Master in Molecular Medicine

Curriculum/Field of study

Tübingen’s Master’s program is an excellent choice for students seeking an advanced academic and laboratory research training program in modern cellular and molecular medicine with direct application to the study of human disease.

A particular strength of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tübingen is our highly acclaimed applied research in the specialized areas of neurosciences, immunology, oncology, and infection biology. Training in these specialized areas is offered by experts who are predominantly active researchers or clinical scientists. As expert teachers, they provide a comprehensive and thoroughly up-to-date overview of the area. Each student chooses two of the following four specialized areas:

Characteristics

The innovative Master’s program in Molecular Medicine is characterized by interdisciplinarity, practice orientation, and an international focus with the ambition to qualify future excellent scientists for medical research.

A particular strength of the Master’s program in Molecular Medicine at the University of Tübingen is its location within the thriving research culture of the Faculty of Medicine with its four focus areas of neurosciences, immunology, oncology, and infection biology, all of which have been deemed excellent by the Training in these focus areas is offered by experts who are predominantly active researchers or clinical scientists. As expert teachers, they provide a comprehensive and thoroughly up to date overview of the area.

Tübingen’s consecutive Master’s program lasts one academic year (two semesters) and encompasses a total of 60 ECTS. It is run by the Faculty of Medicine and the Graduate Training Centre of Neuroscience.

Our curriculum complies with the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to ensure compatibility with other international programs. The bachelor’s program lasts four academic years (eight semesters) and encompasses a total of 240 ECTS credit points. To apply candidates need as a minimum entry requirement 240 credits (= 4-year degree or degree (BA)).

Program coordination/Administration

The Master’s program lasts one academic year (two semesters) and encompasses a total of 60 ECTS. The one-year curriculum is divided into two main parts, the first concentrating on deepening knowledge and advanced laboratory research training in two/or one of the above-mentioned areas (see below Studieninhalt/Course Content), the second on an individual research project (= Master’s thesis).

In the first semester, students can choose from a catalog of modules in two selected areas of specialization allowing the student to tailor the program to their individual or interests. A total of 5 modules (33 ECTS) must be taken.

The Master’s thesis Research Project (27 ECTS) in the second semester forms a major component of the course and entails five months’ full-time practical work in the laboratory on a novel piece of research. This element gives students experience in independently solving an experimental problem within the field of modern biomedical research and writing an extended report (approx. 50-60 pages). Students gain experience in laboratory work, knowledge of modern scientific methods, and practice in researching scientific literature.

Exchange programs

The Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tübingen maintains close cooperation with more than 40 universities all over the world, which offers our students the option to write their Master’s thesis in research departments abroad. The research placement is planned by the student in cooperation with our international coordinator and the chosen host institution.

Optional time abroad

You may choose to spend some time abroad as part of any study program. You should start planning it 12 to 18 months before your departure.

Here you will find general information and advice on studying abroad. In addition, some departments have their own subject-specific services providing information on studying abroad.

Immunology

Exploring the specialist field of immunology will allow you to gain a sound knowledge of the complex processes involved in the regulation of cellular and immunological processes in both humans and animals. The immunological processes are thus examined in association with disease-induced malfunctions, for example in the case of immunity defects or in tumor immunology. The lectures in the series “Advanced Immunology” cover the detailed mechanisms of the immune system, including an examination of the recent discoveries made in cellular and molecular immunology. The major topics comprise the evolution of immune systems, therapeutic antibodies, computational immunobiology, antigen processing, cellular communication, negative and positive regulatory mechanisms in immunity, the interaction between immune systems, and pathogens, and pathomechanisms.

Oncology

Cancer is a frequently occurring complex disease with an increasing incidence and a high socio-economic impact. Both the lecture on Advanced Molecular Oncology and the other courses in this area are intended to provide further knowledge on the molecular basis of tumor development and molecular approaches to pathology and diagnostics, as well as molecular strategies in cancer therapy. Based on the topics to be addressed, students will acquire a solid understanding of the state-of-the-art of molecular and translational oncology with respect to:

• Molecular mechanisms of cancer development
• Molecular pathology and diagnostics
• Molecular strategies in cancer therapies

Neurosciences

The scope of neuroscience has expanded to include different approaches used to study the molecular, cellular, developmental, structural, functional, and computational aspects of the nervous system, as well as neurological disorders. The techniques used by scientists have also expanded enormously, from molecular and cellular studies of individual nerve cells to imaging of sensory and motor tasks in the brain.

The main lecture series in this area places considerable emphasis on the molecular and cellular pathomechanisms of the most common dementias and other neurodegenerative disorders, especially Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Other dementias covered are the heterogeneous group of Frontotemporal Dementias, and the Prion diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Additional movement disorders discussed in this lecture series include Huntington’s disease and various ataxias. Finally, Motor Neuron Diseases such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis will be presented and the recent link to the pathogenesis of Frontotemporal Dementia highlighted.

Infection Biology

Viral infections, the threat of pandemics, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance have made clear the enormity of the unmet medical needs in microbial pathogenesis. Most likely, there will be an increasing demand for knowledge about infectious diseases, in particular from developing areas of the world, where microbial infections are more prevalent and often have devastating consequences. In Tübingen special emphasis is currently being placed on issues such as the bacterial cell envelope, malaria, staphylococci, antibiotics, and viral and gastrointestinal infections. The Department of Medical Microbiology/Virology was formed to meet this need by harnessing the current explosion of new information about the basic biology of pathogens and host responses in order to develop novel therapeutics to combat serious infections.

The program consists of fundamental, translational, and clinical research in the field of infectious diseases and comprises a number of central research themes. These include:

• Viral control of translation
• Trafficking of viral components
• Reverse transcription and integration
• Evolution and emergence of viruses
• Bacteria-phagocyte interaction
• In vivo infection models
• DNA sequencing techniques, protein expression systems
• Flow cytometry
• Malaria vaccines
• Drug resistance of Plasmodium falciparum
• Reverse genetics in Plasmodium falciparum
• Helminths and allergies