This four-year programme provides excellent postgraduate training, addressing the need for trained scientists in strategically-important research areas and skills. The DTP Programme has four separate research themes addressing the strategic research priorities of BBSRC:

• Agriculture and Food Security
• Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy
• Bioscience for Health
• World-Class Underpinning Bioscience

The research topics included in the Cambridge DTP are aimed at improving understanding of basic biological mechanisms, from the study of biological molecules, to cellular and physiological processes, including genetic and genomic approaches. There is an emphasis on multidisciplinary research interfacing with physical sciences and engineering. Biologists learn mathematical and computational methodologies to address biological questions and the programme may interest mathematicians interested in applying their knowledge to biological problems. A major goal of our training programme is to allow the flow of ideas, skills and key capabilities to provide mutual benefit in supporting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries in the UK.

The DTP programme is four years in duration and is studied on a full-time basis. The first six months are spent completing training in Statistics, Computational and Systems Biology, and Research Skills (Exploiting New Ways of Working) and undertaking two ten-week rotation projects, either at the University or at one of the Partner Institutes. The remainder of the programme is spent completing a research project for the award of PhD. Students will also undertake further research skills training and subject-specific training during years 2–4 of the programme, and spend three months undertaking a Professional Internship for PhD Students (PIPS). Students will be expected to submit their thesis at the end of the fourth year and no further write-up period will be allowed.

Departments

This course is advertised in the following departments: