Pharmacology and Biotechnology (Taught)

Please check the Sheffield Hallam University website for the latest information.

Course summary

• Undertake taught modules and an extended research project in a professional lab.

• Explore the fundamental principles of molecular pharmacology and biotechnology.

• Enhance your laboratory skills from experimental design through to interpretation of results.

• Learn how to synthesise new drugs, or produce them from genetically modified microorganism.

• Develop as an autonomous learner capable of reflecting on learning, knowledge and professional practices.

This course has been designed to respond to the increasing need for professional pharmacologists and biotechnologists. You’ll learn to translate laboratory medical research into clinical applications, and study topics such as diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of disease. Throughout, you'll learn to apply medical biotechnology, biopharmaceutics and drugs.

How you learn

All our courses are designed around a set of key principles based on engaging you with the world, collaborating with others, challenging you to think in new ways, and providing you with a supportive environment in which you can thrive.

You are taught through various learning activities designed to challenge and support as you progress through the course. The aim is to give a theoretical and practical knowledge of your subject.

In the first semester you will follow taught modules that provide a fundamental knowledge of biotechnology and pharmacology, and the module Applied Laboratory Practice will introduce you to the practical and theoretical basis of research. Together these will give you a sound basis to carry out your Extended Research Project in semesters two and three.

You learn through

• lectures and seminars

• workshops and tutorials

• laboratory classes

• an extended research project

• working in a professional laboratory

Applied learning

You'll undertake a research project aligned with the current research interests of an academic member of staff, within our professional laboratories of the Biomolecular Research Centre.

You'll work within a real research group, fully supported throughout by your academic supervisor. The project will include a critical review of the literature relevant to your research project, the development of a project proposal, the development of research methods and the analysis, presentation and interpretation of experimental data. Since the project extends over two semesters, it allows you to have the opportunity to fully immerse yourself in the project and to have the time to collect meaningful data, thus enabling an authentic research scientist experience.