MSc in Drug Discovery and Translational Biology
The University of Edinburgh - School of Biological Sciences
Key Information
Campus location
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
1 year
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
GBP 38,500 / per year *
Application deadline
Request info
Earliest start date
Request info
* international/EU: £38,500 - Scotland/rest of UK £19,100
Scholarships
Explore scholarship opportunities to help fund your studies
Introduction
The rapid transformation in the nature of drug discovery means that knowledge of related disciplines, and the technologies used, is essential for those considering a career in commercial or academic research.
This MSc in Drug Discovery and Translational Biology will help you explore the latest methods of developing drugs and therapeutic compounds for humans and animals and disease control agents for plants.
Our multidisciplinary approach links structural biology, bioinformatics, chemistry and pharmacology.
You will:
- learn about marketing, licensing and regulations, which are all part of the development process
- investigate the fundamental scientific problems and techniques of drug discovery and design, alongside the challenges of developing principles for new therapeutic strategies
- have hands-on experience of crystallographic computer programming and computation for bioinformatics
- consider the moral and ethical aspects of the agrochemical and pharmaceutical industries through case studies, seminars and discussions
Admissions
Curriculum
Programme structure
The programme consists of two semesters of taught courses, followed by a research project and dissertation.
The learning and teaching activities that will form your teaching include sessions such as lectures, tutorials, workshops and seminars. Where possible, we will also teach in the laboratories and computing suites.
You will:
- do presentations
- work on your own research skills
- develop literature and data skills
- work on individual projects, as well as those in groups
Research
Those students who progress to MSc level will carry out their own research project at the frontier of knowledge and can make a genuine contribution to the progress of original research.
Projects often vary widely in terms of the subject matter. These include:
- database mining and modelling projects
- approaching problems from a purely computational point of view
- wet lab projects where atomic resolution structures of target and ligands are determined by a variety of analytical platforms
This aspect of the programme involves intensive practical training and instruction as well as development of the skill sets required for effective review of relevant papers, data analysis and writing a dissertation.
Program Outcome
After completing this programme, students will:
- describe and critically assess the approaches in current use for protein modelling, structure-based drug design, structure determination and production/analysis methodologies for therapeutic targets and new drug molecules
- appreciate the important factors driving the research and technology development within the biopharmaceutical industry
- have increased understanding of biological and biochemical systems, at the molecular level
- have an appreciation of the important role molecular structure and biochemical mechanisms play in the design of new drug modules
- have an increased understanding of the fundamental drivers for molecular recognition in protein-drug complexes
- produce a high-quality scientific report of the work you have performed in a manner suitable for publication and discuss the quality and significance of your approaches and conclusions, both in the local and wider context of the literature/field
Career Opportunities
The Drug Discovery and Translational Biology MSc is designed to help you pursue a career in the pharmaceutical industry or relevant government agencies involved in the development of therapeutics or the associated regulatory bodies.
It also provides a good background for managerial or technical roles in research, design and development.
Because of the programme's high molecular bioscience content, focusing on target ligand structure and function, it is also a very solid basis from which to continue your studies to PhD level in a number of disciplines.