ensure your future success.

We offer MPhil and PhD supervision in the following subjects areas associated with environment science:

Applied and environmental biology

We conduct research on organisms and processes of commercial and environmental importance, embracing experimental approaches that encompass genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry and physiology. Our research provides evidence for the underlying molecular and physiological processes that affect animal behaviour and physiology.

Our research is driven by the desire to develop new biological systems that address health, food, energy and water security. The applied nature of our work has led to the launch of successful spin-out companies, such as Geneius. These companies offer graduate employment opportunities and make a substantial contribution to the local economy. The commercial applications that result from our research range from natural products discovery and creation of novel antimicrobials and biopesticides to sustainable methods of reducing food spoilage.

Based in the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability (NIReS), our research laboratories include well-equipped molecular laboratories for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) amplification, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and facilities for the production of novel recombinant proteins, including protein engineering. Microbiological laboratories are equipped to Category 2 standard. We have the latest equipment for profiling plant leaf gas exchange and light use efficiency, high performance liquid chromatography, fluorescence and light microscopy and easy access to central facilities for confocal and electron microscopy, DNA sequencing, microarray analyses and proteomics. We also have a suite of licenced controlled environment rooms for growing transgenic plants and for housing quarantine invertebrate pests.

Applied and environmental biology research is based in the School of Biology and led by academic staff with international reputations.

Environmental change and management

We study long-term system evolution and change, developing knowledge relating to the Earth's surface and the processes that form its structure and function. We also study how human behaviour impacts on these systems and influences sustainable management.

Based in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, you will be part of an active research community of nearly 200 social science researchers. We pride our research on being the highest academic quality with an international focus, underpinned by a concern for informing public debate and contributing to public policy formulation.

Research in physical geography is supported by a number of laboratories:
-Newcastle Cosmogenic Isotope Facility
-Geomorphology Laboratory
-Chemical, paleoecology and organic chemistry laboratories
-Spatial Analysis Laboratory

We have over 90 academic and research staff and we will ensure that your project is supervised by experts in your field.

Geosciences

Geoscience research at Newcastle is focussed on:
-Biogeochemistry, with particular strength in microbial ecology, mineralogy, organic, inorganic and isotope geochemistry
-Geoenergy, reflecting a balance between fossil fuels as a critical energy resource and the move towards a lower carbon global economy

Our biogeochemistry and geoenergy research forms a strong multi-disciplinary group. We also have links to the engineering community through our work on microbial processes of significance to oil and gas production such as reservoir souring.

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Advances in technology depends more and more on the discovery and development of new materials having particular desired properties. In addition to mechanical strength, various structural, optical, electrical, magnetic and thermal properties are demanded from materials depending on the application. The field of Materials Science and Engineering investigates different classes of materials -metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials, biomaterials- with an emphasis on the relationships between the underlying structure and the processing, properties, and performance of the materials.
Understanding various material properties is the first step in finding ways to tailor these properties to meet some particular need or application, and for creating entirely new materials having particular desired properties. The M.S. program in Material Science & Engineering at Koç University is an interdisciplinary program with the objective of giving the students the fundamental physical and chemical knowledge required for material synthesis, structure-property characterization and processing; and complementing this with practical laboratory experience.

Current faculty projects and research interests:

• Nanostructured materials
• Photonics & laser materials
• Polymeric materials & composites
• Fuel cells & hydrogen storage materials
• Processing & device applications
• Protein biochemistry & biotechnology
• Micro-optics & micro-nano system Technologies

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Course Objective

The objective of this course is to introduce students to an inter-disciplinary approach to research, which utilises technologies and skills from a wide spectrum of scientific, engineering and clinical disciplines to address fundamental questions originating in biology and medicine. During the course students will carry out a number of practicals. They will be introduced to selected advanced experimental techniques used in biomedical science and industry. The techniques include:
DNA-microarray and RT-PCR, Immunostaining and Confocal Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy and Nano Hardness Tester, Mass Spectrometry, various chromatography methods and Infra-red spectroscopy.

Benefits of the Course

The programme offers the Biological Sciences graduate a means of achieving the mathematical, computational, and instrumentation skills necessary to work in biomedical science. Likewise the Physical Science/Engineering graduate will gain experience in aspects of cell biology, tissue engineering, and animal studies. The course work will draw mainly from courses already on offer to undergraduates in the Science faculty, but will also include new modules developed specifically for this course. Expertise from other research institutes and from industry will be used,where appropriate.

The course covers following areas:
Material Science and Biomaterials
Applied Biomedical Sciences
Cell & Molecular Biology: Advanced Technologies
Fundamental Concepts in Pharmacology
Human Body Structure
Protein Technology
Tissue Engineering
Bioinformatics
Radiation & Medical Physics
Molecular Medicine
Regulatory Compliance in Healthcare Manufacturing
Advanced Tissue Engineering
Introduction to Business
Scientific Writing

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the MSc in Biomedical Science with undergraduate degrees in engineering and science have gone on to work within the medical device and pharmaceutical industry, hospitals and academia.

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MSc Food Technology

Wageningen University is one of the leading centres in Food Science and Technology in Europe and the world. The history of the Food Technology programme at Wageningen University goes back more than 50 years; it is considered to be one of the best and most innovative programmes in its field in Europe. The programme focuses on aspects of production, composition and design of food products.

Programme summary

The Food Technology programme at Wageningen University has been in place for more than 50 years and is considered one of the best and most innovative programmes in its field in Europe. Wageningen University offers high-level courses and research in all areas of food science; ranging from advanced technical fields, such as Process Engineering or Chemistry, to fields with a more economic or sociological focus, such as Marketing and Gastronomy.

The Wageningen Food Science faculty is larger than that of any other European university. It includes professors and lecturers from a wide range of departments: Food Chemistry, Food Physics, Food Microbiology, Food Quality and Design, and Food Process Engineering. Food Technology covers nearly all aspects of food science and technology. As a result of being a very broad field, students are required to choose one of the specialisations offered.

Specialisations

Within the programme Food Technology you can choose your own specialisation that meets your personal interests.

Ingredient Functionality
This specialisation focuses on the composition of food, especially, on the role of various components, ingredients or structures in the quality and functionality of the final product. It deals with sensory, nutritive and textural aspects of foods in relation to their components. You major in Food Chemistry or Food Physics.

Product Design
While many new products are launched, not all succeed. This specialisation deals with the design and development of new or improved products. The focus is on the processes used in Food Technology, the design of new products from a consumer perspective and on modelling new product concepts/processes and predictive quality control. You major in Food Process Engineering or Food Quality and Design.

Food Innovation and Management
This specialisation combines courses in Food Technology with courses in Management Studies. It is intended for students who wish to work on product development in small businesses or who plan to start their own business. You will do a thesis in Management Studies and an internship in one of the Food Technology groups.

Food Biotechnology and Biorefining
This specialisation focuses on using micro-organisms or enzymes in food production. During this specialisation, you will learn about processes that can be used for biorefinery or agricultural raw materials. The focus is on biotechnological food production. You major in Food Microbiology, Food Chemistry, Food Process Engineering.

Dairy Science and Technology
This specialisation focuses on the dairy production chain. Its core programme consists of dairy-related courses and several additional courses, such as Food Components and Health, Advanced Fermentation Science and Predicting Food Quality. During the second year, you complete a dairy-related thesis research project and internship.

Sustainable Food Process Engineering
This specialisation focuses on the development of processes that are more efficient in their use of resources. Thesis can be carried out under the supervision of one of the following groups: Food Process Engineering; Operations Research and Logistics; Biobased Chemistry and Technology; or Food Quality and Design.

European Masters Degree in Food Studies
This international specialisation is developed in cooperation with the universities of Cork (Ireland), Lund (Sweden) and Agro-Paris Tech (Paris, France) as well as with ten large industrial partners. For more information see: http://www.eurmscfood.nl.

Gastronomy
This specialisation focuses on the molecular science behind products and dishes used in small scale settings. Scientific insights are used to develop improved food preparation techniques. The cultural aspects of food will also receive attention. You major in Food Chemistry, Food Physics or Rural Sociology.

Sensory Science
This specialisation combines Food Technology with Nutrition and Health. You will work with products and humans in different contexts and study how sensory systems function, how this relates to products and how to analyse these aspects.

Your future career

Graduates find jobs with relative ease, especially in the Netherlands and Western Europe. Recent graduates found positions in the private sector (from small- and medium-sized companies to large multinationals), at Wageningen University or other universities as PhD students, and at research institutes domestically and abroad. Graduates also work in the field of process technology at innovation centres, innovative food companies or government agencies. Most achieve management positions.

Student Harmke Klunder
“It is rich in proteins, unsaturated fats, vitamins and is available in large quantities all over the world. You may conclude, ‘The ideal food ingredient.’ However, would you still think it was ideal if you knew it was made from insects? With three other students, we added insects to a third world food product, thereby winning an international competition from the IFT (Institute of Food Technologists). Malnutrition in Africa could be fought by enriching their daily porridge, sorghumpap, with protein-enhanced termites. As food ingredients technologist, it is possible to look beyond the products found on the shelves of the local supermarkets.”

Related programmes:
MSc Food Quality Management
MSc Food Safety
MSc Biotechnology
MSc Nutrition and Health

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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.

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.

About the School of Biosciences

As one of the top biosciences departments in the UK, our research covers the entire spectrum of cutting-edge biosciences. We are home to the Institute of Microbiology and Infection and part of the University’s Systems Science for Health initiative.
Our research focuses on a number of important themes that run through modern biological and biochemical research: Biosystems and Environmental Change; Microbiology and Infection; Molecules, Cells, Signalling and Health; and Plant Science.
Our postgraduate students join a diverse international community of staff and students. For students on research degrees, the annual Biosciences Graduate Research Symposium, organised by PhD students, is an example of an event where the whole School comes together to talk about science.
We have extensive high-technology facilities in areas such as functional genomics, proteomics and metabolomics, including a world-class Advanced Mass Spectrometry Facility. Our cutting-edge facilities extend to protein structure determination and analysis, confocal microscopy, drug discovery, horticulture, structural biology and optical imaging. The £8 million Phenome Centre Birmingham is a large metabolic phenotyping facility led by internationally recognised metabolomics and clinical experts at the University of Birmingham, in collaboration with Birmingham Health Partners.

Funding and Scholarships

There are many ways to finance your postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. To see what funding and scholarships are available, please visit: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgfunding

Open Days

Explore postgraduate study at Birmingham at our on-campus open days.
Register to attend at: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgopendays

Virtual Open Days

If you can’t make it to one of our on-campus open days, our virtual open days run regularly throughout the year. For more information, please visit: http://www.pg.bham.ac.uk

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World-class microbiological research takes place in Newcastle in medical sciences, biological sciences, and civil engineering and geosciences. We welcome MPhil research proposals in all three of these fields. We are well funded and this creates a vibrant and dynamic environment for postgraduate study.

We offer MPhi supervision in:

Medical sciences

The Centre of Bacterial Cell Biology researches fundamental aspects of the cell biology and biochemistry of bacteria, providing scientific insights crucial for the discovery and development of new antibiotics, as well as providing solutions to a huge range of industrial and environmental problems. Other research interests include:
-Chromosome replication and segregation
-Transcription and translation
-Protein structure, function and engineering
-Cell envelope, growth and division
-Synthetic biology, development and gene regulation
-Bacterium-host interactions

Biological sciences

The Applied and Environmental Microbiology Group researches:
-Microbial biology in a range of habitats
-Discovery of natural products, eg antibiotics
-Reduction of food spoilage
-Production of biofuels, bioremediation of polluted environments
-Pathogens and host–pathogen interactions in a range of diseases including those in plants and coral reefs

Civil engineering and geosciences

The multidisciplinary research of Civil Engineering and Geosciences contributes fundamental advances in:
-Microbial ecology
-Environmental microbiology
-Environmental engineering and Earth systems
-Biogeochemistry
-Microbiological aspects of engineered and natural environments
-Anaerobic crude oil degradation in petroleum reservoirs
-Engineered biological treatment systems
-The microbial ecology of climatically significant processes such as methane cycling

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What do Facebook, the financial system, Internet or the brain have in common?

"Everything is connected, all is network"
From the underlying skeleton of social relations, the interdependent evolution of our financial system, to the emergent collective computation in the brain, most of the complex systems that appear in society, technology, and nature are ultimately characterised by a nontrivial pattern of inter-relations. This underlying architecture is in turn shaping how information diffuses and spreads, how resilient the system is against attacks or perturbations, or how complex patterns emerge at the systemic level from the aggregation of seemingly simple individuals.

Our MSc Network Science will provide a thorough grounding in the core principles of modelling and analysis of complex and networked systems, along with the principal analytical and numerical methodologies. This will open to students a host of career opportunities in systems and networks modelling industries, spanning the IT, financial, and biomedical sectors, that are now requiring such specialist knowledge and skills.

Network Science is a very active and rapidly evolving research field with high societal impact, which stands at the crossroads of graph theory, complexity and data analysis. Addressing the description and modelling of the architecture and dynamics of complex systems -systems composed by many interacting units that show collective behaviour- it stands as a new kind of science to cope with some of the most challenging endeavours we face today, in an ever increasingly more connected society.
Its impact and applications outside academia pervades technological sectors such as communications and infrastructures (Internet, transportation networks, energy networks, urban mobility), finance (financial risk and systemic instability, financial networks, interbank cross-correlations), marketing and IT (social media, data analytics), public health (epidemic spreading models), or biostatistics and network biology (brain modelling, protein interaction networks, postgenomic era), to cite a few. This specialist masters programme aims at providing graduate students and professionals with a rigorous training in the underlying mathematical concepts, the analysis and modelling of complex networks and networked systems, complemented with training in computing, numerical simulations and massive data analysis. It is aimed towards students with a mathematical background who wish to enter a career involving analysis and optimisation of diverse kinds of networks, networked dynamics and models.

Why study your MSc Network Science at Queen Mary?
This is a pioneering MSc in the UK, a joint programme, taught by our Schools of Mathematical Sciences, and Electronic Engineering and Computer Science, drawing on their strengths in research and teaching in the area of complex networks, mathematical modelling of complex systems, and data mining.

We teach what we know and what we do best. Within the School of Mathematics, the Complex Systems & Networks group is one of the biggest hubs in Network Science within the UK, where we address both fundamental and applied challenges in the mathematical modelling of complex systems with clear societal impact, in collaboration with several industrial stakeholders. Within the School of Electronic Engineering, the Networks group was founded in 1987, and has hugely expanded ever since, bringing their expertise in online social networks, data mining and cloud computing. The coalescence of both groups expertises has fostered the creation of this unique MSc.

More about our two schools

Queen Mary is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading UK universities, combining world-class research, teaching excellence and unrivalled links with business and the public sector. The School of Mathematical Sciences has a distinguished history on itself. We have been conducting pioneering mathematical research since the 1950s, and as one of the largest mathematical departments in the UK, with over 50 members of staff, the school can offer diverse postgraduate study opportunities across the field, from pure and applied mathematics, to finance and statistics. Along with the MSc in Network Science, our cohort of postgraduate students specialise in Mathematics and Statistics, Mathematical Finance and Financial Computing. We are one of the UK’s leading universities in the most recent national assessment of research quality, we were placed ninth in the UK (REF 2014) amongst multi-faculty universities. This means that the teaching on our postgraduate programmes is directly inspired by the world-leading research of our academics. Our staff includes international leaders in many areas of mathematical research, and the School is a hive of activity, providing a vibrant intellectual space for postgraduate study.

The School of Electronic Engineering and Computer Science is internationally recognised for their pioneering and ground-breaking research in several areas including machine learning and applied network analysis. This expertise uniquely complements the more theoretical knowledge offered by the School of Mathematical Sciences, providing a well balanced mix of theory and applications and offering a deep and robust programme that combines the foundations of the mathematics of networks with the latest cutting edge applications in real world problems.

Additionally, Queen Mary holds a university-level Bronze Award for the Athena SWAN Charter, which recognises and celebrates good employment practice for women working in mathematics, science, engineering and technology in higher education and research.

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