Molecular & Cellular Biology

Molecular and cellular biology is the study of life at its most fundamental level, examining the processes that take place within and between cells and the molecules that make those processes possible. It draws on biochemistry, genetics and cell biology to explain how proteins are made and regulated, how DNA is copied and repaired, how cells divide and differentiate, and how the molecular machinery of cells underlies the functioning of tissues and whole organisms. This is a discipline that sits at the frontier of biological knowledge and drives much of modern medicine, biotechnology and agriculture.

At the University of Glasgow, this four-year programme provides a thorough grounding in the core sciences before building towards specialist knowledge and independent research. You will study the structure and function of biological macromolecules, gene expression and regulation, cell signalling pathways, developmental biology and the molecular basis of disease. The programme includes a year abroad, allowing you to work in a different research or teaching environment and broaden your scientific perspective.

Practical laboratory work is central throughout, developing your skills in experimental design, data analysis, scientific communication and the use of key techniques in molecular biology, from microscopy and genetic manipulation to proteomics and bioinformatics.

The research environment at Glasgow supports you to engage with cutting-edge questions in the field, and by the later years of the programme you will be carrying out supervised independent research, developing the rigour and creativity that are characteristic of scientific thinking at this level.

Graduates go on to research careers in academia and industry, roles in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and healthcare, scientific writing and communication, patent law, and science policy. Postgraduate study, including doctoral research, is a common pathway for those who want to continue at the research frontier in molecular biology, biomedical science or related disciplines.