Faculty Of Science.
Masters Courses in Bioscience. Training the next generation of skilled bioscientists.
UK NUMBER FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND TOP FIVE FOR BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH
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Research Excellence Framework
Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience
MRes Ecology and Environment Biodiversity is threatened by climate change and other consequences of the growing human population. To solve some of the biggest challenges facing humanity, we need researchers with an in-depth understanding of ecosystems. On this course, you can study how different organisms and environments interact. Research approaches vary from controlled environment and field experiments, to mathematical modelling, and analysis of long-term data sets and palaeontological collections. The Department of Animal and Plant sciences is home to world experts in many branches of the global ecosystem, including population dynamics and interactions between organisms, marine, arctic and desert habitats, and the effects of climate change on plants, birds, fish and insects. Researchers work with farmers, industry, conservation agencies and government departments to develop new research projects into sustainability issues.
Research skills classes
Advanced Biological Analysis Advanced Trends in Biology Research and Study Skills in Biology Tutorials
Research project
Research Project in Ecology and Environment Literature Review
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“The Masters in Research has provided me with the opportunity to define my own research questions and independently carry out every stage of the project, with the support of a very motivating supervisor. This degree has equipped me with the skills needed to pursue a career in science, and has certainly helped me to secure a PhD on the genetics of butterfly adaptation to climate at the University of Cambridge.” Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich (pictured), Spain, 2016 graduate, PhD researcher at University of Cambridge Gabby’s research project was on managing timber logging in the Amazon rainforest through the study of butterflies. With 50 million hectares of Brazilian forest now open for logging, it is crucial to work alongside logging companies to prevent biodiversity loss. She spent three months in the Amazon recording butterflies and has developed models that predict the responses of butterflies under different logging scenarios.
Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience WHOLE ORGANISM BIOLOGY
Subject keywords Global Change Ecology Biodiversity Science Tropical Forest Conservation Palaeoecology and Palynology Environmental Pollution Agricultural Ecology Urban Ecology Based in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps Email us at aps.mres@sheffield.ac.uk
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Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience
MRes Evolution and Behaviour The connection between how organisms have evolved and how they behave is a fundamental principle of biology. It can show us why organisms are the way they are, and answer deep questions about the diversity of life on earth. SheďŹƒeld’s expertise spans sexual selection and sexual conflict, ecological immunity, cooperative behaviour, the evolutionary genomics of adaptation and evolutionary developmental biology. We are home to the NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility, which trains researchers in state-of-the-art molecular genetics techniques. There are a range of systems you can study for your research project, from humans, birds and fish to insects and snails. Researchers are currently investigating sperm competition in birds, the development of shark teeth, butterfly pattern variation and much more.
Research skills classes
Advanced Biological Analysis Advanced Trends in Biology Research and Study Skills in Biology Tutorials
Research project
Research Project in Evolution and Behaviour Literature Review
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Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience WHOLE ORGANISM BIOLOGY
“As someone returning after a break of study, the Research and Study Skills module helped to get me up to speed with critical reading of research literature and different forms of writing. The media training day was a good introduction to the communication of scientific ideas to a wider audience. I found the lively series of departmental and research group seminars, as well as other seminars within the department, such as the Science in Policy series, very informative and interesting and I enjoyed writing a popular science article based on one of the departmental seminars.”
Subject keywords Evolutionary Genetics Speciation Bioinformatics Animal Behaviour Molecular Ecology Life History Evolution Disease Biology
Tamora James, UK, 2015 graduate, PhD researcher in Animal and Plant Sciences In her research project, Tamora constructed a demographic model with which to investigate the persistence of alternate coat colour variants in a population of wild Soay sheep. She used life history and genotype data from a long-term study to fit the model, leading to predictions about the long term stability of the coat colour polymorphism.
Based in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps Email us at aps.mres@sheffield.ac.uk
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Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience
MRes Plant and Microbial Biology Plants are central to the global ecosystem. In Sheffield, we study them from every angle: from the molecular level up to whole organisms, in the context of ecosystems, industry and major global challenges. On this course, you can examine the effects of past, present and future climates on plants and the wider environment, as well as the roles that plants can play in solving problems such as food security. Topics you can cover in your research project include plant development, photosynthesis, plant-mycorrhiza, plant-parasite and plant-pathogen interactions, and the effects of climate change. Placements give you a chance to explore industrial applications of plant science. The researchers who help teach this course are skilled in a range of advanced molecular techniques, including molecular genetics, metabolomics, fluorescent imaging, gas exchange analysis and carbon isotope analysis. The Department of Animal and Plant Sciences is home to P3, a global centre of excellence for translational plant science that works with many external collaborators.
“During my MRes I was integrated into the research group, attending and contributing to lab meetings. This meant that I felt like a valued member of a team, not just a lone masters student. I also had the opportunity to present findings from my research to a range of industrial professionals, and to collaborate with experts in other universities. “Both the tutorial programme and the science communication workshop were highlights of my degree. The tutorials opened up opportunities to discuss contemporary issues in science with experts from the department and the communication workshop equipped me with skills in communicating science to the public. “Towards the end of my course I was offered a job with Mouchel Ltd., a civil engineering company whose area of expertise is in road and other infrastructure development. For my MRes project I investigated the ecology of roadside verges in the city of Sheffield. This experience directly fitted with Mouchel’s focus. As such, I was a perfect fit for the position I was offered.” Joel Rowlands (pictured), UK, 2016 graduate, ecologist at Mouchel Ltd.
Research skills classes
Advanced Biological Analysis Advanced Trends in Biology Research and Study Skills in Biology Tutorials
Research project
Research Project in Plant and Microbial Biology Literature Review
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Subject keywords Plant Biotechnology Soil Health Genomics Food Security Sustainable Agriculture Plant-Microbe Interactions Climate Change Biology Plant Immunology
Faculty of Science Masters Courses in Bioscience WHOLE ORGANISM BIOLOGY
Based in the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/aps Email us at aps.mres@sheffield.ac.uk
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