Human Disease and Therapy

This biomedical Masters degree provides advanced training in the molecular and cellular basis of a spectrum of human diseases and highlights current and new treatment strategies. There is a strong emphasis on the latest molecular, genetic and cellular approaches currently being used to understand human disease and to develop novel forms of treatment.

Some of the topics you will cover during the programme are:

• Single-gene and multi-factorial disorders, chromosomal abnormalities and other conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, HIV infection and infections of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.
• Molecular diagnostics in a medical setting, next-generation therapeutics, including those based on RNAi therapy or pharmaceutical which employ targeted drug delivery approaches
• Students will also have the option of selecting specialist topics such as Human Toxicology, Cancer Biology and High Throughput Technologies.

This programme is suitable for students wishing to progress to a higher research degree (PhD) and for those who wish to enter employment in a higher capacity in industry or in the public sector.

This biomedical course offers:

• exciting contemporary topics such as stem cell therapy, gene therapy and a range of diseases – including cytogenetic abnormalities, cancer, neurodegeneration and diabetes

• teaching delivered by top researchers, many world-class experts, who bring the latest cutting-edge research to their teaching and therefore, to your learning

• excellent career development opportunities with graduates moving into a wide range of exciting and challenging careers

• training in generic research skills such as scientific writing, graphics and data presentation, bioethics, bioenterprise and intellectual property rights

• opportunities to work on cutting-edge topics with leading researchers during your research project

• the opportunity to combine theoretical disciplines with ‘hands-on’ practical laboratory skills

• access to first-class teaching and research facilities

• the chance to study in a Faculty ranked 4th in the UK for research in biological sciences by the leading scientific journal ‘Nature’ based on the numbers of staff producing research that was “world leading" or "internationally excellent"

• access to international speakers from around the world through attendance at Faculty research seminar programmes

• opportunities to benefit from our strong employer connections supported by our employer engagement officer, including regular speakers from industry, government and scientific organisations.

• a flexible approach to suit individual needs

• outstanding personal development opportunities including our distinctive Leeds for Life scheme

• excellent preparation for a research degree

• membership of one the main centres for postgraduate teaching in the country, with around 7,800 postgraduate students from all over the UK and another 100 countries

• all the facilities and lifestyle opportunities of a major international university

The MSc Human Disease and Therapy course consists of compulsory core research training modules designed to equip students with the expertise necessary to work at the cutting edge of a modern bioscience sector - including research planning exercises, methodologies underpinning modern bioscience, and an extended practical project intended to give the students experience with the techniques used in molecular biology.

Added to this is an independent research project in an area related to human disease and therapy which provides substantial subject-specific training. Specialist human disease and therapy taught modules make up the remaining part of the programme

The programme is full-time and lasts 12 months, with teaching activities broken down into three parts:

• September-December (taught modules including a protein engineering laboratory project)
• January-March (taught modules and research project proposal)
• April-September (independent laboratory-based research project)

Students study a total of 180 credits worth of modules comprising of the following:

• 55 credits of compulsory core research training modules
• 85 credits of a compulsory research project modules
• 40 credits of taught specialist human disease and therapy modules

Compulsory Modules

• Research Planning and Scientific Communication
• Advanced Biomolecular Technologies
• Protein Engineering Laboratory Project
• Practical Bioinformatics
• Research Project Proposal and Research Project
• Human Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics, Drug Delivery & Therapies

Optional Modules

• Human Toxicology (or)
• Topics In Cancer Biology (and)
• High Throughput Technologies

Is the course mainly practical or theoretical?

The course combines theoretical modules with practical skills training. 100 credits out of the total 180 credits that you study will be practical based modules and therefore the programme will provide you with substantial training in practical methods and technologies currently being used to advance the biological sciences. This is through a 15 credit laboratory-based mini-project and an 85 credit laboratory-based independent research project on a cutting edge topic related to an area of human disease and therapy. Our teaching and assessment methods are designed to develop scientists who are able to think independently, solve problems, communicate effectively and demonstrate a high level of practical ability.

Example Research Projects

A selection of project titles offered previously applicable to this area are:

• Determining how mistakes in V(D)J recombination trigger lymphoid cancers
• Proteolytic processing of the prion protein
• Stem Cell Therapy: the investigation of cell proliferation and differentiation in vitro to inform mathematical remodelling
• Targeting the functions of the Human Papilloma Virus 16 oncoproteins with RNA aptamers
  Control of gene expression in vascular disease
• SCN1A sodium channel and epilepsy
• Angiotensin II Receptor signalling in heart
• Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer Cell Death following Photodynamic Therapy
• Genetics of susceptibility to mucosal leishmaniasis
• Translational Regulation of Estrogen Receptor in Breast Carcinogenesis
• Identification of Melatonin Polymorphisms In Relation To Vascular Disease

Normally a 2:1 honours degree or equivalent in a relevant subject, but relevant experience may be taken into account English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL iBT® test: 92 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.