Molecular and Cellular Biology MRes

The programme consists of three major components comprising 180 credits over 44 weeks.

1. Direct Research Experience

There will be two approximately 18-week research projects to be undertaken in different laboratories, with different supervisors. The second project will normally be on a significantly different topic than the first project and will employ different techniques, which may be complementary. The objective is to gain some breath of experience in techniques. Each of the two projects will be assessed by a written report and an oral examination with an External Examiner. Projects are by agreement with heads of research groups and depend on the research ongoing in the department and elsewhere in the University, for example, see School of Biosciences academic staff and Institute of Microbiology and Infection academic staff

2. Techniques in Molecular and Cellular Biology

A series of 11 (3 hour) lectures/demonstrations will cover a wide range of modern techniques including:

• Mammalian Cell Culture
• Drug Screening
• Reporter Gene Technology
• Protein Expression and Purification
• Cell Manipulation, Transfection and Micro-Injection. CRISPR
• Microscopy and Cell Sorting and Fluorescence techniques
• X-Ray Crystallography for determining protein structure
• NMR Spectroscopy
• Mass Spectrometry
• High Throughput Sequencing
• Chromatin Imunoprecipitation

Assessment will comprise essays and oral presentations. For those who come to us with a physical sciences background, it may be recommended that third year Modules in Biochemistry or Biological sciences may replace attendance at some of the above.

3. Funding and Communicating Science

The module is taught as a 2 day intensive workshop in which a range of subjects are covered relating to:

• How science is funded in the public and private sector
• Research councils and charities funding
• Project Planning
• Intelectual property
• Financial planning

Assessment take the form of a group work activity aimed at producing a grant proposal or business plan for a research project. This includes a oral presentation of the plan as well as an assessment of a critical review of another groups plan.