MSc Medical and Pharmaceutical Drug Innovation
University of Groningen
Key Information
Campus location
Groningen, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,314 / per year *
Application deadline
01 May 2024
Earliest start date
Sep 2024
* - EU, 13000 EUR. - non-EU per year
Introduction
How can we make use of the immune system in order to target cancer? How does early life nutrition impact metabolic health in adulthood? How can microorganisms help fight against infectious diseases?
Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment is a research-oriented selective two-year master's program. During this program, research-minded students are trained to become the next generation of successful scientists in academia and private section environments. Students will be challenged with exciting cutting-edge research and methodologies and will learn how to critically read the literature, design novel research questions, translate hypotheses into testable research plans, and how to communicate research.
As a student you can focus on your interests and ambitions by participating in one of the following specializations after the first semester:
- Oncology
- Neuroscience
- Infection and Immunity
- Nutrition and Metabolism
- Systems Medicine
- Drug Innovation
This selective Master's degree program is designed for students primarily aiming for a career as a scientist in academia and private sector environments. Students are trained to become critical academic thinkers, problem solvers, and discoverers. If this appeals to you, this master's program is the right choice for you!
Why study this program in Groningen?
If you choose to study MMIT at the University of Groningen, this is what you can expect:
- small international student cohort with a maximum of 35 students
- a challenging multidisciplinary and intercultural approach to problem-solving
- participate in a specialization of your choice
- teaching by top-researchers
- strong focus on and guidance in personal and professional development
- two major (international) research internships
- possibility of obtaining a fully funded three-year Ph.D. position
- possibility of a partial scholarship for non-EU/EEA students
Research
Research during the Molecular Medicine and Innovative Treatment program.
The educational program has six specializations, which are associated with the research institutes of the UMCG. Each specialization covers the entire spectrum of the research process from fundamental to clinical research.
At the end of the program, students write their own grant proposals and the students can submit these to the Graduate School of Medical Sciences for funding. The most successful proposals will be awarded which gives the students the possibility to execute their own research proposal.
The six specializations are:
- Oncology
- Neuroscience
- Infection and Immunity
- Nutrition and Metabolism
- Systems Medicine
- Drug Innovation
Curriculum
40 hours of class and self-study per week on average
Embedded in both the University Medical Center Groningen and the Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, MMIT offers excellent facilities for (pharmaco)genomics, proteomics, and in vivo(animal) and in vitro(cell) imaging. This direct interplay of the clinical, medical, and pharmaceutical sciences is what makes MMIT unique as well as the possibility to choose a specialization after the first semester. At the end of the second year, you will write and defend your own research proposal.
Year 1
- Extension Research Project I or Elective course (5 EC)
- Introduction to Research Project I (2 EC)
- Research Project I (30 EC)
- Topclass I: Mechanisms of disease and innovative therapies (11 EC)
- Topclass II: Experimental techniques in research (9 EC)
- Topclass III: Fit for Practice (3 EC)
Year 2
- Elective courses (10 EC)
- Extension Research Project II or Elective course (5 EC)
- Introduction to Research Project II (2 EC)
- Research project II (30 EC)
- Topclass IV: Design of research projects (5 EC)
- Topclass V: Writing and defining your own Ph.D. proposal (8 EC)
Program options
- Neuroscience (specialization)
- Oncology (specialization)
- Infection and Immunity (specialization)
- Nutrition and Metabolism (specialization)
- Systems Medicine (specialization)
- Drug Innovation (specialization)
Study abroad
- Study abroad is optional
Students are encouraged to perform their second research proposal abroad, further enhancing their international experience. Previously students have done this at:
- Children's Hospital Boston
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London
- J.W. Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main
- KU Leuven
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University Hospital Freiburg
- University of Cambridge
- University of Colorado
- University of Oxford
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Non-EU applicants may apply for a scholarship for the MMIT program with the Graduate School of Medical Sciences (GSMS). The GSMS offers scholarships to excellent non-EU/EEA applicants under the Abel Tasman Talent Program.
The process of obtaining a scholarship is highly selective and non-EU applicants will need to indicate within their letter of motivation whether they depend on a scholarship in order to be able to enroll in MMIT or not. Furthermore, we ask the applicant to motivate why he/she is the person the selection committee should select for a scholarship.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
Job prospects
Upon completion of this program, you are fully prepared to become a successful scientist. Most graduates continue with Ph.D. research. In fact, you will have the opportunity to obtain a Ph.D. position at the University Medical Center Groningen. Others find a Ph.D. position at other prestigious universities or start to work as a scientist in the private sector (industry, governmental institutions).