Master of Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (MSc)
Quick Facts
Overview
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is home to more than thirty well-funded research groups, offering opportunities for research that is fundamental in advancing basic science and at the same time provides knowledge that is being translated to help tackle human diseases. The graduate programs in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology therefore provide advanced research-based education with the goal of preparing students for a career in academic, industrial or professional positions in British Columbia and beyond.
The Department offers MSc and PhD degree programs, with the option to transfer into the PhD track during the second year. Enrollment in the two programs combined has been steadlily increasing over the last 5 years from about 65 to 84 grads. The requirements for formal course credits are usually completed within the first two academic terms. Course topics include laboratory techniques, nucleic acids, membrane structure and function, cellular regulation, protein chemistry and molecular biology. Additional options include bioinformatics, genome analysis, cell growth and differentiation, bacterial pathogenesis and immuno-genetics. The balance of the program is research intensive and assessed by examination of a dissertation.
What makes the program unique?
The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology has a rich history and on-going record of exceptional academic and research excellence. The Department was home to Nobel Laureate, Michael Smith and his legacy is sustained through involvement of a number of our professors with the Michael Smith Laboratories and the closely-associated Centre for High Throughput Biology. The majority of our research laboratories are located in the Life Sciences Institute, the largest multidisciplinary research hub at UBC. Key features of our research and graduate programs are that they are set up to enable top-notch work, with the very best facilities and with opportunities for collaboration with researchers from a range of disciplines. Research groups in the Life Sciences Institute include those with a focus on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, bacterial and viral diseases, chemical biology, blood research, molecular epigenetics and others. We encourage you to visit the Department website to check out the specific research interests and achievements of the professors in the Department. A number of our professors have developed and maintain major and cutting-edge equipment that underpins research using macromolecular crystallography, mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, high-throughput imaging and a range of spectroscopic techniques for macromolecular analysis.
The Department provides tuition benefits to more than half of all students and scholarships to assist with travel to meetings. The Department makes every effort to enable students to gain teaching experience through teaching assistantships, mostly to support teaching in undergraduate laboratory and lecture courses and for which further stipend support is achieved. Overall, the average support package for graduate students exceeds $27,000 per annum.
Requirements
TOEFL (ibT) Overall Score Requirement
IELTS Overall Score Requirement
GRE required?
Funding Sources
Applicants who are interested in nanomaterials synthesis, characterization and application, and nanoscience instrumentation may consider the NanoMat program that provides additional funding and professional development opportunities.
Career Options
Tuition / Program Costs
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $102.00 | $165.00 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,600.60 | $2,811.98 |
| Tuition per year | $4,801.80 | $8,435.94 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $923.38 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living (yearly) | starting at $16,884.10 (check cost calculator) | |
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Statistical Data
Enrolment Data
| 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 35 | 33 | 35 | 38 | 38 |
| Offers | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 6 |
| New registrations | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 6 |
| Total enrolment | 25 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 24 |
Completion Rates & Times
Disclaimer
Research Supervisors
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
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Numata, Masayuki (how organellar pH is regulated under physiological and pathological conditions)
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Overall, Christopher Mark (Blood research, antiviral immunity)
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Roberge, Michel (Cancer therapy, mitosis, regulation, protein kinases and phosphatases, genomic instability, mitotic progression)
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Sadowski, Ivan (Gene regulation contributing to cancer and HIV, and yeast, regulation of HIV-I latency and replication in T cells)
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Strynadka, Natalie (Blood Research, structure-based design of inhibitors, antibiotic-resistance mechanisms, macromolecular assemblies, bacterial viability pathogenesis)
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Tokuriki, Nobuhiko (Experimental evolution of proteins and molecular networks.)
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Van Petegem, Filip (Ion channels, electrical signaling, Cardiac arrhythmia, Epilepsy, Calcium signaling, Structural Biology, electrophysiology)
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Withers, Stephen (Enzymes that catalyse glycoside formation and hydrolysis)
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Yip, Calvin (structural and biochemical analysis of cellular "nano machines" related to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases; development of single-particle electron microscopy technology for molecular structural studies.)
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Program Information
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
January 2018 Intake
September 2018 Intake
Program Information
Application Enquiries
- Doris Metcalf, bioc.grad@ubc.ca
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update the application inquiries contact details please use this form.