Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Career Options

Specialists working in the field of biology and biotechnology will undoubtedly be demanded at leading scientific institutions and companies in the medical and pharmaceutical industry, as well as biological, biotechnology, food, and chemical enterprises in Russia and abroad. They can also pursue their careers at quality control departments of medicine, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological sectors, and hospitals and private laboratories.

Specializations

• Modern Cell Biology and Microbiology
• Molecular Biology
• Industrial Brokerage in the Field of Biotechnology

Program Description 

The program covers such important issues as highly selective molecular diagnostic technologies of human genetic and infectious diseases based on the engineering of functional nanodevices.

The Molecular Biology and Biotechnology program aims to train highly qualified specialists in the fields of new methods for diagnostics and treatment, drug delivery, nanodevices, and materials with innovative properties. This program is intended for those who would like to do world-level science during their Master's studies.

The program follows an innovative interdisciplinary approach, combining modern information technologies and state-of-art practical methods. The program is based on a synergy of experiments and modeling in the cell, molecular- and microbiology, and biochemistry.

The practical part includes theoretical courses delivered by top-tier scientists who specialize in the fields of molecular biology, oncology, new materials for biomedical applications, marketing of new technologies, and many others. 

The focus of the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology specializations lies in a multidisciplinary approach to nanomaterial engineering and genetic engineering for sustainability. The program encompasses a broad choice of courses delivered by world-class scientists affiliated with research centers on such subjects as molecular biology; biotechnology; genetic engineering, biochemistry; nanotechnology; inorganic chemistry & materials science; sol-gel chemistry, etc. The program provides access to modern research facilities of the center: equipment for advanced materials synthesis, bioengineering equipment, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and infrastructure for computational analysis. Students have the opportunity to carry out research on topics related to current social issues in collaboration with ambitious research teams affiliated with the research center.

The program is delivered under the aegis of SCAMT Lab (Solution Chemistry of Advanced Materials and Technologies) specializing in the creation of hybrid materials using soft solution chemical methods in nanomaterial science and development of biomedical, optical materials, and advanced industrial materials. 

Students can perform research projects as part of a research group or work on their own startups at an industrial laboratory. 

Research groups:

• Experimental Oncology
• Cell Biophysics
• Molecular Robotics and Biosensor Materials
• Microbiology
• Biofunctional Materials

Content of the Program 

1st semester:

• Foreign Language for Specific Purposes, 2 ECTS
• Soft Skills, 4 ECTS
• Data Processing and Analysis, 3 ECTS
• Core educational modules, 4 ECTS
• Research Work, 9 ECTS

2nd semester:

• Foreign Language for Specific Purposes, 2 ECTS

• Applied Artificial Intelligence, 3 ECTS

• Nanobiotechnologies, 3 ECTS

• Basics of Genetic Engineering, 6 ECTS

• Methods in Nanomedicine, 6 ECTS

• Molecular Oncology / Modern Technologies for Manufacturing Nanoscale Objects and Materials / Proteomics, 3 ECTS

• Research Work, 9 ECTS

3rd semester:

• Bioinformatics, 6 ECTS

• Advanced Biochemistry / Creation, Implementation and Promotion of New Technologies and Materials on the Global Market / Molecular Biorobotics, 6 ECTS

• Fundamentals of Cell Metabolism and Signaling / Technological Forecasting and Marketing / Molecular Neuroscience, 6 ECTS

• Research Work, 12 ECTS

4th semester:

• Research Work, 12 ECTS

• Pre-Defence Research Work, 12 ECTS

• Master's Thesis, 6 ECTS

Molecular Biology, key courses:

• Cell Biotechnologies 

• Molecular Biorobotics 

• Molecular Neuroscience

Modern Cell Biology and Microbiology, key courses:

• Molecular Oncology

• Advanced Biochemistry 

• Fundamentals of Cell Metabolism and Signaling

Industrial Brokerage in the Field of Biotechnology, key courses:

• Modern Technologies for Manufacturing Nanoscale Objects and Materials

• Creation, Implementation and Promotion of New Technologies and Materials on the Global Market

• Technological Forecasting and Marketing

*The applicants are required to pass entrance examination successfully.

The list of entrance examination questions (2021)

Student review

Want to know more? Read the stories of international students at the Molecular Biology and Biotechnology program to learn more about the major and their experiences:

• Moustapha Nour, Djibouti

• Subhrajit Barua, India

How to apply?

To apply, please fill in the application form and follow our step-by-step application guide for more details.

Want to enroll at ITMO without entrance examinations or tuition fees? Learn more about our contests and competitions that will give you this amazing opportunity! 

Contact

• ITMO International Admission Office, international@itmo.ru
• Program Coordinator, ITMO СhemBio Cluster, Polina Khapaeva khapaeva_polina@scamt-itmo.ru