ADAM MICKIEWICZ UNIVERSITY IN POZNAŃ, POLAND
Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
Wydział Biologii UAM w Poznaniu
BIOTECHNOLOGY – brief description
The Master of Science program in Biotechnology at the Faculty of Biology, Adam
Mickiewicz University, Poznań, is designed to give an understanding of the principles
of medical biotechnology. The program emphasizes genetics, molecular diagnostics,
gene therapy, and systems biology approaches, and aims to give practical training
and advanced knowledge of bioeconomy and biotechnology legislation. The
entrepreneurship skills will be trained in Biotech companies and leading research
institutions abroad. A majority of courses are team-taught by Faculty instructors and
partnering world-class scientists. Part of the core course content contains elements
of e-learning. Education program includes three certificates: Advanced Scientific
English; Patent law regulations and BioEconomy. This unique program offers
academic training for future managers in biotechnology field as well as research
scientists.
Field of study:
Speciality:
Mode of study
Professional title:
Study duration:
Entry requirements:
Study continuation:
Study completion form:
Curriculum:
Educational
and professional goals:
Biotechnology
-Full-time studies
Master of Science
2 years
MSc studies: Bachelor
after MSc studies: PhD studies
master thesis and master exam
see Table 1
The graduate is prepared to fill the positions requiring formation in
biotechnology, especially at the crossroads of technology and modern
methods of molecular and cell biology. The graduate is skilled in carrying
out processes in order to obtain biotechnological products of required
qualities, and is able to use biological procedures and components in
analytical and diagnostic tests.
The graduate is ready to take up a PhD degree programme in domestic
and foreign higher education institutions.
TABLE 1: BIOTECHNOLOGY – Master (M.Sc.) studies
Hours
ECTS
Course
Lect. Sem. Class Lab.
Course code
(total)
credits
YEAR1, semester 1
Methodology of the
experimental work
Human molecular
genetics
30 ECTS 360 h
30
45
15
10
20
4
10
20
4
Developmental biology
Systems biology
BioEconomy
Optional courses AMU
PIE
Lab Rotations
Advanced course in
Scientific English
YEAR 1, semester 2
Human molecular
genetics
Methods in molecular
diagnostics
Animal models of human
diseases
Bio-imaging
BioEconomy
Optional courses AMU
PIE
Lab Rotations
Advanced course in
Scientific English
YEAR 2, semester 3
Bioethics
Molecular therapies
BioMaterials
Structural biology
Intellectual property rights
Advanced course in
Scientific English
MSc project
YEAR 2, semester 4
New generation
pharmaceuticals
Patent law
Advanced course in
Scientific English
MSc Project Seminar
MSc project
75
75
30E
30E
45
45
15
15
30
30
6
6
4
60
60
30
4
30
2
30 ECTS 338 h
45
15E
10
20
4
45
15E
10
20
4
35
15E
5
15
4
60
15E
15
30
6
63
15
48
6
60
4
60
30
15
90
30
75
15
30
15
30E
20
30E
15
15
10
10
35
30
120
120
45
15
30
30
2
8
30 ECTS 370 h
10
20
4
3
30
15
250
30 ECTS 375 h
2
8
3
6
1
45
30
2
30E
15
250
4
3
16
E = exam
Note: positive assessment of the MSc thesis and positive result of the final MSc exam are
required to finish the study and for the University graduation with the MSc diploma.
1. Methodology of the experimental work
Semester I; seminars + lab 30 h; final project
Contents: experiment planning; formulation and verification of hypotheses; measurements
and the role of control variants; elaboration of testing procedures; choice and application of
appropriate methods for statistical analysis; optimization of experimental protocols;
verification of experimental data; research projects; grant application; presentation of data and
scientific writing.
2. Human molecular genetics
Semesters I-II; lectures, seminars – 15 h/semester + e-learning; lab., journal club – 30
h/semester
Contents: Organization of genetic material; heredity of traits; HUPO – The Human Genome
Project; individual and population genetic diversity; polymorphism and mutations; techniques
for the determination of genetic diversity; physiological and molecular basis of human
diseases; single- and multigene diseases; genetic and environmental determinants of diseases;
genetic markers for human diseases; molecular and cellular mechanisms of disease
pathogenesis.
3. Developmental biology
Semester I; lectures, seminars – 30 h; lab, journal club – 45 h
Contents: molecular cell biology, model organisms, in vitro cultures
4. Systems biology
Semester I; lectures, seminars – 30 h; lab., journal club - 45 h
Contents: types of networks: transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic; tools and methods for
planning experiments: transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic; signalling pathways;
mathematical network models; statistical evaluation
5. Methods in molecular diagnostics
Semester II; lectures, seminars – 15 h + e-learning; lab., journal club - 30 h
Contents: markers used in diagnostics, high-throughput methods, detection of mutations in
DNA, cytogenetics, immunological methods, methods used in forensic studies and practice
6. Animal models of human diseases
Semester II; lectures 15 h + e-learning; journal club/seminars 20 h
Contents: animal models of human diseases, generation of mice (other animals): transgenic,
knock-in and knock-out; regulation of transgene expression; mouse models in clinical trials
7. Bioimaging
Semester II; lectures 15 h; lab – 30 h, seminars/journal club 15 h
Contents: physical and biological bases of fluorescence microscopy, imaging of cellular
processes and intermolecular interactions (fluorescent proteins, immunostaining, FISH,
FRET, FRAP, FLIM); in vivo imaging; non-fluorescent imaging
8. BioEconomy
Semester I – 45 h (lectures selected from an AMU PIE offer)
Semester II; lectures, seminars 15 h; obligatory study visit 48 h; final project, additional
certificate
Contents: entrepreneurship, business career, the basics of bioeconomy,
9. Lab Rotations
Semesters I - II; lab 60 h/semester
Contents: practical work at 3 different labs/semester; 1 week in the lab per month
10. Advanced course in Scientific English
Semesters I - II; 30 h/semester; certificate in scientific English
Contents: course of professional English; emphasis on the group work; the aims of the course
are: training of the abilities to speak and write with the use of professional vocabulary,
learning of the planning and delivering oral scientific presentations, practicing of the useful
phrases and acquiring professional vocabulary, characteristic for various branches of
biotechnology
11. Bioethics
Semester III, lectures 30 h
Contents: basics of bioethics; bioethical aspects of GMO; stem cells, research on humans and
bioethics
12. Molecular therapies
Semester III, lectures 30 h + e-learning, practicals, journal club 60 h
Contents: gene therapy; virus vectors; ex-vivo gene therapy; therapies using oligonucleotides
and RNA interference; cellular therapies; stem cells in therapy
13. New generation pharmaceuticals
Semester IV: lectures 15 h + e-learning; practicals, journal club 30 h
Contents: combinatorial chemistry and the search for new pharmaceuticals; compound
libraries screening; modelling of macromolecules and the elaboration of new pharmaceuticals;
nanobiotechnology; preclinical drug testing;
14. BioMaterials
Semester III; lectures/seminars 20 h; lab 10 h; final project
Contents: biofuels, cosmetics, functionalized food, implants, artificial organs; natural products
in biotechnology
15. Structural biology
Semester III, lectures - 30 h; lab/journal club- 45 h
Contents: biocrystallography, biomolecular modeling and dynamics, designing of
therapeutical effectors
16. Intellectual property rights
Semester III, lectures 30 h
Contents: intellectual property, author law, authorship criteria; citation rights; the law on
industrial property; originality
17. Patent law
Semester IV, lectures/semianars 30 h; certificate in patent law
Contents: patent; regional and European patents; patent documents; the limits of patent
protection; international patent law
18. MSc Project Seminar
Semester IV, seminar15 h, final report
Contents: presentation of the results included in MSc Thesis
19. MSc Project
Semesters III-IV, laboratory work 120+250 h
Contents: experimental work related to MSc Thesis