MSc Health Data Science for Applied Precision Medicine

Precision Medicine is rapidly expanding within the global healthcare industry, integrating genome and biomarker data with healthcare data to deliver more cost-effective and safer treatments. On this course you’ll have access to anonymised real healthcare data linked to genome and imaging data and the expertise to help you gain applied skills and knowledge for a successful career in this area. The anonymised medical records you’ll use span 30 years for a population of 400,000 individuals. Large numbers have genome-wide data enabling research in genetically-informed precision medicine. This unique bioresource has had a major role in globally significant precision medicine research.

Throughout the course, you’ll learn by doing. You’ll start by gaining an understanding of the principles and current practice of precision medicine and its potential benefits to healthcare systems and society. You’ll gain data management and governance skills for research use, using R statistical software, and explore fundamental principles of epidemiology. You will gain knowledge and experience of relevant bioinformatics techniques, machine learning, deep learning and artificial intelligence applied to healthcare data, including imaging. You’ll also learn how to produce a grant application and design, carry out, interpret and report a systematic review. A final research project utilising more advanced techniques will help you consolidate your data science skills in the context of this field.

Careers:

In this fast-developing field, there is currently a recognised world-wide shortage of individuals with the range of practical skills and knowledge required for this area. Roles in precision medicine include lab-based biomedicine and computational scientists, geneticists, bioinformaticians, data analysts and clinicians, There are also opportunities for commercial development roles. Whatever your background, you’ll develop the comprehensive multidisciplinary understanding required for a successful career in this area. You will enhance your capabilities in disseminating research work as well as developing transferable skills in critical thinking, and applying knowledge to problems and systems that are relevant to your current or future place of work. You will understand the process for successful application of precision medicine in a healthcare system.