MSc by Research in Structural Biology - Signaling and Cancer

University of Leeds

This 12 month programme features no taught content, rather you will undertake a research project and write a thesis from your results. Similar to a PhD, you will have a supervisor who is based in your chosen field. MSc by Research will develop your academic and practical skills and is an excellent option should you wish to explore your area of interest further but feel that a PhD is not the right choice at this time. MSc by Research students often go on to PhD study or to work in industry.A major interest of researchers in Leeds is to understand cellular signaling – the basic processes and communication that underpins normal cellular function – and how these signaling pathways become deranged in disease, especially cancer. The structure of biological molecules and the complexes they form underpins most biological function. Therefore, structural biology is a key tool in modern biological discovery. We want to understand the structures of biomolecules such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates and lipids, and the complexes they form. Structural biology also encompasses understanding how those structures move, and incorporates the principles of molecular biology, biochemistry biophysics, modelling and simulation.