Course summary

This is an MRC Doctoral Training Programme (DTP) in Precision Medicine and a collaboration between the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow. Precision medicine is a transformational approach to disease treatment and prevention, focusing on identifying which strategy will be effective for which patients, based on genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. Put most simply, it means giving the right treatment to the right patient at the right time. To do this it integrates evidence from advanced data on myriad clinical samples with the individual genomics, e-record, imaging and other data-rich -omic parameters to enable discovery and tailored therapies. There is a huge unmet need to train a generation of scientists who can excel in state-of-the-art interrogation of genetic and genomic information, developing and utilising analytical methodologies to provide evidence to improve health and well-being. We aim to train the next generation of research leaders, experts in informatics-based approaches and biomedical technologies, who are thus able to unravel disease mechanisms and devise new therapies. We aim to train such researchers to realise the full potential of Precision Medicine. Our students will learn to develop quantitative research creativity for use in their future careers in fast moving disciplines, as biomedical science embraces new data-rich opportunities. Our collaborative DTP will provide state-of-the-art training in informatics, data analytics, genetics, genomics, epidemiology, clinical populations, clinical tissue and ‘liquid biopsy’ interrogation and molecular pathology. Hypotheses generated, including novel disease mechanisms and drivers, may be tested in the most appropriate disease models. Uniquely, our DTP offers: 1. PhD with integrated study - training in Precision Medicine towards becoming a T-shaped researcher (broad in outlook while studying in depth) 2. cutting-edge learning in both medicine and computation 3. vast data assets emerging from the infrastructure and facilities within the world-leading training environments provided by the three partners, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the Karolinska The University of Edinburgh is internationally leading in basic-to-clinical translational research. We have an outstanding record of interdisciplinary research and a longstanding strategic commitment to the concept of one medicine/one health. The College will continue to play a world-leading role in research to advance human and animal health and food security. The College’s ‘One Medicine, One Health’ strategy is built upon the integration of research from bench to bedside and from process to population. This is delivered by the UK’s only unified College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, consolidating research in multidisciplinary research centres, clustering these centres within contemporary research institutes located next to hospitals on three major translational research campuses, linking with research excellence in the other Colleges, committing to recruitment and retention of the most talented early career researchers, and developing the culture of translation of research to maximise impact on health and wealth.

• DTP: Doctoral Training Programme