MSc/Diploma/Certificate Genomic Medicine

A flexible programme developed by Health Education England that aims to harness the power of genomic medicine for patient benefit.

Advances in genomic technologies and information are transforming personalised medicine for inherited disorders, cancer and infectious diseases. Birmingham’s Genomic Medicine Programme aims to equip students with a multi-disciplinary perspective on genomics and its applications to clinical practice and scientific research.

Our Programme is suitable for graduates in medical and life sciences who wish to learn about recent advances in genomics and aspire to pursue a career in genomics-related research or industry. It also provides an ideal career development pathway for clinicians and scientists working in the health service who wish to learn more about genomics, as well as the challenges of introducing genomic technologies into a healthcare system.

The Programme's modular design offers full-time and part-time studies with Postgraduate Masters, Diploma and Certificate options. All modules are also available as CPD on a stand-alone basis.

The course begins with a brief revision of DNA, genes and genetics and updates these concepts to the scale of contemporary, whole-genome information. It will introduce you to the technologies for generating genome-wide data, and the bioinformatic tools that are required for its analysis. You will learn how to interrogate genomic data to identify and investigate the pathogenicity of genetic variants, and relate these to real-life case-studies, providing meaningful information that can be useful for families affected by inherited conditions, or for patients with acquired diseases including cancer and infections.

Core modules such as ‘Genomics in Cancer Pathology’ and ‘Pharmacogenomics and Stratified Healthcare’ emphasise the increasing importance of genomics in stratified medicine - 'the right treatment, for the right person, at the right time’. Additional optional modules include an ‘Introduction to Counselling Skills used in Genomic Medicine’ as well as ‘Economic Models and Human Genomics’.

Why study this course?

You will be taught by people who are leading experts in their field, both from the University of Birmingham and the surrounding NHS Hospitals, including the adjacent Women’s and Children's Hospitals (BWC) and University Hospital Birmingham (UHB). This network of hospitals has been a major contributor to the 100,000 Genomes Project as part of the West Midlands Genomic Medicine Centre and the West Midlands, Oxford and Wessex Genomic Laboratory Hub led by Birmingham Women’s and Children NHS Foundation Trust to support enhanced Genomic Medicine Services within the region.

Many clinical staff teaching on the course are directly involved in the implementation of genomic medicine services, either as clinical leads or with key roles in the Molecular Pathology Diagnostic Service or the West Midlands Regional Genetics Service. You will have opportunities to visit these NHS facilities during the course and also to interact with patient group representatives to learn about genomic medicine from the patient's viewpoint.

Employability

The course is especially designed for healthcare professionals working within the National Health Service, to improve their capabilities and support career progression. It could be similarly beneficial for those working or aspiring to work in other healthcare systems.

The NHS Genomics Education Programme has produced a number of videos that provide an introduction to Genomics in Healthcare, as well as featuring the impact of genomics in Nursing and in General Practice and specialist roles such as clinical bioinformatics.

Students can also exit with PGDip and PGCert.