Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology)

Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) - MSc

Biomedical scientists, microbiologists and virologists play a critical role in preventing, diagnosing, treating and managing the spread of infection. Accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science, our MSc aims to deepen your understanding of disease processes and the methods used to test, analyse and monitor them. Keele has long-established expertise in infectious diseases and conducts research in collaboration worldwide networks including ECLIPSE and Target Malaria.

Month of entry

September, January

Mode of study

Full time, Part time

Location

Keele University campus

Subject area

Health and Rehabilitation, Life Sciences, Natural Sciences, Science

Fees for 2023 entry

UK - Full time £10,000 per year. Part time £5,500 per year.
International - £18,800 per year.

Duration of study

1 year full time, 2 years part time

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Please note: this course is no longer accepting applications from international students for January 2023 entry

Why study Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) at Keele University?

Accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) – the leading professional body for scientists, support staff and students in biomedical science.

£45m investment in state-of-the-art science facilities with fluorescence microscopes, electron microscopes and tools for molecular biology.

Teaching is consolidated to support workplace or personal commitments – you'll only spend two days a week at the University if you're studying full-time, or one day if you're part-time.

Engage with world-class researchers and biomedical scientists with expertise in parasitology, bacteriology and virology.

Opportunity for holders of the IBMS Specialist Diploma to enrol with accredited prior certified learning, gaining exemption from two of seven modules.

Course summary

This Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) accredited MSc Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) course focuses on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment infectious diseases, incorporating the study of microbiology and virology.

Comprising of all aspects of human health and disease, biomedical science is one of the broadest areas of modern science and medicine. By developing new treatments and uncovering new knowledge which can save and improve lives, it is arguably one of the most important too.

Infection Sciences is one of four different and distinct laboratory disciplines within the field of Biomedical Science, as outlined by the IBMS, alongside Blood Sciences, Cell Sciences, and Genetics and Molecular Pathology. At Keele, we also offer an MSc Biomedical Science (Blood Science) covering clinical biochemistry, medical immunology and haematology, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Biomedical Science.

Building on existing, undergraduate knowledge in basic science, you’ll undertake higher level scientific training to develop the advanced laboratory and analytical skills needed in clinical or research contexts, fully aware of the potential implications for patients, health workers and research alike.

The emphasis on this MSc is to look at health and disease from a patient or population-oriented perspective and in support of evidence-based clinical decision-making. Real-life case studies on travel associated infections, outbreaks of infectious disease and vector-borne infections, for example, provide up-to-date information on different aspects of disease caused by bacteria and viruses, which laboratory tests and diagnostics were applied and why.

We pay particular attention to the development of core practical skills in areas such as critical thinking, innovation, communication, problem-solving and project management. Preparing you to take on more senior roles, you’ll become familiar with biomedical ethics, aware of how to fully integrate these issues, for example, when writing grant proposals and business plans.

You have significant flexibility when choosing your research project which could take the form of any of the following: laboratory-based research; virtual or dry laboratory-based research; bioinformatics analysis; a clinical audit; or systematic review of current literature. It may be possible to undertake your research project within the NHS or, if you're already working in the science sector, you could tackle a problem or issue that could affect real change for your employer.

The School of Life Sciences is recognised nationally and internationally for its excellence in research and teaching with all of its programmes accredited either by the Royal Society for Biology and/or the IBMS. It has developed strong collaborative relationships with a range of diagnostic and clinical specialists who currently work in NHS Trusts and associated industries. These specialist practitioners not only help shape the curriculum to ensure you graduate with the skills and knowledge real employers need, but also provide valuable contributions to our teaching. Guest lectures have previously covered, for example, medial mycology, antimicrobial stewardship, and pubic health outbreak investigation.

Other courses you might be interested in:

MSc Biomedical Science (Blood Science)
GradDip Biomedical Science (Pre-MSc)

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Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) as the professional body of Biomedical Scientists within the United Kingdom. The IBMS aims to promote and develop the role of Biomedical Science within healthcare to deliver the best possible service for patient care and safety. This ensures that, through a spirit of partnership between the Institute and the University, a good quality degree is achieved that prepares the student for employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, critical thinking, personal responsibility and initiative in complex and unpredictable professional environments.

IBMS accreditation assures students and employers that the learning outcomes of an IBMS accredited postgraduate degree courses meet or exceed the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) qualification descriptors for a higher education qualification at Masters level (Level 7).

Please note that an IBMS accredited postgraduate degree does not count towards the academic requirements for Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration. It does however meet the requirements for registration with the Science Council as a Chartered Scientist (CSci) if other eligibility criteria of corporate membership and active engagement in Continued Professional Development are met. A Master’s level qualification is also one of the entry criteria for the Institute’s Higher Specialist Examination and award of the Higher Specialist Diploma, a route towards the membership grade of Fellowship and designation FIBMS.

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Course structure

The MSc Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology) provides multidisciplinary postgraduate training which aims to develop your subject-specific knowledge and understanding, as well as your critical, analytical and scientific skills.

The course can be studied as either a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course, with a September start date. To achieve the MSc, you must complete 180 credits, studying seven compulsory core modules, including the Biomedical Science Research Project (60 credits).

However, if you hold the IBMS Specialist Diploma and successfully enrol on the course with accredited prior certified learning, you can claim exemption from two of the seven modules – the Research Methodologies and Advanced Laboratory Techniques modules.

The full-time programme is structured so that all taught sessions are delivered in just two days of the working week, though you are expected to undertake independent study over the remaining three days. Consolidating the teaching in this way allows greater flexibility, particularly if you wish to study part-time. You’ll only be required on campus one day a week over two years, making it much easier to study around childcare or other commitments. For employers, it makes workforce planning much simpler too.

Semester 1 focuses on two main areas, the first being biomedical ethics, grant application, methodological approaches, analytical reasoning and research. The second area focuses on the role of medical microbiology in the assessment, investigation and evaluation of the relationship between microorganisms and the host and clinical manifestations by body system.

In Semester 2, you will consider business planning, leadership and laboratory skills. You will also examine the role of epidemiology in the investigation of disease and health outcomes, the laboratory's role in the establishment of relationships between organisms and outbreaks, antimicrobial therapy and alternatives and the local and global response to communicable disease.

Semester 3 demonstrates your understanding of the philosophy and principles of research, and your competence in the design, execution, analysis and reporting of a professional research project. This could include lab-based research here within the School, clinical audits in partnership with local NHS providers, data analysis or a systematic review.

Any biomedical science practitioners studying the course will be expected to choose a project based on their personal area of speciality, completing laboratory and data collection in conjunction with their employers.

There are two interim awards available, depending on how many modules have been successfully completed: a Postgraduate Certificate for any two modules (60 credits); and a Postgraduate Diploma for all four taught modules (120 credits).

LSC-40029 Biomedical Ethics and Grant proposal* (15 credits, Semester 1)
The aim of this module is to highlight the requirement for a systemic approach to tackling ethical issues within Biomedical Science and to begin to learn how to manage scientific projects effectively, beginning with the application and completion of a grant proposal. You will also learn how to independently conduct literature reviews in defined areas, and are guided to think about new, innovative areas of research within your chosen field.

LSC-40038 Research Methodologies** (15 credits, Semester 1)
Firstly, you’ll be introduced to some of the modern techniques being used to advance knowledge in the field of Biomedical Science, such as molecular genetics, cell imaging and proteomics/glycomics. Then, in journal club sessions, you will explore some of the research questions currently being addressed using these techniques, presenting an oral critique of a research paper relevant to your areas of specialism. This not only helps you appreciate the importance of good experimental design and interpretation of data, but also develops key skills such as written and oral presentation skills, personal reflection, searching scientific literature, understanding the different types of scientific literature and being able to critically evaluate other people's research.

LSC-40049 Medical Microbiology (30 credits, Semester 1)
Taught by both experienced healthcare practitioners and prominent biomedical science researchers, you will explore the role of medical microbiology in the delivery of modern-day healthcare, giving you a critical insight into the patient pathway. This module aims to develop and enhance your understanding of the clinical and technical role of medical microbiology laboratories in the diagnosis and monitoring of infectious disease. You will develop key analytical skills used to assess, investigate and evaluate pathobiology and patient pathways, and to develop evidence-based arguments to support clinical decision-making. Lectures will be supported by a number of patient cases delivered in small group tutorials using a case-based learning approach. Typical subject areas include bacteriology, virology, parasitology and mycology.

LSC-40055 Infectious Diseases (30 credits, Semester 2)
Infectious diseases represent a significant threat to the human population and require a multidisciplinary, global approach. Taught by tutors working within or related to the field of the treatment and control of infectious diseases, you’ll focus on the role of epidemiology in the investigation of disease, prediction of communicable disease outbreaks and health outcomes. This includes the role of the laboratory in the establishment of relationships between organisms and outbreaks, antimicrobial therapy and alternatives, and the local and global response to communicable disease.

LSC-40030 Project Management and Business Planning* (15 credits, Semester 2)
Those working in the field of biomedical science begin to climb the professional ladder, they are increasingly under pressure to develop, organise and run new and innovative projects, handle budgets and manage people. This module is designed to guide you through these processes and equip you with the basic knowledge needed to instigate and coordinate new projects within professional practice with major emphasis on project management and business planning.

LSC-40033 Advanced Laboratory Techniques** (15 credits, Semester 2)
Delivered through laboratory practicals supported by tutorials, this module aims to provide you with a firm understanding of the principles, the advanced laboratory practical competencies and high level analytical skills of some of the important modern techniques in the field of Biomedical Science. You’ll gain the skills to analyse, present, interpret and critically evaluate biomedical and experimental data.

LSC-40059 Biomedical Science Research Project* (60 credits, Semester 3)
Representing the culmination of your learning as a Master’s student, you will design and conduct an extensive research project under the supervision of an appropriate expert. The module ends with a mini student-conference, providing you with an opportunity to meet all of your colleagues, present your main findings in a professional setting and learn what each of you has been doing. The breadth of expertise within the School gives significant scope when choosing a topic for research. By way of example, a number of current projects available to our students are supporting the fight against COVID. They include participation in an international collaborative project to search for biomolecules to protect against COVID, the evaluation of lateral flow devices, and lab testing which seeks to repurpose the existing heparin drug as a form of treatment.

*Module shared with students following the MSc Biomedical Science (Blood Science)

**Students who have attained the IBMS Specialist Diploma and are successfully enrolling with accredited prior certified learning are exempt from these two modules.

Requirements for an Award

In order to obtain the Master’s degree, students are required to satisfactorily accrue 180 M Level credits. Students who exit having accrued 60 or 120 M Level credits excluding the ‘Dissertation – Biomedical Blood Science Research Project’ are eligible to be awarded the Postgraduate Certificate (PgC) and Postgraduate Diploma (PgD) respectively.

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Your career

Biomedical science sit at the heart of multidisciplinary teams in healthcare, providing the vital scientific information which informs clinical decisions, monitors patient conditions, investigates disease and identifies ways to stop or fight infection.

The roles open to you on graduation are vast and varied and include: drug testing, infection control, cancer screen, forensics, pharmaceutical research, blood donation, transfusion services, rapid response labs, point of care testing, armed forces, and teaching. You could also enter the commercial field in technical support roles and sales in the research and healthcare markets.

The general skills you’ll gain – for example, in data analysis, investigation, interpretation, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, observation, project management – are highly valued by employers and relevant to almost any career path.

While the specialist research skills you learn provide a strong foundation for pursuing further study at doctoral level for those interested in doing so. You could embark on a research career that may include research and development roles within academia, research institutes or industry.

Graduates of this course have gone on to PhD study, medical writing and to become a Biomedical Scientist (depending on their undergraduate degree). Some have gone to to study medicine or the Scientist Training Programme to become Clinical Scientists.

Positions may include:

Academic (PhD, teaching careers)
Bioinformatician
Biomedical engineer/scientist
Biophysicist
Cell processing and manufacturing specialist
Clinical operations researcher
Clinical research scientist
Clinical trials researcher/coordinator
Computational biologist
Drug development scientist
Geneticist
Grant writer
Industrial research scientist/analyst
Medical degree
Medical laboratory scientist
Microfluidic scientist
NHS biomedical scientists
Product development scientist
Research technician
Research trainee/fellow
Science entrepreneur
Scientific consulting
Scientific sales representative
Scientist in cell/gene therapy labs (R&D)
Scientist in Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) labs (R&D)
Scientist in pharma (R&D)
Synthetic biologist

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Teaching, learning and assessment

How you'll be taught

The course is primarily taught through subject-centred lectures, seminars and laboratory-based sessions. This is supported by a range of workshops, tutorials, guest lectures and research seminars.

On this programme, the ways in which you approach, integrate and apply new knowledge and problem-solving are just as important as the acquisition of higher level information itself. For this reason, we place particular emphasis on developing critical thinking, innovation, reflective writing, autonomous learning and communication skills to prepare you for a lifetime of continued professional development.

The teaching and learning methods employed throughout this programme reflect these principles. For example, we approach the subject from a patient-orientated, case study driven perspective through problem-based learning (PBL) that encourages you to think laterally, joining up different pieces of information and developing a more holistic level of understanding.

Two of the modules, Biomedical Ethics and Grant proposal and Project Management and Business Planning, are taught alongside students from the MSc Biomedical Science (Blood Science) course. This provides opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with peers who work in different fields and specialities and in other parts of the country, sometimes the world.

How you’ll be assessed

Modules are assessed by a mixture of assessment methods, including lab reports, essays, presentations and online examinations to demonstrate your understanding of subject-specific content, as well as your analytical abilities and your evaluation of particular concepts and methodologies. Formative assessment occurs in a continuous process driven by lecturer-led discussion sessions, one-on-one mentoring, and practice presentations and posters. Note that not all modules culminate in a final examination.

The rich and varied assessment strategy helps to ensure the development of employability and academic skills, providing an opportunity to demonstrate both professional and academic attainment. Assessment design is largely driven by a number of key principles which include: promotion of independent learning, student autonomy, responsibility for personal learning and development of innovation and originality within one’s chosen area of interest.

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Our expertise

Teaching staff

The School of Life Sciences is recognised nationally and internationally for its excellence in research and teaching. The majority of the School’s research reflects broad strength in biomedical science and there are strong links with the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. These relationships provide opportunities to interact with clinicians and translational research at the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM).

Specialist research themes include: molecular biology and ecology of parasites and vectors in tropical diseases; sustainability in crops and control of crop pests, glycobiology and immunology; structural biology; molecular cell biology of apoptosis and its dysregulation; cancer; autoimmune disease; X-ray crystallography; neurobiology and neuroplasticity; neurodegeneration and regeneration; auditory neuroscience and deafness.

You’ll be taught by world-leading researchers and clinical practitioners whose expertise includes apoptosis, proteomics, epigenetics, diabetes, cell and molecular biology, cell physiology and pathology.

Our excellent industry links enable us to invite a range of specialists who share their experience and expertise by giving guest lectures to our students. Previous speakers, for example, have included pharmacists, epidemiologists, mycology professors, reference laboratory managers and clinicians.

Teaching team includes:

Rebecca Harrison (Programme Director), Senior Lecturer – Rebecca is a HCPC registrant and originally worked as a Senior Biomedical Scientist (BMS) in Microbiology at Royal Stoke University (RSUH) Hospital, obtaining her Specialist Diploma in Medical Microbiology in 2012. She joined Keele in 2016 as a Teaching Fellow before transitioning to a lecturing position in 2019. Made a Senior Lecturer in 2022, Rebecca completed her MA in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Authority. She is the clinical placement coordinator for the BSc Applied Biomedical Science programme, Chair of the School Genetic Modification and Biological Agents Safety Subcommittee and deputy Biological Agent Officer for the University.

Professor Helen Price, Professor of Parasitology – Helen specialises in the molecular and cell biology of the kinetoplastids Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma brucei, and stigma associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis. She co-leads ECLIPSE, a four-year £4.6m project funded by the UK's National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), which aims to reduce stigma and improve the patient journey for people living with cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil, Ethiopia and Sri Lanka.

Dr Naomi Forrester-Soto, Reader in Vector Biology – Naomi is a leading ecologist and virologist who has worked on emerging viruses for the past 15 years. Her research focuses on the within-host evolution of RNA viruses, particularly how viruses infect mosquitoes at the molecular level. She spent the majority of her research career at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. Since moving to Keele in 2018, she has been establishing a similar research programme, as well as branching out to investigate environmental pressures on the mosquito vectors of important viral infections. Her goal is to identify how viruses adapt to their mosquito vectors and how these evolutionary pressures result in successful infection and transmission of the mosquito vector.

Dr Dan Tonge,Lecturer – Following post-doctoral roles at the School of Veterinary Medicine (Notts) and the MRC, Dan worked as a Senior Scientist for the Health Protection Agency and as Senior Executive Officer at Public Health England. He joined Keele in 2015, and in addition to his teaching and regulatory roles, carries out molecular/bioinformatic projects that require novel thinking and method development to increase our understanding of human disease and disease processes. Dan's recent work has developed and evaluated alternative molecular approaches for the characterisation of a range of microbiomes, investigated the existence of novel microbiome niches, and characterised the complex relationship between host and microbiome in various pathologies.

Dr Mark Skidmore, Senior Lecturer – Mark joined Keele in 2020, having spent four years as Research Associate at Liverpool University. His research interests centre on carbohydrate chemistry/biochemistry, in particular the role of anionic carbohydrates (for example the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) as dynamic cell regulators. The major focus of his current research is the study of carbohydrate: protein structure-functions, in particular the development of new tools and technologies for elucidating protein-carbohydrate interactions and their application to biomedical sciences, biological sciences and medicine.

Dr Marcelo de Lima, Lecturer – Throughout his career, Marcelo has engaged with a wide range of disciplines, from mathematics coupled with spectroscopy to protein cloning and expression, to understand the relationship between the structure and function of relevant biological macromolecules, especially complex carbohydrates. Having joined Keele in 2019, he has been looking into new ways of studying fine cellular structures and processes using super-resolution and CARS (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering) microscopy by selective labelling and detection.

Glenn Hussey, Senior Lecturer – Glenn is a HCPC registrant and originally worked as a Specialist Biomedical Scientist (BMS) in Immunology at Royal Stoke University (RSUH) Hospital. He joined the School of Life Sciences as a part-time Teaching Fellow in 2007 and moved onto a Lecturer in Biomedical Science contract in 2009 becoming full-time in 2010. Promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2021, Glenn is the Programme Director for BSc Biomedical Science and Director of Education for the School. He is a member of the IBMS Advocacy Steering Group, shaping national policy and is also an approved IBMS accreditor of external programmes.

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MSc Biomedical Science (Medical Microbiology)

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Facilities

The School of Life Sciences has invested £45m in the creation of state-of-the-art science facilities on campus, including new research and teaching laboratories. In 2019, the opening of the David Attenborough Laboratories greatly increased our teaching and research areas, providing two additional state-of-the-art teaching laboratories with space for 120 students between them.

Courses focus on human, animal and plant life and you may choose to study areas from essential biochemistry, health and disease, cognition, biodiversity, evolution or our impact on the world around us. Students can access scientific equipment, such as fluorescence microscopes, electron microscopes, tools for molecular biology (e.g., PCR, western blotting), electrophysiology apparatus, and behavioural equipment housed in the Biomedical Services Unit.

Electron Microscope Unit

The Electron Microscope Unit has a range of microscopic techniques available to capture images, make slides and acquire data from biological, geological, physical and chemical specimens. These include: visible and electron microscopy; light microscopy; confocal/two photon imaging; field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM); conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray microanalysis; atomic force microscopy (AFM); ultramicrotomy; vibratome; and microslice.

Proteomic Mass Spectrometry facility

Run in collaboration with Guy Hilton Research Centre (GHRC) and the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital (RJAH) in Oswestry, this facility offers a range of mass spectrometry equipment based at Huxley Building on Keele campus. Providing proteomics and mass spectrometry services for UK based researchers, equipment includes a 4800 MALDI TOF/TOF and 3200 QTRAP tandem quadrupole mass spectrometers, with nanoflow HPLC interfaces.

Central Science Laboratory (CSL)

The University’s £34m Central Science Laboratory (CSL) opened its doors to students in September 2019 and provides 5,300m2 of modern, co-located science laboratories. Over £2m alone has been spent on industrial research-grade analytical and laboratory equipment that will be used by students in their day-to-day laboratory teaching. Access to state-of-the-art facilities and high specification equipment will ensure you are well prepared for scientific or industrial employment post-graduation. The environment mirrors the multi-faceted nature of working life and the shared space allows group working and collaboration between disciplines, building the skills and experience much valued by employers.

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