Biomedical Science - Infection and Immunity

Entry requirements

You should have or be expected to achieve, a minimum of a second class degree (2:2). For healthcare graduates, a pass is required. All degrees must be awarded before 1st August on the year of entry.

We welcome applications from individuals from a range of backgrounds, including humanities, science and healthcare.

We may invite you to interview if are unable to make a decision directly from your application. If you are invited for an interview you will be asked to write a short paper (no more than half a page) on a subject associated with biomedical research.

Alternative professional qualifications, or previous related experience, may be considered and we encourage you to apply.

Months of entry

September

Course content

In 2020, the global pandemic highlighted the profound and lasting impact that a devastating infectious disease can have on the human population. Research to understand how diseases like Covid-19 are contracted and spread, and what drugs and vaccines are useful in treating or preventing them, is vital to reduce suffering and try to control or eradicate the disease.

This MRes in Biomedical Science (Infection and Immunity) provides you with research training in fundamental aspects of bacterial and viral pathogenesis, with an emphasis on molecular approaches to understanding infection.

We offer four specialist postgraduate pathways in Biomedical Science – in Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Infection and Immunity, Molecular Mechanisms of Cancer, and Reproduction and Development.

Core modules, common to each pathway, provide advanced training in the practice of biomedical research across a broad range of laboratory and computer-based biomedical science, while the specialist module prepares you to conduct high-calibre in-depth research in your chosen research field.

Unlike many other courses, our Research Project offers a chance to spend up to nine months working as part of an active research team. This may provide an opportunity to work with clinical staff on our hospital sites. For example, one past research project tested a novel vaccine candidate against tuberculosis, a global health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. Another project examined a specific house dust mite allergen which has been linked to triggering asthma, while yet another project focused on the development of antibody immunotherapy against chikungunya virus.

The course provides excellent preparation for PhD study, which around a fifth of our students complete here at St George’s or elsewhere, and this can lead to a research career within academia or industry. Alternatively, on completion, you could pursue a career in the biomedical and medical sector in roles where some research background is required but not necessarily at PhD level. This may include job opportunities as research support staff, technicians, medical laboratory assistants, specialist services provision, equipment operators and laboratory management.

St George’s University of London is the UK’s only university dedicated to medical and health sciences education, training and research. We share our site with a major London teaching hospital which is both on the clinical frontline for a diverse local community and a centre of excellence for specialist conditions. You’ll study in a clinical setting with like-minded individuals, mixing with the many different healthcare professionals you will go on to work alongside throughout your career.