The University of Sheffield
Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Mechanistic Biology MSc - Class of 2011

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msc_2011 Our current MSc students: Gosia Poczopko, Beth McMillan, Sean Fang, and Emma Branch, with Dr Bob Turner.
group_shot1 Our small group size enables an emphasis on informal and interactive teaching. group_shot2
group_nmr1 Students experience using a range of physical techniques. Here, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance is being used to monitor the folding and unfolding of a protein. group_nmr2

Student profiles

Emma Branchemma_branch

Ever since visiting Africa I've always wanted a career in medical research, which could really benefit other people. After completing my Bachelors degree in Biomedical Science from the University of Manchester, I decided to undertake a Masters in Mechanistic Biology at the University of Sheffield. This degree, integrating my biological knowledge with that of other disciplines such as mathematics, computing and physics, will give me a much wider knowledge base than that of the average Bachelors degree graduate and will therefore be of huge advantage to me in my future career. So far the course has been both challenging and stimulating, with staff going above and beyond to help, and I would recommend it to anyone.

Sean Fangsean_fang

I am a student from China, a country far away with totally different culture. Studying in UK was a difficult decision for me and my family to make, because it means I am going to have a new life in a whole new world. It is a world full of challenge and excitement for an introvert person like me. What’s more, it is my first abroad experience, but I am very lucky and happy that I have it in Sheffield. Everyone in the university is incredibly nice and friendly. Every module is taught by sophisticated, patient and approachable staffs. The Mechanistic Biology MSc program is definitely an eye-opener. It provides access to many kinds of cutting-edge technology and interdisciplinary perspectives for Biology research. I am having a fantastic time in this course.

Beth McMillanBeth McMillan

I have a particular interest in computational modelling of biological systems, so I jumped at the chance to undertake this Masters course in Mechanistic Biology, which covers the mathematical, physical and quantitative aspects of molecular biology. My initial degree in Biochemistry at the University of Sheffield gave me the grounding in biological systems which we have been exploring more fully this year – for example, we recently derived the thermodynamic basis for osmosis. We have also been programming in Python and Matlab, and getting an insight into cutting-edge equipment and techniques, including atomic force microscopy and X-ray crystallography. Apart from being extremely stimulating and interesting, the skills I've learned on this course have helped me get a place on a PhD programme in Systems Biology at the University of Oxford, starting in October 2012.