Person looking into microscope with student observing
  • Postgraduate taught
  • MSc

Genes, Drugs and Stem Cells – Novel Therapies

Receive a state-of-the-art education in next-generation therapies and build your expertise in translational research

  • Postgraduate taught
  • PG Cert

Genes, Drugs and Stem Cells – Novel Therapies

Receive a state-of-the-art education in next-generation therapies and build your expertise in translational research.

Receive a state-of-the-art education in next-generation therapies and build your expertise in translational research

Acquire career-oriented skills through presentations, debates, journal clubs and data analysis

Gain in-depth knowledge within a specific interest area on one of three specialist streams

How would you like to study?

Study option:

Course key facts

  • Qualification

    • MSc

  • Duration

    1 year

  • Start date

    September 2024

  • Study mode

    Full-time

  • Fees

    • £14,900 Home

    • £43,250 Overseas

  • Delivered by

  • Location

    • Hammersmith

    • Royal Brompton

    • South Kensington

Minimum entry standard

  • 2:1 in an appropriate subject

View full entry requirements
  • Qualification

    • PG Cert

  • Duration

    4 months

  • Start date

    September 2024

  • Study mode

    Full-time

  • Fees

    • £7,450 Home

    • £21,625 Overseas

  • Delivered by

  • Location

    • Hammersmith

    • Royal Brompton

    • South Kensington

Minimum entry standard

  • 2:1 in an appropriate subject

View full entry requirements

Study option:

Course overview

Gain proficiency in translational research and explore a range of next-generation therapies on this Master’s course. 

You'll acquire transferable skills in translational research, exploring the steps required to progress novel therapies from bench-to-bedside and towards drug licensing. 

You'll also build your knowledge of ethical and regulatory legislation, commercialisation strategies, and intellectual property and patent protection.

This course is unique in providing academic and laboratory research training in three key areas of advanced therapeutic development:

  • Gene and Nucleic Acid Based Therapies
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • New Horizons in Pharmacology

The blended study format offers flexibility in terms of learning, with the programme delivered through a mixture of face-to-face teaching, online learning, and self-study. 

The MSc course allows you to pursue your speciality in greater depth, through a further advanced module and a six-month research project.

You’ll also gain a basic understanding of bioinformatics and their application in biology and take part in interdisciplinary team events to generate ideas for public engagement activities, or research projects.

Train in translational research and explore a range of next-generation therapies on this PG Cert course.

You'll acquire transferable skills in translational research, exploring the steps required to progress novel therapies from bench-to-bedside and towards drug licensing.

You'll also build your knowledge of ethical and regulatory legislation, commercialisation strategies, and intellectual property and patent protection.

This course is unique in providing academic and laboratory research training in three key areas of advanced therapeutic development:

  • Gene and Nucleic Acid Based Therapies
  • Regenerative Medicine
  • New Horizons in Pharmacology

The blended study format offers flexibility in terms of learning, with the programme delivered through a mixture of face-to-face teaching, online learning, and self-study.

Study option:

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.

You’ll study the following core modules.

Core modules

You’ll study one optional module from the list below.

Optional modules

You'll complete an extensive six-month research project related to the course content.

You can choose between dry-lab and wet-lab projects, depending on your interests and career aspirations.

You'll join a world-leading research group and will be supervised by academic supervisors. 

Your work will be assessed by a 10,000-word written project report and an oral presentation.

You’ll study the following core modules.

Core modules

Study option:

Teaching and assessment

Balance of teaching and learning

Key

  • Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
  • Research project

  • 50% Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
  • 50% Research project

Teaching and learning methods

  • Critical reviews
  • Discussions and debates
  • Journal clubs
  • Person at lectern giving speech
    Lectures
  • People collaborating and completing practical work.
    Practical sessions
  • Presentations
  • A person studying independently
    Problem-solving workshops
  • Research project
  • Four students sitting in a tutorial
    Tutorials

Assessment methods

  • Person completing coursework
    Coursework
  • Data analysis
  • A person completing a written exam
    Examinations
  • Journal clubs
  • Poster project
    Poster presentations
  • Oral presentations
  • Checklist for a practical examination
    Practical write-ups

Balance of teaching and learning

Key

  • Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
  • Research project

  • 100% Lectures, tutorials and independent learning
  • 0% Research project

Teaching and learning methods

  • Critical reviews
  • Discussions and debates
  • Journal clubs
  • Person at lectern giving speech
    Lectures
  • People collaborating and completing practical work.
    Practical sessions
  • Presentations
  • A person studying independently
    Problem-solving workshops
  • Research project
  • Four students sitting in a tutorial
    Tutorials

Assessment methods

  • Person completing coursework
    Coursework
  • Data analysis
  • A person completing a written exam
    Examinations
  • Journal clubs
  • Poster project
    Poster presentations
  • Oral presentations
  • Checklist for a practical examination
    Practical write-ups

Key people

portrait of Professor Uta Griesenbach in a lab

Professor Uta Griesenbach

Course Director

Uta is a Professor of Molecular Medicine at the National Heart and Lung Institute. Her research relates to the development of novel gene and cell therapy-based treatments for cystic fibrosis and other inflammatory lung diseases and haemophilia.

portrait of Dr Tristan Rodriguez

Dr Tristan Rodriquez

Deputy Course Director

Tristan joined the National Heart and Lung Institute in 2011. His laboratory group studies the importance of cell competition in disease as well as the mechanisms to measure cell fitness.

portrait of Dr Fouzia Haneef Khan

Dr Fouzia Khan

Teaching Fellow

Fouzia is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial. Fouzia teaches and organises this course developing innovative teaching methods. She is particularly interested in Pharmacology Education.

Study option:

Entry requirements

We consider all applicants on an individual basis, welcoming students from all over the world.

Study option:

How to apply

Apply online

You can submit one application form per year of entry. You can choose up to two courses.

Tuition fees

Home fee

MSc

£14,900

PG Cert

£7,450

Overseas fee

MSc

£43,250

PG Cert

£21,625

Study option:

Scholarships

Scholarship Opportunities 2023

Value per award

  • 50% of the MSc tuition fee

Who it's for

  • New Home students (UK and Ireland only).
Find out more

Scholarship Opportunities 2023

Value per award

  • 50% of the MSc tuition fee

Who it's for

  • New Home students (UK and Ireland only).
Find out more

Your future career

DNA strand with magnifying glass

Gain transferable skills relevant to a career in genes, drugs and stem cells or similar fields.

Person with magnifying glass over head

Be equipped with the skills and knowledge to significantly contribute to various rapidly expanding fields involving clinical science.

Teacher in front of classroom

Access state-of-the-art education in next-generation therapies for scientists and clinicians.

Graduate Cap above rolled Degree

Our graduates often pursue further study in doctoral research.

Test tubes

Others find careers within small biotech companies and large pharma involved in drug development.

Man standing under a sign pointing different directions

Other career paths could include roles in healthcare and within the financial sector.

Testimonials

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.

Read our terms and conditions

You can find further information about your course, including degree classifications, regulations, progression and awards in the programme specification for your course.

Programme specifications