Structural Biology
Train in major structural biology techniques for a career in research.
Receive training in structural biology for a career in research
Build laboratory and computational- skills to understand how biological function derives from structure
Develop your research expertise in a single, in-depth research project
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
September 2024
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Study mode
Full-time
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Fees
£15,150 Home
£37,100 Overseas
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Delivered by
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Location
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South Kensington
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Minimum entry standard
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2:1 in a physical sciences-based subject, including biochemistry, molecular biology, or similar.
Course overview
Build skills towards a successful career in research on this Master's course, which specialises in structural biology.
You'll receive in-depth training of structural biology techniques.
Knowing the structure of a protein is vital to understanding how the protein works.
This course will provide an overview of the techniques used to derive biological function from structure.
You'll become familiar with the macromolecular structural determination techniques needed for success.
Extensive laboratory-based research will provide opportunities to learn skills in areas including biological NMR, X-ray crystallography, cryoEM, and structural bioinformatics.
You'll also consolidate your learning through workshops on topics from time management to clarity in writing.
The course immerses you in a research environment and includes networking by organising talks from structural biology researchers from outside of Imperial.
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.
Please note: it may not always be possible to take specific combinations of modules due to timetabling conflicts. For confirmation, please check with the relevant department.
This MRes centres around a single, year-long research project. All assessments are courseworks associated with the project taking you from writing a Literature Review through a mock Grant Proposal to a final Research Report. These are split across three core modules.
- Introduction to Structural Biology
- Skills for Success in Structural Biology Research
- Research Project in Structural Biology
Below are examples of subject areas conducted by supervisors:
- Membrane protein structure-function
- Human disease and infection
- Photosynthesis and bioenergetics
- Transcriptional regulation and mechanism
- Enzyme catalysis
- Macromolecular machines
Teaching and assessment
Teaching and learning methods
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Class-based lectures
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Computer labs
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Literature dissertation
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Training in structural bioinformatics
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Individual lab research projects
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Web tools for the analysis of protein sequences and structures
Balance of assessment
Key
- Research project one
- Literature dissertation and research project two
- 50% Research project one
- 50% Literature dissertation and research project two
Assessment methods
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Individual research project reports
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Laboratory performance
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Oral presentations
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Oral assessments
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.
Application deadlines – Round 4 closes on Friday 24 May 2024
We operate a staged admissions process with several application rounds throughout the year.
Apply by midnight (UK time) on the relevant application round deadline to ensure that you receive the outcome of your application by the decision date.
We recommend applying as early as you can – we cannot guarantee that places will be available, or that courses will remain open, in later rounds.
Application rounds
Round 1
- Apply by 3 November 2023
- Decision by 16 December 2023
Round 2
- Apply by 19 January 2024
- Decision by 9 March 2024
Round 3
- Apply by 4 April 2024
- Decision by 11 May 2024
Round 4
- Apply by 24 May 2024
- Decision by 27 July 2024
Round 5
- Apply by 5 July 2024
- Decision by 3 August 2024
There is no application fee for MRes courses, Postgraduate Certificates, Postgraduate Diplomas, or courses such as PhDs and EngDs.
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 all MBA applications to the Imperial College Business School.
If you are facing financial hardship and are unable to pay the application fee, we encourage you to apply for our application fee waiver.
Find out more about how to apply for a Master's course, including references and personal statements.
Unless you are from an exempt nationality, you will need an ATAS certificate to obtain your visa and study this course.
Nationals from the following countries are exempt: Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, USA and EEA members.
Use this information when applying for an ATAS certificate to study this course:
- CAH code: CAH03-01-02
- Descriptor: biology (non-specific)
- Supervisor name: Professor Daniel Davis
Get guidance and support for obtaining an ATAS certificate.
Tuition fees
Home fee
2024 entry
£15,150
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.
The government has not yet published the loan amount for students starting courses in Autumn 2024. As a guide, the maximum value of the loan was £12,167 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2023.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
Overseas fee
2024 entry
£37,100
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.
The government has not yet published the loan amount for students starting courses in Autumn 2024. As a guide, the maximum value of the loan was £12,167 for courses starting on or after 1 August 2023.
The loan is not means-tested and you can choose whether to put it towards your tuition fees or living costs.
How will studying at Imperial help my career?
Learn the skills necessary to pursue a career in structural biology, whether it's in academia or industry.
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Skills workshops will also improve your expertise in networking, time management, writing, and wellbeing.
Life Sciences graduates from Imperial are also highly sought after in a variety of employment sectors.
Life Sciences graduates from Imperial are also highly sought after in a variety of employment sectors.
Other potential career options include banking and finance, education, and manufacturing.
Further links
Contact the department
- Email: l.barron@imperial.ac.uk
Course Director: Dr Morgan Beeby
Course Administrator: Lucy Barron
Visit the Department of Life Sciences website.
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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