The Master in Cellular and Molecular Biology provides advanced, research-oriented training in emerging areas of modern Biology, from the molecular and cellular to the system level. The program provides the students interested in a scientific career in Life and Health Sciences with the knowledge and the experimental tools to deeply understand the mechanisms of life and disease, and the modern diagnostic tools and therapies, particularly in Neuroscience, Toxicology, Oncobiology, Human Reproduction and Fertility.
The program is run by the Department of Life Sciences of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Coimbra with the collaboration of the Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology (CNC).
The program also benefits from the collaboration of other research centers, particularly the Institute for Biomedical Research in Light and Image (IBILI) of the Faculty of Medicine, and other laboratories from the Hospitals of the University of Coimbra (HUC), the Center of Histocompatibility, the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Coimbra, and the Biocant Biotechnology Park. This unique research and clinical environment existing at the University of Coimbra makes it possible to have courses taught by leading national and foreign scientists, and training in both research and hospital laboratories.
Teaching and evaluation are in both Portuguese and English.
The Master in Cellular and Molecular Biology is a two-year Master’s degree. In the first year, the program comprises Courses, Laboratory Rotations and Seminars. With the exception of the Challenges in Research course, the second year is dedicated full-time to the Research Project, Thesis Writing and Defence.
COURSES: taught in the form of four-week modules (daytime), it comprises lectures, practical lectures and laboratory classes. The teaching faculty includes national and foreign scientists. Some of the courses are linked to the Advanced Courses of the Doctoral Programme in Experimental Biology and Biomedicine of CNC. The curriculum is designed to expose students to top research areas and to instigate the development of analytical, technical and communicative skills required for today’s biologists. The Core Courses aim at providing all the students, having a diverse background, with the fundamental concepts and experimental tools in Molecular Cell Biology. The rich diversity of optional courses allows the students to choose their own pathway.
LABORATORY ROTATIONS: participation in research projects going on in research laboratories at the University of Coimbra and associated Research Centers, at the Hospitals of Coimbra or the Biocant Technology Park. The laboratory rotations provide the students with a rich diversity of modern technologies and scientific questions, and allow the students to get acquainted with laboratories they can join to carry out the thesis project. Students can opt to attend technology-focused courses via InnoCore, an Erasmus+ programme. Find out more about MBCM international collaborations here.
RESEARCH PROJECT (or traineeship): it is introduced in the first year of the program with a literature survey and the writing of a review (Seminar I) on the subject of the thesis. At the end of the first year, the student presents and discusses the Research Plan of the project or traineeship (Seminar II).
The second year is fully dedicated to the research or technical work, with regular presentations of the work progress. The research project/traineeship can also be carried out in international institutions. Find out more about MBCM international collaborations here.
Curricular plan: General Programme and Programme with specialisation in Neurobiology.