Biomedical Sciences

Biomedical science is the discipline that bridges the gap between fundamental biological knowledge and the clinical practice of medicine. It provides the scientific understanding of how the human body works and how disease develops that underpins diagnosis, treatment and prevention in modern healthcare. Biomedical scientists work behind the scenes in clinical laboratories, analysing blood, tissue and other samples to provide the information that guides medical decisions, and they are also central to research programmes that develop new diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches.

At Brunel University London, this three-year full-time programme gives you a rigorous grounding in the core biomedical sciences, including cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, genetics, immunology, microbiology, haematology and histopathology. You will develop practical laboratory skills alongside theoretical knowledge, learning the techniques and analytical approaches that professional biomedical scientists use in clinical and research settings. The programme covers the science of disease from the molecular mechanisms of cancer and infection through to the development of rapid diagnostic tests, giving you both depth of knowledge and breadth of understanding across the biomedical sciences.

Graduates of biomedical science programmes work in NHS hospital laboratories, public health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology firms and research institutions. Clinical laboratory roles in haematology, clinical biochemistry, microbiology, histopathology and immunology are common entry points into the profession, and registration with the Health and Care Professions Council is required for practice as a biomedical scientist. Many graduates go on to postgraduate study in biomedical science, clinical research, molecular medicine or a related specialist field.

Research careers in academia and the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries are also well-established routes for those who wish to contribute to the scientific development of medicine.