MSc Medical Biotechnology

In this module you will gain a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the cells, molecules and functions of the human immune system. You will learn about the role of the immune system in diseases such as autoimmune disorders and allergy. You will also learn about immunotechnology aspects including blood typing, transplantation, monoclonal antibodies and vaccines, illustrating the value of immunology in diagnosis and therapeutics.

The innate and adaptive immune responses; the cellular and molecular components of the immune system; inflammation and vaccine adjuvants; role of dendritic cells and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs); antigen processing and presentation; role of B and T cells in immune responses; immunological techniques e.g. flow cytometry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); immune tolerance and autoimmune disease; transplantation; tumour immunology; hypersensitivity; Monoclonal antibodies and therapeutics.

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You will be introduced to emerging technologies in the Biomedical Sciences discipline (e.g. Stem cells, Genome editing, Immunotherapy) and learn how they are being applied to transform drug development and delivery. You will develop important, transferable scientific communication skills by presenting a seminar and by synthesis of written reports.

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Development of biotechnology and influencing factors; Basis concepts of IPR, patents & licensing; Technology transfer; Commercialisation strategies and financing for the biotechnology sector; National and global context – markets & trends; Business models and plans - comparison of large corporate vs SMEs, mature companies vs start-ups; Regulatory framework governing management of risk; Introductory ethics and the history of “ethical” regulation; legal implications of being “unethical”; perception of biotechnology by society, sustainability (environmental, social and economic) exploration of specific topics, e.g. personalise medicine, stem cell research, genetic manipulation of crop and fuel plants, transgenic animals, the use of animal/human subjects in research.

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In this module you will be introduced to various methods and approaches to cell culture, preservation and manipulation including for example microbial, plant, human/animal primary and/or immortalised cell lines. Various aspects of cell handling will be explored including media design, isolation and purification, sterility, inoculum development, and cell counting. You will also examine various approaches to cell manipulation and strain improvement for bioprocessing e.g. genetic modification, stress fermentation through case studies.
The units of operation of a bioprocess and factors influencing optimisation will be appraised including bioreactor design, mode of operation, scale-up, and product separation and analysis.
Both theoretical and applied aspects of fermentation growth kinetics will also be considered.
You will also explore important commercial aspects of cell technologies including regulatory requirements and quality assurance processes: COSSH, GMP, GLP, biosafety and containment, as well as product approval, validation and auditing.
Laboratory experiments and/or demonstrations will relate to theoretical aspects of cell technology and bioprocessing and will cover cell culture methods, media preparation, fermentation set-up, operation and monitoring, product separation and analysis, experimental design and data-handling.

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You will develop a demonstrable understanding of the principles of drug development at the molecular level and the practices currently adopted in industry. You will focus on the historical origins of existing drugs and contemporary methods being used to develop new ones. You will learn to appraise and analyse physical parameters and data on drug candidate molecules. Industry-modelled case studies, individual and group activities will enhance your presentational and organizational skills to achieve competency in workshop preparation and delivery; and in writing scientific research reviews.
Origins and new sources of drugs; natural products and new pharmaceuticals; the drug discovery and development process. Molecular modelling. Stereochemistry: a source of problems in medicinal chemistry. Structure-based drug design; pharmacophore-based drug design; QSAR. Physicochemical properties and drug design: electronic factors, lipophilicity, partition coefficient, steric parameters, prediction of drug-receptor interactions, ligand binding studies. Drug formulation, prodrugs. Computational techniques: analysis of conformational space, molecular graphics and the visualisation of molecules. Molecular diversity. Combinatorial libraries and modern methods of synthesis. Current approaches to the chemotherapeutic treatment of (selected) diseases: cardiovascular disease, inflammation, cancer, viral- and bacterial- infection, diabetes, asthma, cognitive disorders. Patent application procedures and IP maintenance; legislation.

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In this module you will examine the molecular themes underpinning the pathogenesis of microbial infection. You will examine the responses of microbes to external stimuli and understand the molecular mechanisms that modulate genetic regulation of virulence factors and microbial stress responses that ensure survival and infection in the host. The host response to microbial infection: innate and acquired immune response to infection; Invasion & colonisation of the host: molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis; Virulence factors involved in adhesion, invasion and colonisation; molecular structure and genetic regulation. Overcoming antimicrobial resistance: antibiotics/antivirals/antifungals and resistance; bacterial physiology and novel therapeutics.

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The module will provide you with an introduction to the major aspects of the scientific study of drugs in man, not just with respect to the design of optimum drug therapy, but also looking at the differences between pharmacology and toxicology. You will learn about how drugs work, their limitations, and the variability of response. You will study how cells transduce messages from the plasma membrane into the cell and nucleus. You will learn about how the body’s endogenous signalling system works and how this informs drug development. This includes the basic principles of receptor theory, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and their relevance to establishing the theoretical and practical basis for the rational clinical application of drugs. You will also examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms of toxicology.

This includes the basic principles of toxicokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion), and the factors affecting each. You will examine the cellular and molecular mechanisms of xenobiotic toxicity, together with toxicity testing in the pharmaceutical industry. You will gain an insight into how intracellular signalling mechanisms can be manipulated, resulting in new research methodology. You will also engage with the literature surrounding molecular pharmacology and toxicology in order to understand recent developments in research in this area.

You will cover the concept of ion channels and G protein-coupled receptors, intracellular kinase cascades, calcium signalling and linked control of transcription factors. Manipulation of signalling cascades in therapeutics and research. Basic principles of receptor theory, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and rational drug design. Introduction to toxicology. Toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. Detailed descriptions of specific toxicant and pharmacological examples. In vitro and in vivo models of toxicity. Mechanisms of xenobiotic toxicity and toxicity testing.

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In this module you will conduct an independent piece of research, either as a practical laboratory-based project, or a piece of qualitative research (e.g. surveys). This involves design, development and implementation of a programme of research in a particular field of study relevant to your programme of study. You will critically analyse data/information generated, and communicate the outcomes in a written report, which will develop your skills in scientific writing. This will give you experience in summarising information and presentation skills.
On-line literature searches. Literature review. Project formulation. Hypothesis generation. Experimental design. Development of practical skills/research technique. Data generation/collection and analysis. Use of appropriate statistical analysis. Evaluation of findings, critical analysis and conclusions, with reference to supporting literature. Communication of original research results in a report written in the style of a scientific paper.

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The module will include an overview of the research process including hypothesis and research question design and the role of the research literature as evidence to assist in the development of research ideas relevant to practice. You will also learn about analysis and interpretation of data and how to ensure data generated is robust and scientifically valid and will explore aspects related to the importance of research governance and ethics in research design. You will gain practice in scientific writing and have the opportunity to develop a research proposal designed to tackle a specific scientific problem in your field of study. You will learn about some of the tools used in research in the fields of biology and chemistry, and how the research process links across multiple disciplines to solve specific scientific challenges, by gaining an appreciation of how this works in the real world using examples from current research. You will also have an opportunity to develop your skills in the laboratory through hands on practical experience.

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