StudyQA — PhD: Structural Biology

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Description Contents Requirements Funding

This graduate course provides training in structural biology and related biochemical, genetic and cell biological approaches to understand molecular and cellular function. You will spend the first year learning a range of structural biology techniques, usually undertaking two five-month projects in different laboratories and following taught courses.

Graduate destinations

Most graduates from this programme continue in research in prestigious laboratories worldwide. Many are now world leading researchers and several are senior group leaders (including in industry) or hold established academic posts. Other destinations include consultancy and medicine.

Applicants are advised to visit the course webpage for further information about supervisors associated with this course.

The short research projects and training expose you to possible supervisors for your DPhil project and prepare you for your doctoral work. You can then make an informed choice of thesis research project and submit a research proposal for years two to four of the programme. Projects that develop collaborations between research groups are strongly encouraged.

The first year of the programme would typically include at least two research projects.

Training in key research techniques should include:

X-ray crystallography
NMR
electron microscopy
synchrotron radiation and integrative structural biology
high-resolution microscopy
computational biochemistry
bioinformatics and molecular simulations

You are required to write a report at the end of each rotation project. You will have the opportunity to discuss the report and your research project with one of the PIs associated with the programme.

You will be required to meet standard University milestones for progress and will be monitored formally via supervisor feedback forms submitted three times per year.

Applicants are normally expected to be predicted or have achieved a first-class or strong upper second-class undergraduate degree with honours (or equivalent international qualifications), as a minimum, in a relevant biological sciences subject.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.5 out of 4.0.

However, entrance is very competitive and most successful applicants have a first-class degree or the equivalent.

If you hold non-UK qualifications and wish to check how your qualifications match these requirements, you can contact the National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom (UK NARIC).

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Substantial professional experience or a graduate qualification may be a substitute for a lower grade at undergraduate level.

Official transcript(s)
CV/résumé
Statement of purpose/personal statement:Up to 1,000 words
References/letters of recommendation:Three overall, generally academic

ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Higher level

Test	Standard level scores		Higher level scores
IELTS Academic Institution code: 0713	7.0	Minimum 6.5 per component	7.5	Minimum 7.0 per component
TOEFL iBT Institution code: 0490	100	Minimum component scores: Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24	110	Minimum component scores: Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)	185	Minimum 176 per component	191	Minimum 185 per component
Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE)	185	Minimum 176 per component	191	Minimum 185 per component