MPhil Courses (Taught)

The School of Biological Sciences offers three postgraduate Master of Philosophy programmes:

MPhil in Therapeutic Sciences

The MPhil in Therapeutic Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in therapeutic sciences. The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a one-year, full-time period of study and research, in-person in Cambridge.

The field of therapeutic sciences is evolving rapidly in this exciting time of scientific, medical and technological innovation. Cambridge is a world-leading centre of excellence in therapeutic sciences, with numerous academic departments, institutes, biotechs, pharmaceutical and healthcare companies in the Cambridge area. The course will draw upon this breadth and depth of academic and industrial strength in therapeutic sciences to provide a unique environment for students on the course to gain experience of therapeutic sciences from academia and industry in an integrated setting.

The course aims to convey a detailed understanding of cutting-edge therapeutic sciences and to provide exposure to world-leading research in academia and industry. The seminars, workshops and discussions with world-leading experts will provide exposure to state-of-the-art knowledge, technologies and trends. Research placements will provide direct experience of translational research environments and techniques in academia and industry. Overall, the course will provide students with the tools and skills necessary to understand, develop and implement modern techniques in therapeutic sciences and to become future leaders in science and healthcare.

A full description, including requirements and how to apply, is available on the Cambridge Academy of Therapeutic Sciences website.

MPhil in Biological Sciences (Biomolecular Science) by Advanced Study

This MPhil aims to convey a comprehensive understanding of biological processes at the molecular level. We will discuss the major biological macromolecule families, including, DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids. We will explore the properties of biological membranes, biomolecular recognition, signalling and therapeutics. The understanding and application of advanced technologies are crucial to the advancement of biomolecular science and these will be explored in depth. Although we will not focus on specific diseases, the workshops and discussions will include relevant pathophysiological contexts, as understanding the molecular basis of disease will be imperative to developing innovations, from target-based therapeutics to agricultural applications.

A full description, including requirements and how to apply, is available on the Postgraduate Admissions website.

MPhil in Biological Sciences (Cell Science)

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Cell Science, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Cells are the fundamental functional units of life, from single celled organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa and fungi, to multi-cellular eukaryotes. Yet we still cannot claim that we understand cells well enough. Each cell has its own structural and functional features, engaged in complex communication with its immediate milieu and capable of plasticity. It is the behaviour, function and fate of cells that ultimately govern organismal state, both in physiological and pathological settings. Knowing how cells work informs our understanding of how the growing number of human disease genes can cause pathology. In this exciting time of technological innovation, the field is evolving rapidly, allowing us to extract a plethora of fine-grained information and to look into the cellular world with a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective.

This MPhil aims to convey a detailed understanding of a diverse range of biological processes, examined at the level of an intact cell as well as cell manipulations for biomedical applications. The topics covered include cellular organisation with in-depth insight into the structures and functions of key organelles, communication within and between cells, cell stress, cell fate (division, differentiation, regeneration and death) and cell therapy/regenerative therapeutics. As such the concepts and experimental approaches covered in this course are central to the full range of present-day life sciences. Although we will not focus on specific diseases, the workshops and discussions will often include relevant pathophysiological contexts to aid our understanding of disease mechanisms.

A full description, including requirements and how to apply, is available on the Postgraduate Admissions website.