The Department of Zoology has a vibrant community of around 80 postgraduate students. Postgraduate students are based in a research group but quickly become part of a wider community, with additional academic and pastoral support offered by faculty members beyond their immediate research group. We go the extra mile to ensure our postgraduate students are well-supported during their time with us by offering frequent cohort-building events and training opportunities for students, all overseen by a dedicated deputy Head of Department for Postgraduate Education.

The MPhil degree is a one-year (if full-time) course of research, culminating in the submission of a thesis after 11 months, followed by a viva voce examination. There are no taught components to this course, but students can attend appropriate lectures and courses including training and transferable skills.

Students are supervised by at least one member of the academic staff who is an expert in the student's field of study. Supervisors support students in developing an independent and novel project in their field of interest. Students will learn how to review relevant literature, to phrase and answer scientific questions, and how to report their findings to the scientific community, at conferences and through peer-reviewed scientific publications. At the end of their degree, students will produce a written thesis, which will be assessed by independent experts during a viva.

The course introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

• to give students with relevant experience at the first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focused research in the discipline under close supervision; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

Most candidates taking this course start in October, in order to take advantage of Departmental and University induction programmes, but admission in January or April is also possible.

Please note: part-time study may not always be viable and will be considered on a case-by-case basis, so please discuss this option with your proposed supervisor before making an application for this mode of study.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine houses a wide range of skilled staff, facilities and equipment, and has a wide clinical patient group to support students' research. It also has strong ties with world-class groups elsewhere in the University and its surrounding Research Institutes.

We have particular Research strengths in Disease Dynamics, Infection and Immunity, and Systems Pathology. We offer a wide range of potential research subjects, including clinical studies, laboratory work, field work and computational biology.

Our one-year full-time (two years part-time) MPhil research programme leads to the MPhil in Biological Science (Veterinary Medicine) degree. Students are based in a research group and undertake research on a topic agreed with the Supervisor. There is no examined coursework but students can take part in a wide range of both knowledge-base and working skills training. Students will be expected to take training courses in specialist areas as appropriate. An examination is entirely based on the thesis presented at the end of the programme.

The programme's main aims are:

• to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision; and
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests.

The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute is a world-leading centre for stem cell research. Its mission is to transform human health through a deep understanding of stem cell biology. Our scientists study stem cell behaviour, both normal and pathological, and use their findings to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases.

The Institute currently consists of 27 outstanding research groups working across three key research themes: Stem Cell States, Stem Cells in Disease, and Stem Cells and Therapeutics.

Our overarching aim is to produce well-trained and rounded MPhil students who have generated original research findings and are prepared for an ambitious and challenging career, whether continuing their stem cell science training or moving to another profession.

The Institute offers this MPhil research programme to students under the supervision of a Principal Investigator (principal supervisor). During their MPhil, the students are based in a research group, supported by their Principal Supervisor and associated laboratory staff, as well as the Postgraduate Education Committee and CSCI Postgraduate Student Committee.

MPhil students write a thesis, which is assessed via an oral examination (viva).

The MPhil course introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge. Its main aims are:

• to give students with relevant experience at a first-degree level the opportunity to carry out focused research in the discipline under close supervision
• to give students the opportunity to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Reproduction and Embryogenesis, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Reproduction has broad relevance because of the way it impacts individuals, families, and populations, and because it raises discussions that span in scope from intimate experiences through to global health policies. Why do so many couples struggle with achieving a healthy pregnancy and why do babies and women still die globally during pregnancy and childbirth? How can we prevent these tragedies from happening? How can we use new discoveries about epigenetics and the developmental origins of diseases to ensure the best health outcomes for future generations? How will novel technologies and changes in the legal frameworks make parenthood more accessible to those who have traditionally been excluded? Is it possible to use germline genome editing – which has the potential to prevent babies from inheriting life-limiting diseases – in a safe and ethical manner? What can we learn about the future of reproduction by studying its history?

Finding answers to major questions like these requires informed input from diverse disciplines. This MPhil aims to provide comprehensive training in gametogenesis, reproduction, embryogenesis and fetoplacental physiology through interdisciplinary taught modules and conducting innovative research projects with the leaders in the field. The course takes a multidisciplinary approach to reproduction through various complementary perspectives and disciplines, including historical, legal, and sociological aspects along with molecular and clinical sciences.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in reproduction and embryogenesis within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably the Departments of Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Sociology, Zoology, the Gurdon Institute, the MRC Toxicology Unit and the Wellcome-MRC Stem Cell Institute.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Reproduction and Embryogenesis.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to critically engage with historical, sociological, ethical and legal perspectives on reproductive research, so as to be equipped to consider their research holistically, and interact effectively with individuals, policy makers and the wider society;
• to familiarise themselves with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Infection Biology and Molecular Immunology, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically illustrated how understanding the biology of infectious agents and of the host immune system is fundamental to human health and prosperity. Our knowledge of infection and immunity is increasing at a rapid rate, opening opportunities for new therapies, new vaccines, and a better understanding of disease emergence that will help safeguard human health and food security in the 21st century. The Infection Biology & Molecular Immunology MPhil is specifically targeted at providing advanced training in the experimental skills and theoretical concepts that underpin modern infection biology and molecular immunology research.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in infection biology and molecular immunology within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably, the Departments of Biochemistry, Clinical Neuroscience, Genetics, Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Pathology, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Plant Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Zoology, the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research and the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Infection Biology and Molecular Immunology.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at the first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to familiarise themselves with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Developmental Biology, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Developmental biology is a remarkably cross-disciplinary area of biomedical research that spans traditional departmental boundaries and many different technologies, such as molecular biology, genetics, epigenetics, cell and stem cell biology, imaging and bioinformatics. This field is increasingly significant in the era of readily available genome sequences, because functional studies of development are essential to decipher the roles of many genes, and will be invaluable if we are to reap the benefits of this wealth of new information. A major challenge now is to find more powerful, systematic and quantitative ways of investigating how this genetic information is translated into morphogenetic instructions, and to analyse how these instructions generate and are modulated by the forces that shape tissues and organs. This course embraces the challenge and offers a powerful opportunity to explore processes and mechanisms across a range of developmental model systems.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in developmental biology within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably the Departments of Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Plant Sciences, Zoology, the Gurdon Institute, the MRC Mitochondrial Biology Unit, the Sainsbury Laboratory and the Wellcome-MRC Stem Cell Institute.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Developmental Biology.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to familiarise themselves with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Crop Science, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Global food security sits at a nexus. Do we continue with unsustainable practices benefiting farmers in high and middle income countries, while small-holders barely produce enough to support themselves? Or can we find a new way for agriculture that delivers food in an equitable and sustainable manner? Envisioning agriculture in 2050 needs to take into account the global population, the planets’ biodiversity, global climate change and the current inequities in the system.

The MPhil in Crop Science will explore new ways of thinking about what agriculture should be in 2050 and how we might get to that point. We will take a broad view of potential solutions, with an emphasis on practical, scientific approaches, from genetic engineering to regenerative agriculture. Field-based study is made possible through our partnership with the National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB). Our aim is to train future leaders to take creative approaches to global food security.

A major theme of the course will be connecting knowledge across scales to provide the students with an integrated perspective on food security that spans plant biology, global ecology, conservation and economics.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in crop science within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably the Departments of Biochemistry, Genetics, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Zoology, the Gurdon Institute, the Sainsbury Laboratory, NIAB and the Sainsbury Laboratory, as well as the Judge Business School and the Centre for Development Studies.

Completing this MPhil will be a springboard for entry into a wide range of careers, including advanced research in industry or academic settings.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Crop Science.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at the first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to become familiar with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Cell Science, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Cells are the fundamental functional units of life, from single celled organisms, such as bacteria, protozoa and fungi, to multi-cellular eukaryotes. Yet we still cannot claim that we understand cells well enough. Each cell has its own structural and functional features, engaged in complex communication with its immediate milieu and capable of plasticity. It is the behaviour, function and fate of cells that ultimately govern organismal state, both in physiological and pathological settings. Knowing how cells work informs our understanding of how the growing number of human disease genes can cause pathology. In this exciting time of technological innovation, the field is evolving rapidly, allowing us to extract a plethora of fine-grained information and to look into the cellular world with a holistic, interdisciplinary perspective.

This MPhil aims to convey a detailed understanding of a diverse range of biological processes, examined at the level of an intact cell as well as cell manipulations for biomedical applications. The topics covered include cellular organisation with in-depth insight into the structures and functions of key organelles, communication within and between cells, cell stress, cell fate (division, differentiation, regeneration and death) and cell therapy/regenerative therapeutics. As such the concepts and experimental approaches covered in this course are central to the full range of present-day life sciences. Although we will not focus on specific diseases, the workshops and discussions will often include relevant pathophysiological contexts to aid our understanding of disease mechanisms.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in cell science within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably the Departments of Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Plant Sciences, Zoology, the Gurdon Institute, the MRC Toxicology Unit, the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, the Sainsbury Laboratory and the Wellcome-MRC Stem Cell Institute.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Cell Science.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focussed research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to become familiar with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The MPhil in Biological Sciences provides students with an opportunity to undertake a period of study and research in Biomolecular Science, one of the Faculty’s key research pathways.

Biomolecular science is the study of biological processes at the molecular level, whether within a cell, a tissue, a whole organism or an ecosystem. As such its concepts and experimental approaches are absolutely central to the whole range of present-day life sciences. Biomolecular science is a rapidly evolving field: in the technologies it exploits to understand life at the macromolecular level and in its conceptual advances that drive basic research and support biotechnology applications. By combining traditional areas of science to unravel how molecular machines execute biological processes, biomolecular science transcends boundaries between the single disciplines of biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science.

This MPhil aims to convey a comprehensive understanding of biological processes at the molecular level. We will discuss the major biological macromolecule families, including, DNA, RNA, proteins and lipids. We will explore the properties of biological membranes, biomolecular recognition, signalling and therapeutics. The understanding and application of advanced technologies are crucial to the advancement of biomolecular science and these will be explored in depth. Although we will not focus on specific diseases, the workshops and discussions will include relevant pathophysiological contexts, as understanding the molecular basis of disease will be imperative to developing innovations, from target-based therapeutics to agricultural applications.

The course will draw upon the breadth and international strengths in biomolecular science within the University of Cambridge and associated research institutes; notably the Departments of Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology Development and Neuroscience, Plant Sciences, Zoology, the Gurdon Institute, the MRC Toxicology Unit, the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, the Sainsbury Laboratory and the Wellcome-MRC Stem Cell Institute.

Completing this MPhil will be a springboard for entry into a wide range of careers, including advanced research in industry or academic settings.

The MPhil is offered by the Faculty of Biology as a full-time period of study and research and introduces students to research skills and specialist knowledge in Biomolecular Science.

The MPhil course adopts interactive and discussion-based teaching, much of which is seminar-style where student participation and discussion are strongly encouraged. This is complemented with extensive lab-based training during a research project (up to 32 weeks + 6 weeks writing up time) with students integrated into one of the many participating research groups (selected after starting the MPhil, having been introduced to projects and groups).

The main aims are to give students with relevant experience at the first-degree level the opportunity:

• to carry out focused research in the discipline under close supervision;
• to acquire or develop skills and expertise relevant to their research interests;
• to be introduced to the skills of experimental design, project management and time management that are needed in research;
• to become familiar with the practicalities of laboratory research, including record keeping, data handling and professional laboratory practice;
• to learn analytical techniques needed to understand and contextualise their research;
• to become familiar with scientific writing and presentation skills.

The Department of Veterinary Medicine houses a wide range of skilled staff, facilities and equipment and has a wide clinical patient group to support students' research. It also has strong ties with world-class groups elsewhere in the University and its surrounding Research Institutes.

We have particular Research strengths in Disease Dynamics, Infection and Immunity, and Systems Pathology. We offer a wide range of potential research subjects, including clinical studies, laboratory work, field work and computational biology.

The PhD degree by research is carried out over a minimum of three and a maximum of four years (full-time), including a probationary period of one year. Each student is assigned a primary Supervisor, who will then assign an advisor or supervisory team to assist the student under their supervision.

Many research projects are carried out primarily within the department, but some of your studies may occur elsewhere or abroad. Depending on the funder, some courses include lab rotations in the first year. Multiple training opportunities are available across the University, and all students are expected to participate in the Postgraduate School of Life Science's Researcher Development Programme.

At the end of their first year of study, students are required to complete a satisfactory first-year report and assessment. A short report is also expected at the end of the second year, and students are expected to participate in departmental events such as Seminars, Journal clubs and Research Days. The final examination is by submission and a viva voce examination of a thesis.