Masters Degrees in Pharmacology, Netherlands

How does a disease develop in a patient or model system? Which substances can influence this process? How is effective medication designed and tested? Can you cure diseases with stem cells?

You study the causes and pathophysiology of diseases and intervention with drugs. The programme is interdisciplinary covering the whole range of drug development disciplines. From basic drug target discovery to molecular modeling of targets. And from synthesis andanalysis, pharmacology, toxicology and biopharmacy to clinical pharmacoepidemiology and post marketing surveillance.

The main feature of the programme are research projects in which you will learn about conducting research by actually doing it. You will independently perform experiments and go through the whole process of conducting science developing skills such as studying scientific literature, formulating hypotheses, designing and performing experiments, and interpreting and presenting your results. The programme therefore is a good preparation for a PhD programme or for independent practice of science in a future job.

You can either choose to design your programme tailored to your individual research interest or choose a specialisation. Available specialisations:Toxicology and Drug Disposition, with focus on adverse drug reactions and toxicokinetics of drugs, or Pharmacoepidemiology which studies intended and unintended effects of drugs in daily life.

Why in Groningen?

- Groningen drug research is among the best in the world
- Unique interdisciplinary cooperation between clinical, preclinical and pharmaceutical research fields
- Specialisations: Toxicology and Drug Disposition | Pharmacoepidemiology

Job perspectives

When you have finished the Master's programme in Medical Pharmaceutical Sciences you have multiple career options. You are optimally prepared to start a research career but you can also choose for a position that links science to business and policy.

Researcher (usually as a PhD) in a variety of organisations:
- Universities
- Academic and general hospitals
- Pharmaceutical, biomedical industries and food industries

Positions linking medical pharmaceutical sciences to a business or policy strategy in:
- Governmental and semi-governmental institutions such as the Medicines Evaluation Board or the Ministry of Health and Welfare
- Societal and patient organisations

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This interdisciplinary programme aims to develop and equip students with a broad understanding of various concepts and techniques. The class will be made up of students coming from a diverse range of educational backgrounds all of whom will have graduated in the top 10% of their year group, leading to the fostering of an atmosphere in which advanced levels of discussion and knowledge exchange can take place.

As a student of this program you will benefit from:
- The guidance and supervision of scientists at the forefront of their fields
- Modern and extensive facilities
- Interactive, individualized and intensive tuition
- The opportunity to design your own PhD project

As we aspire to provide a hands-on experience to complement the theoretical basis, there are plenty of opportunities available to you in order to advance your research skills.
- Two obligatory research projects form part of the curriculum
- Theoretical classes are provided to advance knowledge and techniques
- Opportunities for further research within the research institute GUIDE which focuses on Chronic Diseases and Drug Exploration

The result of these features combined is a program that you are able to tailor to meet your personal research interests and aspirations, leading to a gradual specialization into your research area of choice. What sets this course apart is its strong focus on the development of scientific skills, rather than mere knowledge retention. We aim to facilitate the development of a critical and analytical scientific mindset, preparing our students to become leaders in their field.

Job perspectives

Upon completion of this programme you are fully prepared to become a PhD student in an international research programme. Currently, most graduates have continued their research activities in PhD projects. Many stay at the UMCG, however, others have gone to a selection of other prestigious institutions.

Job examples

- Academia
- Clinical Chemistry
- Medical Consultancy
- Nutrigenomics Scientist
- Researcher
- Entrepreneur

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