Program Overview

Medical Biology is the corner stone of modern health care and drug development, forming a bridge between fundamental research and clinical medicine. You’ll learn about cellular and genetic causes of major medical disorders such as cancer and autoimmune diseases with a strong emphasis on pre-clinical research and modern laboratory techniques. You’ll benefit from the expertise of the North West Cancer Research Institute. Graduates work in biotechnology, drug development, clinical research or public health services.

As illustrated by the rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a thorough understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying health and disease is fundamental for the development of novel diagnostic procedures and treatments. This also applies to the development of diagnostics and treatments for other diseases, e.g. cancer, cardiovascular, neurological and immunological disorders.

The objective of this research-led programme is to educate skilled graduates who contribute to research in industry as well as in academia. You’ll learn about the cellular and genetic causes of medical disorders such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, etc., with a strong emphasis on pre-clinical research, molecular genetics and modern laboratory techniques, taught in extensive practicals in our state-of-the-art laboratories. The medical biology course is created to provide you with the skills, knowledge and understanding needed for a career in biomedical sciences or to prepare you for further study, including graduate-level entry into medicine, dentistry, or research-based postgraduate Masters or PhD degrees.

Placement
This course is available with a Placement Year option where you will study for 1 additional year. The Placement Year is undertaken at the end of the second year and students are away for the whole of the academic year.

The Placement Year provides you with a fantastic opportunity to broaden your horizons and develop valuable skills and contacts through working with a self-sourced organisation relevant to your degree subject. The minimum period in placement (at one or more locations) is seven calendar months; more usually you would spend 10-12 months with a placement provider. You would normally start sometime in the period June to September of your second year and finish between June and September the following year. Placements can be UK-based or overseas and you will work with staff to plan and finalise the placement arrangements.