Course description
Biotechnology and biomedical research have experienced a revolution with the development of gene manipulation. Biotechnology provides us with therapeutic proteins from cloned genes for example insulin, growth hormone and tissue plasminogen activator, a protein which helps to dissolve blood clots in treating thrombosis and myocardial infarction.
The discovery of the molecular basis of genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and cancer is helping the design of treatments including gene therapy. Also, the discovery of new types of molecules promises new treatments for many diseases including chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma.
A detailed knowledge of the structure and role of molecules involved in neurotransmission is allowing the development of a new generation of more specific and effective drugs for various neurological disorders.
Many diseases, however, still need to be conquered. Developments in pharmacology, particularly using biotechnology, promise new and more effective treatments.
This course gives you advanced education and training in current molecular and cell biology, and therapeutic rationales for treatment. We emphasise the use of cellular models to study drug actions and applying biotechnology to pharmacology.
You can take course modules individually as short courses.
Associated careers
This course improves your career prospects in the expanding areas of • biomedical sciences • medical research in universities and hospitals • the pharmaceutical industry • biotechnology companies • government research agencies. It also gives you a sound basis to follow research to PhD level in pharmacology and biotechnology.
Course content
Core modules
• cell biology • recombinant DNA technology • molecular biotechnology • molecular pharmacology • research methods • research project
Options
• cell pathology • human molecular genetics • immunology • biology of infectious diseases • neurobiological basis of brain disease • new drug development • bioinformatics • dissertation
This course contains eight modules (five core modules with three selected from options) and a research project. You can choose from a range of projects. Studies for PgCert and PgDip consist only of the taught components. This means there are four core modules for the PgCert, and an additional four modules, including research methods, for the PgDip.
