Biomedical Sciences

Stream Representative

Dr Paola Vergani: p.vergani@ucl.ac.uk

Aims

Biomedical Science encompasses those subjects which provide much of the academic basis of modern medicine. With a particular emphasis on Human Biology and wherever possible with a quantitative perspective, this stream aims to provide a foundation in structure and function, together with an introduction to disease and therapeutics.

Objectives

Students who complete this stream will understand:

• the molecular structure of cells and how molecules interact
• the function and integration of the major organ systems of the body
• the operation, function and pharmacology of the nervous system, with opportunities to pursue this at cellular and/or systems levels

Year 1

All Biomedical Sciences stream students take:

• Life Sciences Foundation (BIOS0019)
• Introduction to Cell Biology (CELL0008)
• Introductory Mammalian Physiology (PHOL0002)

Year 2

All Biomedical Sciences stream students take:

• Introductory Pharmacology (PHAR0007)
• Animal and Human Physiology: Integrative Physiology (PHOL0003)
• Structure and Function of Nervous Systems (PHOL0005)

and choose 0 - 15 credits from:

• Developmental Neurobiology (ANAT0002)
• Human Neuroanatomy (ANAT0003)
• Essential Protein Structure and Function (BIOC0006)
• Fundamentals of Molecular Biology (BIOL0008)
• Immunology (INIM0005)
• Introduction to Biophysics (MPHY0006)

Check the pre-requisites of the year 3/4 modules from these year 2 modules.

Year 3

The Biomedical Sciences stream can be split into a Physiology pathway, a Pharmacology pathway or a combined pathway.

Students majoring should choose 60 - 75 credits and students minoring should choose 30 - 45 credits of the following:

Physiology pathway core:

• Respiration in Health and Disease (PHOL0006)
• Heart and Circulation (PHOL0007)
• Cell Signalling in Health and Disease (PHOL0008)

Pharmacology pathway core:

• Molecular Pharmacology (PHAR0011)*
• Receptor Mechanisms (PHAR0012)

Options for both pathways, choose 15 - 45 credits:

• The Neurobiology of Neurodegenerative Disease (ANAT0008)
• Dynamic Biological Systems (CELL0014)*
• Immunology in Health and Disease (INIM0006)
• Integrative Systems Neuroscience (NEUR0020)
• Drug Design and Development (PHAR0014)
• Psychopharmacology (PHAR0015)
• Synaptic Pharmacology (PHAR0018)

* Recommended modules

Year 4

All Biomedical Sciences stream students majoring take:

• MSci Research Project in Life Sciences (BIOS0017) - MSci Research Project

Students majoring should choose 30 - 60 credits and students minoring should choose 0 - 30 credits of the following:

Physiology pathway:

• Pain (ANAT0013)
• Autonomic and Central Control of Cardiorespiratory Function (PHOL0011)

Pharmacology pathway:

• Pharmacology of Inflammation (PHAR0019)
• Neuropharmacology (Extended) (PHAR0021)

Options for both pathways:

• Immunodeficiency and Therapeutics (INIM0030)
• The Immune System, Cancer, and its Treatment (INIM0031)
• Metabolic Neuroscience (NEUR0009)
• The Control of Movement (NEUR0015)
• Neural Computation: Models of Brain Function (NEUR0016)*
• Foundations of Neuroinformatics (NEUR0019)*
• The Cellular Basis of Brain Function (PHOL0009)*

* Recommended modules

The Biomedical Stream combines with:

Organic Chemistry

Medical Physics

Mathematics and Statistics

History, Philosophy and Social Studies of Science