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Biomedical Research (Microbiome in Health and Disease)
Develop your biomedical research expertise and explore multidisciplinary approaches to understanding the gut microbiome.
Develop your biomedical research expertise and explore multidisciplinary approaches to understanding the gut microbiome
Explore the development of new targets for disease prevention and treatment
Gain experience of developing research plans on two projects exploring areas of microbiome biology
Course key facts
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Qualification
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MRes
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Duration
1 year
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Start date
October 2023
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£19,000 Home
£40,800 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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Hammersmith
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Course overview
Explore multidisciplinary approaches to understanding the gut microbiome on this Master's course, a specialist stream of the MRes in Biomedical Research.
You'll receive research training in microbiome biology, nutrition, hepatology and microbial signalling, and analytical technologies.
Through laboratory-based research, you'll learn to exercise critical scientific thought to interpret results.
This stream will help you build familiarity with writing grant applications and improve your writing, presenting and communication skills when defining research reports.
You'll also consider the development of new targets for disease prevention and treatment, and apply your expertise across two research projects.
Choose your stream
You have the option of choosing our general biomedical research stream, or one of seven specialisms. All of our biomedical research streams have the same course structure and each stream has its own tailored set of projects alongside a core programme of lectures, seminars and practical classes.
You should consider which stream is right for you according to your career aims and background. If an offer of admission is made, it will correspond to a specific stream. Switching streams is not possible once you have commenced your studies.
- General Biomedical Research
- Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care
- Bacterial Pathogenesis and Infection
- Data Science
- Epidemiology, Evolution and Control of Infectious Diseases
- Microbiome in Health and Disease (this stream)
- Molecular Basis of Human Disease
- Respiratory and Cardiovascular Science
Is this stream for you?
The microbiome stream is aimed at students with a biochemical, microbiological or biological background interested in pursuing further education in microbiome and nutrition in health and disease, understanding fundamental mechanisms behind disease processes and developing therapeutic targets.
It is also for students with a clinical background interested in understanding microbiome in clinical research.
This stream is delivered by the Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction.
Structure
This page is updated regularly to reflect the latest version of the curriculum. However, this information is subject to change.
Find out more about potential course changes.
You’ll take all of these core modules.
Core modules
Compose a grant proposal, appropriate for submission to an academic funding body.
This will correspond to your research project(s).
You'll carry out two mini research projects, exploring some of the most technologically advanced approaches currently being applied to biomedical research.
You have a wide range of research projects available to you.
The projects available to you are determined by your chosen stream.
You can also choose projects from other streams, though you will only have priority within your own stream.
Example projects
- Understanding the glycobiological determinants of lactobacilli dominance in the female lower reproductive tract
- Spatial variability of mucosa-associated bacteria during colorectal cancer
- Studying gut permeability using sugars test in urine - development and validation of a clinically relevant LC–
- MS/MS method for quantitation of lactulose, mannitol, rhamnose
- An open probiotic formulary for evidence based practice
- Environment matters: why do highly effective anti-pseudomonal antibiotics work so poorly in the cystic fibrosis lung?
- Investigating the effects of a host-microbial co-metabolite, trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) on the brain
- Who is a real player, trimethylamine or trimethylamine-N-oxide, in preventing colon cancer development?
- Can protein extracts from stool replicate the full stool sample when incubated with human cells?
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Demonstrations and seminars
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Workshops
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Computing labs
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Journal clubs
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Virtual learning environment
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Tutorials
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Lab-based learning
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Facility Tours
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Lectures
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Debates
Balance of assessment
Key
- Grant writing exercise
- Research projects
- 10% Grant writing exercise
- 90% Research projects
Assessment methods
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Laboratory-based research
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Computer-based research
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Oral presentation
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Poster presentation
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Research reports
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Oral assessment
Entry requirements
We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.
How to apply
Apply online
You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.
On the application form, you will need to select the Postgraduate MRes application category, and then Biomedical Research (MRes 1YFT) in the Academic Programme drop-down. You will then be able to select the stream you wish to be considered for.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
If you are applying for a taught Master’s course, you will need to pay an application fee before submitting your application.
The fee applies per application and not per course:
- £80 for all taught Master's applications excluding those to the Imperial College Business School
- £100 for all MSc applications to the Imperial College Business School
- £150 for MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas or research courses, such as PhDs and EngDs.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
An ATAS certificate is not required for students applying for this course.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2023 entry
£19,000
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount was £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
2023 entry
£40,800
You should expect and budget for your fees to increase each year.
Your fee is based on the year you enter the College, not your year of study. This means that if you repeat a year or resume your studies after an interruption, your fees will only increase by the amount linked to inflation.
Find out more about our tuition fees payment terms, including how inflationary increases are applied to your tuition fees in subsequent years of study.
Whether you pay the Home or Overseas fee depends on your fee status. This is assessed based on UK Government legislation and includes things like where you live and your nationality or residency status. Find out how we assess your fee status.
If you're a UK national, or EU national with settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, you may be able to apply for a Postgraduate Master’s Loan from the UK government, if you meet certain criteria.
For 2022-23 entry, the maximum amount was £11,836. The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Your future career
Obtain a core background in biomedical research for those looking to pursue further study in microbiomes and nutrition in health and disease.
Learn how to plan, conduct, publish, and obtain funding for successful research related to the microbiome and nutrition.
Expert leaders in the field provide practical training for a research career.
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Our graduates often pursue further study in doctoral research.
Further links
Contact the department
Course Director: Professor Tim Ebbels
Course Deputy Director: Dr Elizabeth Want
Stream Organiser: Dr Jia Li
Visit the Department of Metabolism, Digestion, and Reproduction website.
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Our students
Meet Biomedical Research students and see what they have to say about their studies.
You can also read more about our student achievements, including funding, publications and academic prizes.
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Register your interest
Stay up to date on news, events, scholarship opportunities and information related to this course.
Register your interest
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Terms and conditions
There are some important pieces of information you should be aware of when applying to Imperial. These include key information about your tuition fees, funding, visas, accommodation and more.
You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.
Programme specifications