Translational Medical Sciences

Specialisms

The particular focus of the generic Translational Medical Sciences programme is to prepare you to set up research or service provision in commercial or health service labs. The skills you develop will also prepare you to undertake PhD studies, if this is a path you want to follow. The particular advantage of the generic route is the flexibility offered to those of you who don’t want to commit to a particular specialism. You’ll begin by learning about and applying essential skills in evidence-based medicine and research: including critical appraisal, oral presentation, literature searching. You’ll also learn about bioethics, medical ethics, research governance, and other important topics in Translational Medical Sciences. Then you’ll learn about translational research methodologies and their implementation in a variety of laboratory settings. Finally, you’ll bring your new knowledge and skills together to undertake a research project in the field of Translational Medical Sciences, and you’ll write up your research in the form of a dissertation.

The particular focus of Diagnostic Technologies specialism is to prepare you to assess and evaluate diagnostic systems across a wide range of applications in clinical, environmental, nutrition, veterinary and other areas of application. This specialism will provide an insight into careers within the global diagnostic industry, and it will prepare you for PhD study, if this is where your interest lies. You’ll begin by learning about and applying essential skills in evidence-based medicine and research: including critical appraisal, oral presentation, literature searching. You’ll also learn about bioethics, medical ethics, research governance, and other important topics across the range of Translational Medical Sciences. Then you’ll learn the basic science behind the advanced technology used in diagnostic laboratories; including biochemical, immunochemical and spectrophotometric analysis. Major emphasis will be on the procedures that ensure the quality control of assay in regular use; and on issues involved in the commercial development of diagnostic reagents. Finally, you’ll combine your learning about diagnostic science and technologies with your learning about generic research skills, to undertake a research project in the field of Diagnostic Technologies. You will write up your research in the form of a dissertation.

The particular focus of the Molecular Medicine specialism is to prepare you to work in labs in the biotechnology industry, or in health service or research labs that use molecular medicine techniques. This specialism will also be an excellent preparation for PhD study. As with the other routes, you’ll begin by learning about and applying essential skills in evidence-based medicine and research: including critical appraisal, oral presentation, literature searching. You’ll also learn about bioethics, medical ethics, research governance, and other important topics across the range of Translational Medical Sciences. You’ll then the basic practical skills and theory of DNA and RNA analysis, which are absolutely fundamental to Molecular Medicine. This will be taught by highly experienced researchers and will include many practical tips and advice to help you become proficient scientists. Following this, you will focus on techniques that bridge between basic molecular biology and translational medicine and which are key to the interaction between basic and clinical scientists, including an exploration of next generation sequencing technology. Finally, you’ll bring your new knowledge and skills together to undertake a research project in the field of Molecular Medicine, which you’ll write up in the form of a dissertation.

The particular focus of the Molecular Pathology specialism is to prepare you for work in clinical or non-clinical molecular pathology labs. This specialism will also prepare you to undertake PhD study, if this is of interest. You’ll begin by learning about and applying essential skills in evidence-based medicine and research: including critical appraisal, oral presentation, literature searching. You’ll also learn about bioethics, medical ethics, research governance, and other important topics across the range of Translational Medical Sciences. You’ll then be exposed to a range of modern techniques and research methodologies used in Molecular Pathology research. Molecular pathologists aim to use such methodologies and techniques to elucidate the processes leading to disease, including cardiovascular disease, infectious disease and cancer. Along with introductions to basic principles, you will have hands-on experience in the current practice of histopathology. Modern laboratory and analytical methods will be demonstrated in state-of-the art facilities at the University Pathology Laboratory at the Southern General Hospital, where an excellent teaching and learning environment is enhanced by access to the expertise of the largest number of clinical pathologists in Europe. Finally, you will bring together your new knowledge and skills to undertake a research project in the field of Molecular Pathology, which you will write up in the form of a dissertation.