Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology

Postgraduate course - MRes in Systems and Synthetic Biology

Course Directors: Dr R. Endres (r.endres@imperial.ac.uk), Dr M. Barahona (m.barahona@imperial.ac.uk)

The MRes programme at the Institute of Systems and Synthetic Biology is organised in association with the BBSRC Centre for Integrative Systems Biology and the new EPSRC Centre for Synthetic Biology and Innovation established in partnership with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This course will provide graduate students from the life sciences, engineering and physical sciences a platform to overcome traditional barriers and collaboratively work on the 'big problems' and applications in systems and synthetic biology. Students will gain intensive hands-on experience in a combination of experimental biology and modelling to understand, predict and redesign biological pathways. The link with LSE will facilitate the integration of this research with emerging ethical, legal and societal issues.

The taught elements of the course include advanced molecular biology, genetics, biophysics, systems biology, physiological systems, advanced imaging technology, data analysis, bioengineering, and synthetic biology. In addition to conventional lectures, the course requires active engagement by the students, through practicals, bench work, case studies, journal clubs and an eight-month interdisciplinary research project. Only these activities will be marked; there will not be any formal written exams.

For further enrichment of the programme, close connections to industry and medicine will be provided through research projects from corresponding members of the Institute, as well as additional courses and workshops.

Entry requirements

The minimum qualification for admission is normally at least an upper second class Honours degree in a physical, engineering, mathematical, or life/biomedical sciences-based subject from an UK academic institution, or an equivalent overseas qualification. A level mathematics will generally be required for entry.

The programme is only offered as a full-time, one-year course and leads to the MRes degree. Students begin their lecture programme with compulsory core courses and practicals (modules 1–6) in the first term (October–December). In January students choose a topic for the eight-month long multidisciplinary, theoretical or experimental research project, supervised by at least two supervisors with different expertise. One supervisor may also come from industry.

1. Introductory courses

• Essential quantitative tools:
  • Overview of modelling
  • Computer Practical
• Essentials in life sciences:
  • Molecular and cell biology
  • Wet-lab practical

2. Molecular biology and functional genetics

• Signalling and protein pathways
• Cellular programmes, e.g. cell division, apoptosis, cell proliferation
• Structural biology
• Genetic screens and cloning, plasmids
• Exemplar case study

3. Biophysics and systems biology

• Dynamical systems
• Cell mechanics and biophysics
• Networks and graph theory
• Modelling, e.g. differential equations and stochastic simulations
• Exemplar and student case studies

4. Physiological systems

• Molecular medicine and genetic aspects of health and disease, e.g. malaria, Alzheimer's, diabetes
• Nutrition and energy, metabolism
• Genomics
• Biological fluid flows
• Immunology and toxicology
• Plant systems
• Cardiovascular modelling
• Exemplar and student case studies

5. Advanced technology and data analysis

• Imaging:
  • Fluorescence microscopy, including FRET, FRAP, etc.
  • Electron microscopy
  • MR, CT, US, PET
• High-throughput techniques
• Statistical analysis:
  • Markov chain Monte Carlo
  • Bayesian inference
  • Maximum likelihood
  • Machine learning
• Exemplar and student case studies

6. Bioengineering and synthetic biology

• Engineering design strategies
• Engineering blocks, e.g. input/output relations, filters, amplifiers, robustness
• Metabolic flux analysis
• Genetic engineering
• 'Biobricks' and parts
• Social, ethical and policy challenges
• Exemplar and student case studies