Master’s programme in Molecular Techniques in Life Science
This two-year master's programme prepares students for a professional research career in life science, with particular focus on molecular techniques for disease therapies and diagnostic tools, coupled with substantial training in data analysis (bioinformatics and programming). The programme is a unique collaboration between Karolinska Institutet, KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Stockholm University in the environment of Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm.
Molecular Techniques in Life Science at KTH
Our understanding of the human body at a molecular level has advanced dramatically in recent years, which has led to the development of new therapies and diagnostic tools for the effective treatment of diseases. Students on the Molecular Techniques in Life Science programme will receive a comprehensive education in life science, emphasising cutting-edge methods in bioinformatics analysis of big data, including learning how to programme, combined with state-of-the-art techniques used in modern "high throughput" molecular biology. Students will also learn how to translate biological findings into diagnostic tools and novel treatments.
The programme is delivered by a team of teachers who are internationally recognised researchers in their respective disciplines, so as to ensure a relevant curriculum at the research forefront. The courses give a solid education in a combination of molecular biology, biotechnology and medicine, with a focus on high-throughput biology and the analysis of big data, including programming, for the translation of biological findings from lab bench to patient bedside. The programme also develops skills and abilities essential to the professional career – including oral and written presentation, teamwork, and how to make ethical and societal considerations about life science related issues, all of which are important for the ability to lead projects in academia and industry.
Degree project
The degree project is carried out during the last semester of the programme, and involves the student working on a research topic related to the subject in the curriculum. The project is carried out in a research group at Karolinska Institute, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm University, at Science for Life Laboratory, or in any other internationally recognised university or research institute or industry.
Career
The combination of molecular biology, biotechnology, medicine and data analysis provides an excellent profile for a professional research career in an academic setting or in the biotechnological and pharmaceutical industry. The life science industries and academic institutions working in these areas are active and the life science sector is expanding worldwide, which gives students a wide range of possible employments. The first students from this programme graduated in 2017, and most of them have taken up research positions at prestigious research institutions.
Students
Find out what students from the programme think about their time at KTH.
Faculty and research
Karolinska Institutet, KI, is the largest institution for medical and biomedicine education and research in Sweden. Teachers engaged in courses within the programme and given by KI are all active researchers in basic or clinical research. More information is found here.
Stockholm University, SU, hosts one of the largest faculties of Science in Sweden, and the programme teachers are active researchers in bioinformatics, biophysics, biochemistry, and molecular biology. The SU faculty at SciLifeLab have developed a number of widely used research tools, including projects such as Pfam , Pcons , and GROMACS .
At the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health at KTH, there are strong research groups affiliated with the program within e.g. gene technology, bioinformatics, and proteomics. In particular, the School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health is the home of the Spatial Transcriptomics and Human Protein Atlas projects.