Our MSc Bioinformatics provides high-quality training in bioinformatics. It is run in parallel with an MRes course that includes a larger research component.

This specialist postgraduate degree is ideal if you are from a scientific background and want to pursue research training in bioinformatics and systems biology, or if you are seeking a future career in both academia and industry. Bioinformatics and systems biology have grown dramatically in the last two decades and this course has been designed to meet the needs of the pharmaceutical, chemical and biotechnology industries for research and development.

It covers the core concepts and statistical fundamentals underpinning bioinformatics, most notably in the area of sequence analysis. You will learn how to program in Python and design and query databases using SQL, and gain experience in more advanced programming practices such as software testing and application development. You will also explore core biological concepts such as genes and genomes, protein structure and function, and growth areas such as Next Generation Sequencing and systems modelling.

Please note: this programme is expected to run online only from 2022/3 (subject to approval).

• Part of the Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, a joint initiative with University College London and a major biology research hub in the heart of London.
• Access to online learning materials and computer laboratories.
• In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (REF), in a joint submission with UCL, Biological Sciences at Birkbeck were ranked 11th in the UK, with a research environment supporting world-leading and internationally excellent research.

The course is made up of eight half-modules and a practical research project. Research areas include: genome analysis, analysis of next-generation sequencing data, immunoinformatics, microarray analysis, molecular modelling, biological database design, structural data analysis, and biomedical text mining.