Course summary

Biochemists study the molecular basis of life. This underpins our fundamental understanding of human health and disease and also supports applied science like drug discovery, diagnostics and biotechnology. Our Biochemistry course immerses you in ground-breaking research and gives you the opportunity to develop high-level analytical and problem-solving skills that prepare you for a diverse range of careers. Our broad and varied curriculum currently includes contemporary topics such as molecular genetics, immunology, synthetic biology, drug discovery, recombinant engineering, enzymology, cellular homeostasis, cancer cell biology, developmental biology and neurobiochemistry. In your first two years you will supplement your study of biochemistry with units relevant to human health and disease such as pharmacology, physiology and molecular pathology. Your third year focuses on medically relevant aspects of biochemistry such as those relating to cancer, cardiovascular disease and drug design. Teaching is delivered through a combination of lectures, interactive workshops and small-group tutorials. You are assigned a personal tutor at the start of the course who will usually remain with you throughout your degree. Your third-year research project will be affiliated with the work of our internationally-renowned scientists and will allow you to gain a deeper understanding by focusing on one particular aspect of biochemistry. For example, current projects include designing artificial proteins, discovering new drugs from the ocean floor, and understanding mechanisms of wound-healing. We prepare you for your future career with subject-specific employability and enterprise sessions and the chance to gain additional research experience in a summer studentship. Recent graduate destinations from our biochemistry programmes include higher degrees such as MSc or PhD, the pharmaceutical industry, biotechnology companies, research institutes, the NHS, graduate medicine, teaching, forensics, the civil service, medical publishing, finance, business consultancy, patent law, science communications and more.