Biomedical Science MRes/2013
This course will prepare students for a research degree or career in the biomedical science field (e.g. a PhD, the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnical supply companies). It can also serve as a stand-alone master’s course with a strong emphasis on biomedical research.
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elcome to St George’s, W University of London.
We are the only independent medical and healthcare higher education institution in the UK. We share our campus with a hospital, so a single step is all it takes to bring students into contact with patients and to begin interacting with one of the busiest healthcare systems in London. Our history stretches back over 250 years. Alumni include John Hunter, also known as the father of modern surgery, and Edward Jenner, creator of the first smallpox vaccine. In the fields of infection and immunity, heart disease and stroke and cell signalling (amongst others) our aim is still to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. We also work to deepen understanding of public health and epidemiology, clinical genetics, and the social care sciences. Our compact size lends a genuine sense of community, and enables students to move quickly and easily from clinical teaching room to hospital ward, laboratory or clinic. Through inter-professional education, students from all disciplines come together to learn as an integrated team. There is no better way to enrich a healthcare education, encourage exemplary communication skills and optimise patient care. We also believe there is no better way to master the human anatomy than through the pro-section or dissection of cadavers in our extraordinary on-site facility. St George’s is a five minute walk from Tooting Broadway tube station, and it takes 25 minutes to get into central London. One of the world’s most exciting cities is right on our doorstep. If you want to get involved in student life, our Student Union delivers hours of oncampus entertainment. Whether you start your own club or society or just become a member, it’s a great way to make friends, pursue your favourite sport, or try a new activity; whatever it takes to make the most of your time at St George’s, University of London.
Biomedical Science Master of Research
One year, full time Apply direct to St George’s, University of London Early applications are recommended as the course has limited numbers.
UK, EU & international citizens may apply MRes Application deadline: UK & EU 30 August 2013 International students 28 June 2013
Highlights
> State-of-the-art facilities Medical Biomics Centre; world’s first purpose-built clinical and biomedical research facility to combine genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics on a clinical site.
> Clinical placements from year one.
> Shared campus with one of the largest teaching hospitals in the UK.
> Shared learning alongside all other postgraduate courses, clinical and academic staff and research degree PhD students in the SGUL Graduate School(inter-professional learning).
> MRes builds on strong research teams in each of the pathways.
Learning During the first term you will meet potential supervisors, to familiarise yourself with research activity within each pathway and to identify an appropriate project on which to work. Broadly speaking, a topic is acceptable if the investigation uses appropriate scientific methods and falls within the fields of biomedical sciences, health, health care, or health services. Teaching is delivered through a variety of methods; large group lectures shared with other postgraduate students, course-specific seminars and small group sessions. Students will also participate in self-directed study, wider reading as well as individual and group practical sessions. Teaching for taught models is concentrated in the autumn term, throughout this time lectures are held on most days of the week along with lab sessions. Your research project is then completed from January through to September. Dissertation projects will involve the assembly, analysis and interpretation of data. Project titles and areas for research will be identified by module leaders and will relate to the pathway you select. Degree Structure This course consists of five taught modules (75 credits); modules include four core modules and one specialist pathway plus a related research project (105 credits).
Core modules are as follows and are completed by all postgraduates studying a Masters of Research.
Research methods
Critical appraisal 15 credits
Statistics 15 credits
Research project planning and managment 15 credits
15 credits
There are seven specialist pathways available, and students identify which pathway they intend to follow as part of the admission process;
Drug development – protein to patient
15 credits
Cardiovascular sciences
15 credits
Infectious diseases
15 credits
Genetics
15 credits
Molecular mechanisms of cancer
15 credits
Reproduction and development biology
15 credits
Neuroscience 15 credits
The specialist modules will provide the basis for your laboratory or clinical research project and students will carry out individual work within an established research team. Supervision will be provided by academic staff active in cutting edge research at either institution (St George’s
The following descriptions refer to specialist pathways available;
Drug Development This pathway will provide students with the understanding of current Protein to patient experimental approaches and limitations of drug development, particularly in translational physiology/pharmacology to support your chosen research topic. T he lectures will cover pre-clinical testing in different biological systems, including; respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, central nervous systems, the identification of novel drug targets and compounds, and clinical trials. Emphasis will be on the research techniques used, including animal models of diseases and use of human tissues in research, their strengths and weaknesses. Weeks
Lecture Content/Theme
1-2
How Science works and how companies choose targets
3-4
Creative aspects of drug design / generation and use of transgenic mouse models
5-10
11-13
Clinical Trials and analysing Clinical trail data
13-15
Drug Discovery Horizons, and the future
Pre-clinical testing (e.g. asthma, vascular, renal)
Example Prospective Projects
> Viability of Kv7 channels as anti-hypertensive targets
> Do KCNQ channel activators prevent endothelial dysfunction in acute lung injury?
> Role of anti-inflammatory drugs in reducing airway glucose and Staphylococcus aureus infection
> A search for novel cannabinoid receptors in the vasculature or specific information on this pathway please contact F Dr Vanessa Ho (email: vho@sgul.ac.uk; phone: 0208 725 2838).
Cardiovascular Sciences This pathway will provide students with an understanding of the broad area of cardiac and vascular sciences and to provide knowledge in cellular, molecular or clinical aspects of cardiac and vascular sciences/medicine to support their chosen research topic. Each lecture will emphasise the model animal systems as well as state-of-the-art techniques that are applied in their functional context, which allows students to understand the advantages and disadvantages of techniques used in cardiovascular research in terms of applicability, information content, and technical aspects.
Weeks Lecture Content/Theme
1-2 Cardiovascular function, understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular system. 3-4 Cardiovascular dysfunction and the techniques used in these analyses 5-10
Specific aspects of disease aetiology; action of lipids, stem cell involvement in cardiovascular disease, cellular turnover (apoptosis, necrosis and autophagy), and immune cell involvement in cardiovascular disease.
11 Present a case for the need for translational work, and discuss why what we learn in animals doesn’t always apply to the human system.
Example Prospective Projects
> Role of progenitor cells in abdominal aortic aneurysm aetiology.
> Investigating the genetics associated with stroke.
> Role of PPARgamma agonists on the pathophysiology of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. > Understanding the effect of TLR4 agonists on signal transduction in endothelail cells.
For specific information on this pathway please contact Dr Gillian Cockerill (email: gcockeri@sgul.ac.uk).
Infectious Diseases This pathway will provide students with an understanding of the broad area of infectious diseases and provide sufficient knowledge of pathogens, their interaction with the host immune system and treatment approaches to support their chosen research topic. Students will gain insights into human biology in health and disease at the molecular, cellular, and functional level and particularly as applied to infectious diseases. The module covers the interactions of pathogens with the host immune system, including innate and adoptive immune responses and those responses that are deleterious, pathogen regulation and evasion of host immune responses and development of vaccines and novel treatment approaches. Pathogens covered in detail include; HIV, TB and malaria, other pathogens are also studied. Specific topics include: mechanisms of HIV infection, preventive strategies for HIV, immuno-pathogenesis of TB, vaccination and treatment strategies for TB, TB/HIV co-infection, pathogen-host interactions in malaria, MRSA.
Weeks
1-2
Lecture Content/Theme An overview of medical microbiology and an introduction to immunology
3-5 An overview of TB, and HIV infection, transmission and prevention 6 Passive immunisation against infections 7 An overview of Malaria 8 MRSA and other hospital acquired infections 9 Bioinformatics and bacterial analysis 10 Mucosal immunity and implications for vaccine design 11 Producing pharmaceuticals in transgenic plants 12 Intellectual property and access to anti-infective medicines
Example Prospective Projects
> Functional characterisation of a malarial parasite iron transport protein
> Glucose and respiratory infection
> Evaluation of antimicrobial peptides in vitro
> Lung-targeted vaccination for tuberculosis
or specific information on this pathway please contact F Dr Rajko Reljic (email: rreljic@sgul.ac.uk; phone 0208 725 5691).
Genetics This pathway will provide students with knowledge of modern human genetics, in particular with regard to the application of modern genomic technologies to research the molecular processes underlying human disease. The taught components are undertaken in parallel with a cutting-edge research project typically aimed at discovering a new gene responsible for an inherited disease.
T he module entails a series of lectures, practical database sessions and quizzes detailing:
> Basic and advanced laboratory technologies; genomics and proteomics
> Genomic databases (‘in silico’ studies)
> Disease gene mapping and identification; particularly in genetic isolates
> Molecular pathology of disease
> Translation of human genetics into medicine and biotechnology
> Animal and human cloning
> Genethics (the ethics of genetic studies)
For specific information on this pathway please contact Prof Andrew Crosby (email: acrosby@sgul.ac.uk).
This pathway is aimed at those interested in understanding how basic Molecular Mechanisms cell pathways can be subverted during cancer development. Cancers of Cancer occur when the cellular pathways controlling cell proliferation and growth break down. The exact cell activity that is compromised varies between cancers, and cancer causing defects have been identified in many basic cellular processes such as DNA replication, DNA repair, cell division, growth factor metabolism, apoptosis, senescence and surface contact responses. The taught elements will provide a basic introduction to the normal functioning of relevant cellular pathways and an indication of how problems can arise. Laboratories at St Georges are currently actively researching a wide variety of processes which are compromised in cancer, and the projects on offer will reflect this diversity. The pathway is mainly aimed at basic mechanisms although there will be an opportunity for some projects to be more closely related to clinical applications. Example Prospective Projects
> Centrosome proteins and schizophrenia
> Characterisation of a model system for gonadotropin-releasing hormone signalling > Development of smart contrast reagents for MRI diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
> Epileptic drugs and cell signalling
For specific information on this pathway please contact Dr Sue Cotterill (email: scotteri@sgul.ac.uk).
This pathway considers recent advances in the field of reproductive Reproduction and science and developmental biology, provides a broad introduction Developmental Biology to the field in general and the relevance of studies in this field to the future of reproductive and developmental science and medicine. There is an emphasis on reproductive endocrinology and cellular signalling in reproduction and development, reflecting the interests and experience of tutors in the Centre for Developmental and Endocrine Signalling (8 principle investigators). The taught module provides an overview of some of the research in reproductive science and developmental biology being undertaken at St George’s and so includes detailed study of cellular aspects of ovarian function (including anovulatory infertility and wound healing), steroid hormone synthesis and metabolism, germ cell maturation and fertilization, integration, parturition, pre-term labour, development of germ cells and gonads, developmental genetic disorders that affect reproduction and control of embryo development. Weeks
1-2
Lecture Content/Theme Gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal development and the signalling pathways; hereditary diseases of GnRH deficiency
2-3 Ovarian follicle development and the genes involved; the relationship between folliculogenesis and female fertility 3-4 Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - the genetic theory and the causes 4-5 The cellular, molecular, and endocrine changes that occur at the time of ovulation and in the days following, as the ovulatory wound heals. 5-6 Pre-eclampsia; the structural relationship between the placenta and uterus; the invasion of extravillous trophoblast 6-7 Mechanisms involved in the remodelling process of maternal spiral arteries during pregnancy and its relevance to pre-eclampsia 7-8 Assisted conception and ovarian physiology; glucocorticoid metabolism to predict the outcome of in vitro fertilisation and embryo transfer 8-9 Development of the mammalian preimplantation embryo, from zygote to gastrulation; transcription factors and apoptosis in early development
Example Prospective Projects
> Reproductive Endocrinology - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
> Impact of Pre-Natal Androgens on Glucocorticoid Metabolism in an Animal Model of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
> Evaluation of antimicrobial peptides in vitro
> Lung-targeted vaccination for tuberculosis
For specific information on this pathway please contact Dr Soo-Hyun Kim (email: skim@sgul.ac.uk; phone 02082666198) Neuroscience This pathway will provide students with the understanding of the fundamental workings of neurons and the mechanisms by which these can be disrupted in psychiatric and neurological diseases. Lectures are divided into two parts; > Part A covers; an introduction to neurons, their structures, cell surface proteins, molecular constituents and functions. > Part B covers; the fundamental mechanisms of CNS dysfunction, in the context of specific neuronal diseases, model animal systems as well as state-of-the-art techniques.
This will emphasise the advantages and disadvantages of techniques used in neuroscience research in terms of applicability, information content, and technical aspects.
Weeks
1-2
Lecture Content/Theme Overview of Neuro-physiology, -pharmacology, -anatomy and - chemistry
3-4 Ion channels, receptors and transporters; cell signaling 5-6 Neurology: Alzheimer’s disease, stroke and clinical perspectives 7-8
Psychiatric illnesses: depression, schizophrenia, drug abuse
9-10 Parkinson’s disease, neurogenesis and clinical perspectives
Example Prospective Projects
> Properties of dopamine neurons measured using whole-cell patch- clamp > Tissue imaging of transgenic mice models of Alzheimer’s Disease
> Neurochemistry of stroke in rodents
> Identification and neurochemistry of legal highs
For specific information on this pathway please contact Dr Colin Davidson (email: cdavidso@sgul.ac.uk; phone +44 02082661635) Assessing your progress Assessments are designed to help students with the preparation of the dissertation element of their research project. The assessments will help students critically review published work, to use appropriate experimental design and analysis of their experimental data. They will also enable students to develop scientific writing and presentation skills The statistics module is assessed via examination while all other modules are assessed through written assignments or oral presentations. All specialist pathway modules require the submission of a 2-3000 word report regarding the module of study. Following the research project, students will be required to present a poster on their research. Your future Graduates of this course can use it to prepare for a research degree or career in the biomedical science field (e.g. PhD, the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnical supply companies). Alternatively, you may find it effective for accelerating your development within a current career. Graduates of the course may apply to complete the Medicine (Graduate Entry) degree or alternatively use this as a route into a PhD either at St George’s or elsewhere.
Entry requirements
Before the course commences, you should have, or expect to obtain, a degree in a subject which offers an appropriate grounding in biomedical sciences with at least a minimum classification of second class (or an equivalent overseas qualification).
Undergraduate degree or equivalent
+
English language if first language is not English
+
Other essential criteria > Work experience > Personal statement > Reference
Undergraduate degree or equivalent*
Undergraduate degree
Grade
2:2 honours minimum
Subject
Biomedical science or a science related subject
*Must be completed, awarded and certified by 1 August 2013. Failure to comply with this may result in withdrawal of offer by St George’s. International qualifications 1. Determine the UK equivalent of your qualification by visiting UK NARIC website (www.naric.org.uk) 2. If your qualification meets our entry requirements you are eligible to apply. 3. Provide a copy of your qualifications and a copy of the UK NARIC certificate of comparability at application. If you would like an Admissions Officer to review your qualification, please send a copy of your qualification to pgadmiss@sgul.ac.uk. Please ensure that the qualification is translated into English (if not already in English), by a certified translator.
English language
If English is not your first language while studying, evidence of your proficiency must be dated within the last two years. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Applicants must achieve a minimum overall score of 7.0, with no section less than 6.5 *Applicants who have sat the examination more than twice in one year will not be considered. Exceptions to this requirement can be found on our English language web pages, www.sgul.ac.uk/international.
Other essential criteria
Work experience Applicants are recommended to have relevant work experience dated within the last 3 years, however it is not mandatory Personal statement
Applicants will be required to outline reasons for applying for the course and preferred pathway on the application.
Explain what motivates you to become a physician assistant, highlighting details of the experience, qualifications and personal qualities you will bring to the course. Reference Applicants will be expected to provide two satisfactory references to support their application both dated within the last year (from date of application). One of these must be a recent academic reference and the other should be either a second academic reference or a professional/employer reference.
Application
Application deadline for Home/EU applicants is 30 August 2013 and 28 J une 2013 for international students
The application form for 2013/14 entry is available to download from our website www.sgul.ac.uk/mresbiomedicalscience Applicants wishing to pursue a specific pathway are encouraged to submit an application as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Places on individual pathways will be issued on a first come first serve basis, therefore your preferred pathway choice is not always guaranteed. Successful applicants are awarded an offer to study the course, rather than a specific pathway. The application form and supporting documentation should be returned to:
Postgraduate Admissions Officer Admissions, Registry, St George’s, University of London Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE
Or, emailed directly to: pgadmiss@sgul.ac.uk
Applicants will be required to submit additional documents to support their application form, without these, the application will be considered incomplete. Documents are highlighted in the document check list found on our website at www.sgul.ac.uk/ mresbiomedicalscience International applicants Applicants applying from outside of the UK and EU should visit the following link for further application advice, including guidance on: immigration, English language requirements, accommodation, UK fees and finance and international student support. For more information please check our international section of our website www.sgul.ac.uk/international
Interviews
Are conducted by two members of staff and take place approximately twice a month throughout the spring and summer months. You will be notified via email if you are invited to interview. 31 January 2013
Applications open
4 February 2013
Open evening (Book a place: www.sgul.ac.uk/visitus)
11 March 2013
Open evening (Book a place: www.sgul.ac.uk/visitus)
1 May 2013
Open evening (Book a place: www.sgul.ac.uk/visitus)
21 June 2013
Application reminder; refer to Biomedical Science MRes document check list and Reference Request Form
28 June 2013 International applications close; last minute applications sent to pgadmiss@sgul.ac.uk 30 August 2013 UK & EU applications close; last minute applications sent to pgadmiss@sgul.ac.uk March - September
Interviews held twice a month
End of September 2013
Semester Starts
Fees
Home/EU students
£7,250 p/a*
International students
£15,500 p/a*
*2013 entry fees are subject to annual review and change
Bursaries are available to support MRes study. Current details can be found on the MRes pages of the website. Please note that invoices will be issued for the whole amount at the start of the course but arrangements for payment by termly instalments may be negotiated during the induction week.
Open Evenings sgul.ac.uk We hope this brochure opens a window onto who we are and what we do. In short, you can undertake a specialist postgraduate qualification, on a hospital site in a thriving London location, leading to an extraordinary future in a research career. The best way to get a real sense of the culture at St George’s, its proximity to the Hospital and how that will positively impact on your learning is to come to one of our Postgraduate open evenings. We will do our best to: > Tell you about your course of interest > Give you a tour of our facilities > Give you some insight into student life > Offer advice on finance >
Give you a chance to question current students and academic staff
For more information and to register onto an Open Evening please visit www. sgul.ac.uk/visitus E enquiries@sgul.ac.uk T +44 (0)20 8725 2333
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The material contained in this brochure is a guide only. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that its content is correct and up-to-date at the time of printing, St George’s, University of London reserves the right, without prior notice, to cease to offer programmes of study, or to amend curricula, methods and modes of teaching and assessment, entry requirements and any other details. St George’s, University of London confirms its commitment to a comprehensive policy of equal opportunities and endeavours to avoid discrimination against any person on the grounds of religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, marital or parental status or politics. We strive to ensure that all members of the institution behave with courtesy towards each other and that students and staff can work in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We encourage applications from members of groups that are currently under-represented.