Rationale and objectives of the programme
Progress in post-genomic biomedicine requires more than at any time in history the effective collaboration of scientists
from many traditional disciplines, working together in research teams
that combine the distinct and complementary methods, skills, and knowledge
from cellular and structural biology, bio-informatics, engineering, bio-physics, mathematics, and medicine.
The
Multidisciplinary Systems Biomedicine Graduate Programme at King's College London, which started in 2008/09, aims to contribute to the creation of a new
generation of postgraduate researchers in the broad field of Systems Biomedicine that, although still trained primarily in
one of the above stake holding sciences, have developed the skills, the background knowledge, and the experience to work in multi-disciplinary research teams.
Students who enter the programme invest the first six months of their PhD studies in multidisciplinary activities that aim to provide them with
the background knowledge of relevant disciplines in which they are not primarily trained, a sense of collective purpose, and the skills to work effectively in interdisciplinary teams of researchers.
The SBGP is a joint initiative of KCL academics in the Schools of Biomedical Sciences, Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Medicine, and the Institute of Psychiatry.
Programme elements
| Interdisciplinary lectures |
A programme of short interdisciplinary lecture courses, introducing basic topics from systems biomedicine, ranging from e.g.
introduction to cellular biology, bioinformatics and mathematical modelling, via imaging and molecular dynamics simulations of cells and tissues, through
to genetics and cancer medicine. |
| Apprenticeships |
Each student does up to two 3-month apprenticeships, which are project placements in departments other than their home department but of relevance to their PhD studies.
Apprenticeship projects are chosen in consultation with the PhD supervisors from a list of available topics proposed by the hosts.
|
| Seminar series and annual conference |
SBGP students are expected to attend our SBGP seminars, which are usually given by outside speakers working broadly in the area of systems biomedicine.
At the close of the academic year there will be a one-day conference, with external speakers and short research presentations by SBGP students. |
For queries please contact Prof ACC Coolen (ton.coolen@kcl.ac.uk) or Dr F Fraternali
(franca.fraternali@kcl.ac.uk).