MSc/PGDip/PGCert Infection Biology (With Specialisms)

The taught Infection Biology MSc will help you to develop your knowledge and understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which bacteria, viruses and parasites cause disease in humans and in domesticated animals, and the immune responses generated by these hosts to such pathogens. You can choose to specialise in virology, microbiology (bacteriology) or parasitology.

WHY THIS PROGRAMME

• Accredited by the Royal Society of Biology for the purpose of meeting, in part, the academic and experience requirement for the Membership and Chartered Biologist (CBiol).
• Study in an institute housing two UK national centres of excellence in Virology and Parasitology, and active in the Scottish Infection Research Network (SlRN), a key clinical focus on healthcare-related research.
• Work in the laboratories of internationally recognised infection biology researchers, conducting high quality basic, translational and clinical science.
• Access a combination of highly specialised equipment, unique in Scotland, including cutting edge in vitro and invivo research facilities for biological imaging, high content screening microscopy, and a state of the art polyomics facility bringing together metabolomics, proteomics, genomics, transcriptomics, and the integration of data sets with bioinformatics.
• Attend guest lectures and workshops from scientists and clinicians working in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic and biotechnology fields.
• Carry out a research project in an internationally recognised centre of excellence, working with world-leading researchers in infection biology.
• Integrate infection biology with cutting edge molecular and cellular techniques, that offers breadth in covering bacteria, viruses and parasites.
• Specialise in one of the three areas of infection biology, and graduate with a named specialism, i.e. MSc Infection Biology (Microbiology), MSc Infection Biology (Parasitology) or MSc Infection Biology (Virology).
• Engage with industrial and clinical scientists, and guest lecturers from the pharmaceutical industry, medical diagnostic laboratories and bioscience business.

Students will also achieve PgCert and PgDip exit awards during this course.

CAREER PROSPECTS

About half of our MSc students enter a research career, mainly by undertaking further postgraduate research studies towards a PhD, or by working in research laboratories in clinical or academic settings, including national government laboratories.

Other students go on to work in the pharmaceutical, diagnostic or biotechnological industries.

Many graduates from this programme also work in life sciences companies and in organisations providing support to the food and farming industries.