Biotechnology (Medical Sciences)

Research in Biotechnology (Medical Sciences) at Newcastle spans the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) and the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (SAgE). We invite proposals for MPhil and PhD projects in biotechnology across the fields of medical sciences, biological, agricultural and environmental sciences, and marine science and technology.

We offer MPhil and PhD supervision in the following research areas:

Medical sciences:
In medical sciences our research focuses on translational medicine, from drug discovery and development to effective product commercialisation and process optimisation. Our key areas are:
•the development of drugs for the treatment of cancer and psychiatric disorders
•novel antibiotic innovation
•design and development of integrated electrochemical and bio-microelectromechanical (bio-MEMS) sensors for application to point-of-care diagnosis of disease processes and sensor technologies for real-time, high content intracellular analysis using polymer-based nanosensor systems.

Biological, agricultural and environmental sciences:
In biological, agricultural and environmental sciences our research focuses on:
•the search and discovery of commercially significant natural products
•the production of crops with novel traits
•the fundamental role played by micro-organisms in the turnover of pollutants and the production of high value novel compounds, including pharmaceuticals and pesticides.

Marine science and technology:
Our work has led to pioneering advancements in developing novel antibiotics and omega-3 oils from plankton. We also explore the industrial applications of marine organisms such as the development of environmentally friendly antifouling coatings.

Research Degree Training and Skills Development:
Depending on your specific area of research, our Medical Sciences Graduate School or Science, Agriculture and Engineering Graduate School will provide you with a comprehensive research training programme. This includes training in professional skills and research techniques, and support for personal development. They each have a thriving postgraduate research culture, with additional support for international students.