The University of Edinburgh – College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine

Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Repair MScR

This master's programme prepares you for a career in academia or industry, whether you have recently completed an undergraduate degree or are a professional wanting to pursue a research career.

The programme delivers cross-disciplinary training in a vibrant research environment to train skilled researchers uniquely equipped to capitalise on regenerative medicine's potential to advance human health.

Successful advancement of tissue regeneration and repair relies on combining fundamental and translational research expertise in areas of:

• Regenerative medicine
• Developmental biology
• Stem cell biology
• Inflammation research

Such a cross-disciplinary approach will underpin the development of novel cell and drug-based therapies to stimulate the repair of tissues damaged due to congenital conditions, trauma or disease.

An optional pathway of study is the clinical development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs), which is offered to students who are interested in exploring a broader range of specialities and applications available in the regenerative medicine field beyond the bench.

Through this pathway, you will gain an understanding of the applied science, manufacturing, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Quality Assurance, and ethics & regulatory frameworks and practices in ATMP delivery that are crucial for the advancement of these therapies to the clinic. You will then consolidate and apply your knowledge with a research project focused on real-life manufacturing scenarios.

Learning outcomes

We aim to equip our graduates with:

• A critical understanding of the fundamental principles of regenerative medicine, developmental biology, stem cell biology, inflammation research and tissue repair
• An advanced knowledge of the concepts underpinning regeneration and repair of various tissues and organs
• Fundamental knowledge of designing and conducting biomedical research projects
• The ability to communicate complex concepts and to present research projects and data
• The ability to formulate a valid research hypothesis and research aims, building on their knowledge and independent learning
• The ability to interrogate a research hypothesis by successfully planning and applying a variety of appropriate biomedical experimental, bioinformatics or modelling approaches

As a graduate of our programme, you will be well-placed to successfully pursue a PhD in biomedicine or take on challenging professional roles in academia or healthcare industries.

You will gain valuable transferable skills that will be beneficial in a wide range of professions.

Research projects

You will undertake two 20-week research projects in:

• Laboratories of the Centre for Regenerative Medicine (CRM)
• Laboratories of other centres at the Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR)
• Laboratories, GMP facilities, or research offices of collaborating centres or organizations

The research projects are core components of the program.

You will:

• Choose your projects from a list submitted by group leaders and professional experts, based on their current research and projects. Each research project bears 80 credits towards the programme total of 180 credits.
• Disseminate your findings at group meetings, a poster day, and a retreat.
• Write up your project results as a dissertation (10,000 words), to be submitted for formal assessment towards your MSc by Research degree.

The projects provide you with practical experience in a range of research techniques in cellular and molecular biology and genetics and bioinformatics tools relevant to tissue regeneration and repair.

The projects will also provide you with:

• good research practice
• scientific writing
• analytical skills

Pathways of study

You can choose one of two pathways of study:

• Discovery Science pathway
• Clinical Development pathway

During both pathways, you will receive training from experts working across the life cycle of cell and gene therapy development and production, ranging from discovery science and phase I/II clinical trials to manufacturing of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs).

If you choose the Discovery Science pathway, you will undertake both research projects in an academic research lab. If you choose the Clinical Development pathway, your second project will focus on real-life development and manufacturing scenarios for ATMPs to enhance your practical understanding of the cell and gene therapy production pipeline. Project examples for this pathway include working on the product journey from proof of concept to the GMP suite; product scalability; quality control of ATMPs; ethics; and ATMP manufacturing.

Developing project planning skills

Before starting your second research project, you will work in consultation with your supervisor to design the project in more detail. You will write this up as a project proposal (max 3500 words) with a detailed research plan, to be submitted in April for assessment towards your MSc by Research degree (20 credits). This research proposal writing course will teach you project design and planning and allow you to develop your academic writing skills further. Importantly, it allows you to take ownership of your second research project from the start.

How will I learn?

The program offers training that builds on world-class clinical research, translation, and development performed at Edinburgh Medical School, Cell & Gene Therapy Catapult Edinburgh, and the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS), international leaders in the fields of cell transfusion, transplantation, and tissue banking.

The program features a series of seminars by experts from various backgrounds related to:

• stem cell biology
• developmental biology
• regenerative medicine
• inflammation research
• tissue repair
• translational research
• clinical delivery of cell/gene therapies

You will also have the opportunity to participate in discussion groups and journal clubs where you will learn manuscript-reviewing skills.

The institute runs weekly seminars by local and invited speakers, which will expose you to a wide range of research topics related to regenerative medicine and tissue repair. In addition, you will be able to attend a range of seminar series across the University, including at the various biomedical research centres at the campus where you will be based - Edinburgh BioQuarter.

Throughout the program, you can attend a range of transferable skills courses, ranging from statistics to communication skills and professional development, including those offered by the University's Institute for Academic Development (IAD).

Training and support

Research labs and facilities

Throughout your studies, you will have access to a wide range of state-of-the-art research facilities at the Institute for Regeneration and Repair (IRR) and the training and support provided by dedicated Facility Managers (including Imaging, Histology, Tissue Culture, Flow Cytometry, and High-content Screening).

You will undertake two research projects in different laboratories at IRR or collaborative centres and organizations. During your research projects, you will become a fully integrated member of your supervisor’s research group and participate in, and contribute to lab meetings and other activities.

Research projects

The research projects will provide you with training and practical experience in a wide range of current research tools and techniques in cellular and molecular biology, genetics, and bioinformatics relevant to stem cell biology, developmental biology, inflammation research, regenerative medicine, and tissue repair.

The research projects will teach you good research practice, and enable you to gain analytical skills, critical appraisal, and scientific writing skills. During your research projects, you will disseminate your findings through various presentation opportunities, including at lab meetings and poster day.

Postgraduate and researcher community

You will be embedded in the postgraduate student community at the Institute and welcomed onto the program during our student welcome events at the start of the academic year. You will also take part in Welcome Week activities organized by the College and the wider university.

From the start of the program, there will be strong connections with PhD students at IRR as well as with peers on several other MSc by Research programs at Edinburgh Medical School.

IRR and other centres on the campus boast active seminar series which provide excellent opportunities to attend talks on a wide range of topics to further your academic knowledge and reflect on personal research interests and your career direction.