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    MSc
    2023 start September 

    Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies

    Department of Neuroscience, The Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health

    Develop the essential skills required for each step of the translational pathway of cell and gene therapy products, from discovery and vector design through to clinical trials and market authorisation. The course includes a 20-week hands-on project.
    Scientists in lab neuroscience

    Course description

    Course Directors: Professor Mimoun Azzouz, Dr Laura Ferraiuolo

    This innovative and progressive course combines the research strengths of our Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health, academic and industry partners, and leading international scientists. You’ll study genetic factors associated with rare inherited diseases and how gene and cell therapies can be adopted as treatment options, as well as the principles of gene and cell therapies. You'll also explore the development of specific and efficient medical treatments tailored to individual patients.

    On our MSc, you'll develop essential skills for each step of the translational pathway of cell and gene therapy products, including: discovery, vector design, GLP pre-clinical regulatory studies, GMP manufacturing and analytics, process innovation, quality control, qualified person (QP), safety, clinical design, commercialisation and market authorisation. 

    The course will provide you with up-to-date knowledge of advances in the field, offering a comprehensive road map on the required steps to take an advanced therapy project from discovery to clinical trial and then marketing authorisation. 

    Industry expertise

    You’ll have access to a rich training platform offered by the Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC). We work closely with GTIMC partners, including:

    • Advanced Therapy Manufacturing Industry Consortium
    • Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult
    • Cobra and Advanced Therapies Apprenticeship Community

    Externally to the GTIMC, we've created collaborative links with a wider gene therapy landscape, involving several major pharmaceutical companies. Some of the course content is provided by external partners such as academics from other advanced therapies centres, as well as pharmaceutical partners.

    Internships and training courses

    This course involves a 20-week hands-on project in the area of cell and gene therapy on the University campus with the potential to collaborate with one of our GTIMC partners or one of our industrial collaborators to enhance your theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

    Innovation Hub Bursaries 

    The Medical Research Council (MRC) and LifeArc are offering a pair of bursaries worth £6,125 each for home fee-paying students starting an MSc in Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies in 2023.

    Apply for an Innovation Hub Bursary

    Do you have a question? Talk to us

    Book a 15-minute online meeting with our course tutor to find out more information and ask further questions.

    Book an appointment with Janine Kirby

    Modules

    A selection of modules are available each year - some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course. From May of the year of entry, formal programme regulations will be available in our Programme Regulations Finder.

    • An Introduction to Human Inherited Disease
    • Principles of Gene and Cell Therapies
    • Beyond Cell and Gene Therapy
    • Omics Techniques and their Application to Genomic Medicine
    • Clinical Development of Cell and Gene Therapeutics
    • Literature Review
    • Research Project

    The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it's up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we'll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.

    Open days

    An open day gives you the best opportunity to hear first-hand from our current students and staff about our courses. You'll find out what makes us special.

    Upcoming open days and campus tours

    Duration

    1 year full-time

    Teaching

    You'll be taught through a mixture of lectures with academic and industry experts, seminars, tutorials, student-led group work, practical sessions in academic and industry labs and research placements in clinical, regulatory and industry settings. 

    Assessment

    Assessment is primarily through written assignments, coursework, short answer question examinations, poster and oral presentations and lay blogs. The research project is assessed by a thesis and presentation.

    Your career

    Our graduates enter the UK job market as a highly skilled individuals. As a growing sector with a skills shortage, this course will give you the strategic knowledge and training to compete in this market and provide you with a springboard for your future career. After successfully completing your course, you'll be able to proceed into:

    • academic and industry positions
    • careers in regulatory affairs (MHRA, FDA, EMA)
    • opportunities within GMP manufacturing centres
    • process innovation 
    • qualified person (QP) roles
    • careers at NIHR Biomedical Research Centres for human experimental medicine
    • opportunities at the newly established Advanced Therapies Treatment Centres funded by Innovate UK
    • PhD research
    • research technician or research assistant roles
    • scientific writing
    • clinical trial administrator roles/management

    Facilities and collaborations

    You’ll study at the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), within the Department of Neuroscience.

    SITraN is an international centre of excellence recognised for its groundbreaking work in the fight against motor neurone disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

    We also collaborate with the University of Sheffield's Neuroscience Institute.

    Entry requirements

    You'll need at least a 2:1 undergraduate honours degree in a relevant science, engineering, law or medical subject.

    We also consider a wide range of international qualifications:

    Entry requirements for international students

    Overall IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component, or equivalent.

    If you have any questions about entry requirements, please contact the department.

    Fees and funding

    Innovation Hub Bursaries 

    The Medical Research Council (MRC) and LifeArc are offering a pair of bursaries worth £6,125 each for home fee-paying students starting an MSc in Advanced Cell and Gene Therapies in 2023.

    Apply for an Innovation Hub Bursary

    Apply

    You can apply for postgraduate study using our Postgraduate Online Application Form. It's a quick and easy process.

    Apply now

    Contact

    Helen Hickson
    CellGeneTherapies@sheffield.ac.uk
    +44 114 222 2296

    Any supervisors and research areas listed are indicative and may change before the start of the course.

    Our student protection plan

    Recognition of professional qualifications: from 1 January 2021, in order to have any UK professional qualifications recognised for work in an EU country across a number of regulated and other professions you need to apply to the host country for recognition. Read information from the UK government and the EU Regulated Professions Database.

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