Master of Science in Bioinformatics and Biocomplexity
Utrecht University
Key Information
Campus location
Utrecht, Netherlands
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
2 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
EUR 2,209 / per year *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* Dutch and other EU/EEA students statutory fee, full-time 2022-2023; Non-EU/EEA students institutional fee 2022-2023: € 20,750
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Introduction
Harnessing the Power Of Data and Models to Study Life
Life is one of the most complex systems to study as it encompasses a multitude of interacting levels. These scale from the interacting atoms to the essential molecules, genes, and proteins up to the interactions between cells, tissues, organisms, and between organisms and their environment. In addition to this, living systems are typically spatially structured and very dynamic.
Examples are the propagation of nerve pulses along axons, and the intricate patterning processes occurring during multicellular development. Bioinformatics is used to analyze the multitude of biological 'big data' that originate from observations and experiments investigating the living matter. Biocomplexity researchers develop mathematical and computational models to simulate these processes and thereby unravel the building blocks and interactions responsible for the observed dynamic behavior. Therefore both bioinformatics and biocomplexity research is core to research in the life sciences, making it a very interdisciplinary trade.
Bioinformaticians and biocomplexity scientists can be found in many different laboratories, such as in the hospital to discover novel genes that cause a particular disease. Or, at research institutes and companies that study novel drug targets, explore ecological models, or improve crop yield.
Interdisciplinary Program
This Master's program will bring together the intricate worlds of biology, computer, and data sciences. Our program is broad and interdisciplinary and involves the input from many Utrecht faculties and research institutes such as the Faculty of Science, the Hubrecht Institute, University Medical Centre Utrecht, and the Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology.
Hence we can offer a wide variety of internships and projects, allowing the choice of a favored research topic, which can be in a medical research area, for example in cancer genomics, or a more fundamental area such as modeling of complex biological systems.
This Master’s program also encompasses the (sub)domains of Computational Biology, Systems Biology, and Computational Life Sciences.
Tailor Your Own Program
This Master's program will be a deep dive in bioinformatics data analysis, modeling, and simulating biocomplexity. In two years, you will learn the theoretical basis and fundamental techniques relevant for bioinformatics and/or biocomplexity. Additionally, you will learn to apply, modify and redevelop these methods to answer complex biological research questions. We will use state-of-the-art research directly from our community as the basis for our lectures, assignments, and internships.
Data Sciences and this Master’s Program
Big data can be found almost everywhere, from banks to insurance companies. Also, bioinformatics and biocomplexity deal with big data. As such, there are similarities in general techniques like programming or machine learning that do not depend on domain-specific knowledge. On the other hand, answering the grand questions in biology - without exception - requires a solid understanding of a particular biology discipline, in addition to the analytical methods.
As a consequence, many of the techniques that are used in bioinformatics or biocomplexity, for example, in next-generation sequencing or in determining the evolutionary history of cells and organisms require highly specific classes of algorithms. These algorithms often differ from those used in (applied) data sciences, and their proper application and further development require domain-specific biological knowledge.
Program Outcome
Why in Utrecht
This program offers:
- A unique merger between bioinformatics, modeling, and biology.
- Robust embedding in the Life Sciences research through all participating groups and their state-of-the-art research.
- Tailor-made interdisciplinary focus with the subfields in biological and medical research.
- Due to a lack of bioinformaticians and computational biologists, graduates (are/will be) in high demand from industry and medical and academic institutes.
Curriculum
We will teach both state-of-the-art bioinformatics and the development and use of dynamic models to unravel the mechanisms underlying complex biological phenomena. However, you will be able to focus more on either 1. Biocomplexity, the modeling of biological data, or 2. Bioinformatics, the analysis of large biological datasets, by choosing specific courses in the elective part of the program.
Our teaching methods will be very much a combination of hands-on and theoretical lectures, interspersed with assignments where you will apply your just gained knowledge to actual biological questions.
The Master’s program consists of 6 components with a total of 120 European Credits (2 years full-time).
Career Opportunities
After Graduation
You will receive a Master of Science degree in Biological Sciences from the Bioinformatics and Biocomplexity Master’s program. As a graduate, you are qualified for a research position in the Life Sciences at academia as well as institutes and companies.
Academic Careers
The Bioinformatics and Biocomplexity program is a Research Master’s which is an ideal starting point for a career as a Ph.D. student.
Career Outlook and Job Market
The career outlook for bioinformaticians is excellent. Currently, the demand outweighs the supply. At the same time, it is difficult to provide a single definition of the 'bioinformatician’. This area of expertise is diverse and interdisciplinary, and so are the job opportunities. According to the Researchcentrum voor Onderwijs en Arbeidsmarkt (ROA) the job market for bioinformatics is very good (Source: studiekeuze123.nl and ROA, 2019). Not only in the Netherlands but also in Europe and even outside the EU, bioinformaticians are in high demand.
Admissions
Program Tuition Fee
Rankings
No. 1 University in the Netherlands - Shanghai Ranking 2019