PGCert Translational Medicine - Interdisciplinary Molecular Medicine: The University of Manchester

Course description

The programme is designed to give students a thorough knowledge and understanding of the key technologies used in the field of Translational Medicine either within an academic environment or the pharmaceutical industry. The postgraduate certificate in Research Methods for Translational Medicine has two distinct tracks:

1. Option A: Interdisciplinary Molecular Medicine
2. Option B: Pharmaceutical Cancer Translational Medicine

The course consists of 8 weeks taught lectures; two core compulsory units and two units from either option A or B.

Module details

Core Course Units:

• Transferable Skills and Research Methods
• Quantitative Technologies and Data Analysis

Option A Course Units:

• Interdisciplinary Molecular Medicine option comprising:
• Genetics, Genetic Epidemiology, Transcriptomics and Functional Genomics
• Proteomics and Metabolomics

Option B Course Units:

• Pharmaceutical Translational Medicine Modules comprising:
• Assembling a Pre-Clinical Strategy and an Early Clinical Strategy for a New Candidate Drug
• Assembling a Complete Translational Medicine Strategy for a Candidate Drug

Career opportunities

The aim of the PGCert is to give individuals a thorough knowledge and understanding of the research methods used in academic translational medicine (option A) or within the drug discovery departments of the major pharmaceutical manufacturers (option B).

The programme will therefore serve to aid individuals in obtaining laboratory based positions and to facilitate the careers of those who are already employed within academia or the pharmaceutical industry.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview:

Applicants should normally possess a degree (usually minimum 2:2) in either a biological subject (e.g. biochemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology etc) or in medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine from a recognised university. Flexibility on entry requirements will be applied to candidates with proven appropriate extensive research or professional experience.

Candidates on the undergraduate medical programme must have satisfactorily completed years 1-4 of the MBChB with no failure at any examination. For St Andrews students this includes their 3 year degree programme and the following 2 years spent in Manchester (years 3 and 4 of the Manchester programme).

Students with evidence of previous advanced study, research or professional experience may be accepted by the University as qualification for entry.

English language:

Students whose first language is not English require a minimum of a minimum of IELTS 6.5, or TOEFL 575 paper based or 230 computer based.