91快活林

International requirements and visas

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visas and immigration advice

Top reasons to choose this course

• Professional accreditation from the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and Royal Society of Biology. 

• Specialist facilities such as atomic force microscopes, microbiology lab, molecular biology lab, and genomics/ proteomics facility for analysis of cell genes and proteins. 

• Employability and research built in from year one.  

• Guest lectures from professionals. 

• Gain work experience on an industrial placement.

Year 1

You will learn the foundations of biomedical science and be introduced to lab techniques used in professional practice. You will study areas including genetics and molecular biology, biochemistry, human physiology, and infection science.

Modules

• Essential Skills for Bioscientists

  This module introduces the principles of the scientific method and a variety of study and communication skills that you’ll need during your degree. You’ll develop mathematical and statistical skills and apply them in the context of bioscientific data presentation and interpretation.

• Fundamentals in Genetics and Evolution

  Genetics is fundamental to understanding life sciences. In this module you will gain an understanding of how information is stored and inherited in living organisms. You will consider genetics from the perspectives of DNA structure, gene expression, genome replication, heredity, genes in populations, and evolution. You'll also be introduced to DNA-based laboratory techniques. 

• Introduction to Biochemistry

  This module will introduce you to the fundamental concepts of biochemistry and pharmacology, as well as the principle techniques used in biochemical analysis. You will learn about biochemical compounds and the structure and function of the macromolecules that are created from them. The structure and function of enzymes will be covered, along with the principle metabolic pathways. You’ll also explore the theory and practical use of the most commonly used biochemical techniques.

• Introduction to Human Physiology

  This module will introduce you to human physiology. You'll explore anatomical structure, function, the principle of homeostasis, and neurological and hormonal control of the human body, its component parts and major systems, with appropriate examples of disease pathophysiology.

• Introduction to Infection Sciences

  This module will introduce to microorganisms and the components of the immune system. You will also learn about the main laboratory techniques used to grow and identify microorganisms and to detect and identify components of the immune system. Programmes which screen healthy people for disease will also be investigated.

• Fundamentals in Blood Sciences

  This module introduces biomedical science as a profession. You'll explore areas of blood sciences which include haematology, coagulation, blood transfusion and clinical biochemistry. Working through and interpreting case studies enables you to develop essential biomedical science knowledge and skills.

Year 2 

You will build on the knowledge gained in your first year, broaden your research skills and explore topics that include diet and exercise, infection and immunity, molecular cell biology, genetics and genomics, human biochemistry and metabolism.

Modules

• Infection and Immunity

  This module will give you a detailed knowledge and understanding of the key concepts in immunology and microbiology. There will be a strong emphasis on laboratory investigation and the techniques used to detect components of the immune system and identify microorganisms. You will investigate the diversity, distribution and biology of microorganisms and their effects on host organisms as well as the components of the immune system and the normal immune response.

• Intermediate Blood Sciences

  This module aims to deepen your knowledge of clinical biochemistry, haematology, haemostasis and blood transfusion. It features topics including endocrinology, haematinics, coagulation and blood transfusion medicine, equipping you to distinguish disorders in these systems through laboratory techniques and lectures. You will study investigative techniques and skills in differential diagnosis to prepare you for the next academic level.

• Clinical Genetics and Molecular Biology

  This module introduces you to the molecular basis of clinical phenotypes and explores how this knowledge informs methods of detecting, screening and predicting clinical outcomes. The content will cover areas including DNA mutation, inheritance patterns and pharmacogenomics, and you will gain an insight into how the consideration of ethics and risk plays a part in clinical genetics.

• Intermediate Human Physiology

  This module will deepen the knowledge and understanding of physiology you gained in Introduction to Human Physiology. You will learn how physiological systems integrate in practical applications, with examples such as body fluid balance (digestive and renal systems), exercise physiology (cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal) and temperature regulation (integumentary and cardiovascular). The module will provide you with the depth of knowledge and understanding of human anatomy and physiology to support detailed studies in the clinical laboratory specialities.

• Human Biochemistry, Metabolism and Pharmacology

  The emphasis of this module is on human biochemistry, pharmacology and the metabolism of the healthy human body. You will learn about cell cycle control and cancer and mechanisms of cell death; intermediate pharmacology (drug mechanism of action, dose response and drug adverse reactions) enveloping pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; and the interrelationships of different metabolic pathways operating in various organs and the importance of hormones in regulating these processes.

• Research Skills and Professional Development

  This module will enable you to develop the skills and knowledge required to improve your graduate career opportunities. You’ll grow your understanding of the role of experimental design in the data collection stage of a laboratory investigation and enhance your skills in the analysis of such data. You will also gain investigative, reflective, communication, self-presentation and digital literacy skills relevant to career planning and development.

Placement year 

The optional placement year is a great opportunity to develop your skills as a biomedical scientist, explore specialisms and gain valuable work experience.

An optional placement year in an accredited NHS training lab allows you to work towards the IBMS Certificate of Competence and the Registration Training Portfolio. 

Other placement opportunities prepare you for work in a range of scientific areas and postgraduate research. 

You can choose a clinical or non-clinical placement, depending on your interests. Our placements team can help you to find the job for you and you will also have the support of one of our lecturers while on placement.

Our students have secured placements in organisation such as GlaxoSmithKline, Public Health England, and 91快活林 and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust.

Year 3

The focus is more on the clinical aspects of biomedical science, including blood sciences, cellular pathology, clinical immunology and microbiology and innovations in bioscience research. You will undertake a project linked with one of our research groups.

Modules

• Cellular Pathology

  This Cellular Pathology module will give you an understanding of the major pathological changes in diseases from the molecular and cellular level, and the principles and application of related diagnostic techniques. It will provide a research evidence-based knowledge of selected pathological conditions by exploring examples of disease processes. Areas covered include inflammation, loss of cell cycle control, infertility and IVF, and molecular diagnostic techniques.

• Bioscience Research Project

  In this module you will demonstrate core research skills in an independent and original scientific investigation by undertaking a data-generating project. You will learn about literature searching and retrieval; approaches to reviewing a topic for investigation; identifying research problems; designing a scientific investigation; ethical issues; working safely in the laboratory; methods of data analysis; and how to present project reports. At the end, you will submit a final project report and present a summary of the project in poster form.

• Advanced Diagnostics in Blood Science

  Building on the Fundamentals in Blood Sciences module, this aims to further develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills in applying the results of clinical laboratory tests to detect and distinguish between a variety of acquired and inherited disorders. You will cover specific areas of blood science, including routine and specialist clinical biochemistry investigations; disorders of haemostasis; transfusion medicine and clinical governance; and lymphoid and myeloid dysplasia.

• Clinical Microbiology and Immunology

  In this module you will investigate the pathology and epidemiology of infectious and immunological diseases and how they can be diagnosed clinically and in the laboratory. You will also explore the means available to limit the spread of infections in global environments (epidemics and pandemics) and local environments (hospital outbreaks, individuals), including vaccines, antimicrobials and vector control, as well as the interactions between microorganisms and the immune system in the origin and development of infectious diseases.

• Innovations in Bioscience Research

  In this module you will explore contemporary issues in bioscience research, develop your understanding of key research priorities and learn to critically evaluate key literature within the field. Staff will give lectures on their areas of research specialisation which might include microbiology and musculoskeletal physiology, biomedical device application and the biology of ageing.

Final year

You will carry out an in-depth research project working with an academic who is a recognised expert in their field, and develop techniques in evaluating research in biomedical science.

Modules

Core modules

• MSci Research Project

  The role of the MSci Research Project module is to develop the skills required to prepare you for a career in research. It will relate to the academic discipline, field of study or area of professional practice that’s relevant to you. The advanced project will provide you with the opportunity to propose, plan, execute and present an original piece of ecology, biology or biomedical sciences research in the form of a 12,000-word dissertation.

• Evaluating Research in Biosciences

  Evaluating Research in Biosciences will give you a critical understanding of innovative developments in biosciences and enable you to study a topic of current bioscience research in depth. Delivered via a series of presentations by university staff, external speakers and students, the module also includes seminars where you will take a leading role in facilitating and discussing material. You will be expected to evidence your literature research with a portfolio of annotated research articles.

Options*

• Regenerative Medicine and Medical Devices

  Regenerative Medicine and Medical Devices will introduce you to the field of regenerative medicine, medical implants and diagnostics. Areas covered include conventional medical implants and devices and personalised regenerative medicine approaches in cell-based therapy, gene therapy and tissue engineering. You will explore the factors influencing biocompatibility of materials in relation to specific clinical applications and expanded to conventional implants, cell carriers and nanobiomaterials as vectors/carriers for genes and drugs.

• Clinical Microbiology in the Post-Antimicrobial Era

  Clinical Microbiology in the Post-Antimicrobial Era will cover the complex factors influencing microbial pathogenesis, the clinical presentation of infectious disease and microbial resistance to antibiotics. You will explore aspects of infection management practice and the use of rapid diagnostic methods to accelerate appropriate treatment of infection. You will also learn to critically evaluate current thinking regarding organism and host factors which affect pathogenesis of infectious agents.

• Biological Membranes: Drug Targets and Disease

  As many healthcare issues like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer are associated with altered lipid composition, drugs need to cross lipid membranes to reach their target. This module will provide you with an overview of the structure and physiology of biological membranes linked with current research and theory and develop your understanding of the role biological membranes play in health and disease. You will also study the experimental techniques used to analyse biological membranes.

• Controversies in Science

  Controversies in Science will develop your ability to critically review and understand the nature of progress in science. A series of case studies from different disciplines and time periods will illustrate how scientific theories develop and why, by their nature, scientific hypotheses are always formulated in an environment of initially contradictory evidence. You will select a controversial area of modern science, review the competing theories to find the key drivers of disagreement and suggest experimental or theoretical means by which these might be resolved.

• Bioscience Independent Study

  This module gives you an opportunity to deepen your understanding of a topical area of contemporary biosciences. You will critically evaluate the topic and discuss current issues and future potential developments. You’ll be able to specialise in areas that are of particular interest to you, such as health and disease, antibiotic resistance (for example, MRSA), bacteriophage therapy, genetic engineering, stem cell research, nanochemistry and regenerative medicine.

• Omics for Diseases: Theory, Practice and Applications

  This module covers the theory, practice and application of omics at the genomic, proteomic and metabolomic level. You will learn about the types of omics currently on the market and the use of omics technologies in basic research, medicine and pharmaceutical sciences for diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of diseases. You will gain hands-on experience with genomics and proteomics datasets and at the end of the module present a poster discussing recent advances in omics.

• Oxidative Stress and Human Disease

  This module highlights the role of oxidative stress in normal human physiology and in the development of conditions and diseases. You will examine the basic biochemical mechanisms involved in oxidative stress and injury and discover how the human body can protect itself against this. You will also explore the development of pharmacological interventions which have the potential to reduce oxidant injury, for example antioxidant enzyme mimetics and oxidant injury pathway inhibitors.

• Monitoring Signalling Molecules in Neuroscience

  This module provides you with an overview of signalling mechanisms and how they may be altered through pharmacological intervention, ageing and disease. You will explore the theory, capabilities, limitations and applications of the techniques used in monitoring signalling molecules in vivo and in vitro, including amperometry, fast scan cyclic voltammetry and microdialysis. You will also learn to understand, interpret and critically evaluate the latest scientific literature in this field.

• Ageing: pathology and prevention

  This module will explain the current understanding of the causes and features of the degenerative pathology associated with ageing. You will look at the fundamental biology of ageing and the physiological changes that occur with age, for example regarding tissue function and bone density. You will also explore the application, discovery and development of interventions to promote healthy ageing, including lifestyle, nutrition and supplementation.

• Cancer: Bench to Bedside

  This module provides you with an overview of the fundamental biological processes underlying cancer and develops your knowledge of the treatment possibilities provided by our understanding of how cancer works at a biological level. You will cover areas such as risk factors and diagnosis, radiotherapies, immune therapies, psychosocial oncology and in vivo and in vitro cancer models, and get an insight into the journey from diagnosis to treatment to remission.

• Understanding Age-Related CNS Disorders

  This module will provide you with an insight into current research aimed at understanding the mechanisms that drive CNS ageing and Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Through discussing primary scientific literature, you will develop an understanding of the future targets for treating a range of CNS diseases, be able to critically evaluate the potential clinical uses of these targets and develop the necessary skills to critique the literature.

• Clinical Microbiology in the Post-Antimicrobial Era

  Clinical Microbiology in the Post-Antimicrobial Era will cover the complex factors influencing microbial pathogenesis, the clinical presentation of infectious disease and microbial resistance to antibiotics. You will explore aspects of infection management practice and the use of rapid diagnostic methods to accelerate appropriate treatment of infection. You will also learn to critically evaluate current thinking regarding organism and host factors which affect pathogenesis of infectious agents.

• Astrobiology

  This module will give you an overview of current research and theory on astrobiology and expand your understanding of origin of life theories. It will demonstrate how extreme environments and organisms that are able to live in extreme environments provide potential models for extraterrestrial life. You will also learn how experimental techniques can distinguish between biological and non-biological origins of materials from both Earth and space.

• Applied Nucleic Acid Biochemistry

  This module provides you with an understanding of modern nucleic acid-based techniques and how these can be applied in the laboratory with respect to human disease. You will study basic molecular biology techniques including cloning into simple vectors, gene expression and selectable markers, and learn about manipulation and detection of nucleic acid and protein and the concepts and applications of genomics and bioinformatics. You will also undertake a mini project.

• Advanced Pharmaceutical Analysis

  This module will give you an insight into the key techniques used in pharmaceutical analysis and how they are used in the quality assurance of pharmaceuticals. You will learn about the theory, capabilities, limitations and applications of the analytical techniques used in pharmaceutical analysis and gain experience in these techniques. The module will also explore structured approaches to analytical problem solving for pharmaceutical scenarios.

• Nanotechnology Research: Therapeutics, Diagnostics and Advanced Pharmaceutics

  This module focuses on contemporary and innovative research in the nanotechnology field, including nanoparticle drug delivery systems, medical diagnostics and molecular therapeutic agents. The content covers pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, microbiology, molecular biology and clinical diagnosis. With an emphasis on modern practical techniques and methodologies, the module will provide you with specialised knowledge of the use and role of both established and novel nanotechnologies in modern therapy.

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Staff profile 

I am a protein biochemist. My research explores the structural and molecular biology of protein/DNA interactions with a specific focus on the DNA damage response.

I like to draw on examples of my own and colleague's research experience when teaching students. This allows me to present my subject matter in relevant research focussed context. I am also a great believer in engaging students in conversation to address misconceptions and highlight potentially difficult concepts.

Currently, I teach a variety of material ranging from protein biochemistry to metabolic processes across different degree courses. 

Course fees

The fees listed here are for the first year of full-time study if you start your course in the academic year 2025–26.

You will pay fees for each year of your course. Some fees may increase each year.

UK undergraduate and some postgraduate fees are regulated by the UK government and increases will not be more than the maximum amount allowed. Course fees that are not regulated may increase each year by up to 5% or RPI (whichever is higher).

If you are studying part-time your fee will usually be calculated based on the number of modules that you take.

Find out more

• 91快活林 Boost – cost of living help for our new undergrad students. Find out about how we can help with your study, accommodation or travel costs and more...
• Fees, bursaries, scholarships and government funding info for UK and international undergraduate students
• Student finance and budgeting while studying
• Read our student contract and (pdf) for more on University of 91快活林 tuition fees.

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Local area

Maps

Support and wellbeing

Sport at 91快活林