MRes Molecular and Cellular Biology

1. Research project

The core element of the course is an extended research project of approximately 9-months duration. Each project supervisor will team up with a co-supervisor to offer a collaborative project, where most of the work is done in the lead supervisor’s lab, but complementary elements take place in the lab of the co-supervisor.  The research project is documented in the MRes Research Thesis, which has the character of a small PhD dissertation and is examined by a team of external and internal examiners. 

2. Research Techniques in Molecular Biotechnology

The first of two taught modules in the course introduces you to fundamental concepts of key techniques in molecular and cell biology through a series of lectures and workshops. Evaluating and working with published research literature is a second key element of this module.

The assessment is focused on thinking about research problems. For instance, an assignment would ask you to devise experiments to investigate a particular research question in the area of molecular cell biology.

Below are some of the topics that you will encounter in this module:

• Flow cytometry

• Cell Manipulation, Transfection and Micro-Injection

• Mammalian cell culture

• Protein expression and purification

• Metabolomics

• NMR spectroscopy

• Chromatin immunoprecipitation screening

• Drug screening

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