University College London (UCL)
Translational Neuroscience MRes
London, United Kingdom
Master degree
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2026
TUITION FEES
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
The Translational Neuroscience MRes is designed for students interested in understanding how basic neuroscience research can be applied to clinical settings. Throughout the program, you'll explore the science behind neurological and psychiatric disorders and learn how to develop new treatments. The course combines detailed scientific knowledge with practical skills, equipping you to contribute to advances in medical research, diagnostics, and therapies. You’ll engage with both foundational concepts in neuroscience and modern approaches used in translating research into real-world applications.
Students will benefit from a curriculum that emphasizes flexibility and practical experience. The program includes laboratory work, research projects, and opportunities to collaborate with leading experts. This structure aims to prepare students for careers in academia, industry, or healthcare, where understanding the bridge between research and clinical practice is key. The course's focus on current scientific methods and translational approaches helps students develop skills that are highly valued in today’s competitive neuroscience landscape, making it a strong choice for those aiming to make a difference in brain health and treatment.
UCL Scholarships
There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate students, including our UCL Masters Bursary for UK students and our UCL Global Masters Scholarship for international students. You can search via the scholarships finder for awards that you might be eligible for. Your academic department will also be able to provide you with more information about funding.
External Scholarships
Online aggregators like Postgraduate Studentships, Scholarship Search, Postgraduate Funding and International Financial Aid and College Scholarship Search contain information on a variety of external schemes.
If you have specific circumstances or ethnic or religious background it is worth searching for scholarships/bursaries/grants that relate to those things. Some schemes are very specific.
Funding for disabled students
Master's students who have a disability may be able to get extra funding for additional costs they incur to study.
Teaching and learning
The programme will combine lectures, workshops and tutorials. Lectures will focus on the role of surrogate markers and emerging technologies in drug development e.g. preclinical discovery, first-time-in-man studies, and early phase clinical trials in healthy volunteers and patients.
Assessment is through short answer unseen examinations, coursework, presentations and dissertation.
For full-time students, typical contact hours are around 12 hours per week. Outside of lectures, seminars, workshops and tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments
Modules
Full-time
The programme consists of three core modules (60 credits), and a dissertation/report (120 credits).
Compulsory modules
- Experimental Neurology
- Research Integrity and Governance
- Research Methods and Introduction to Statistics
- Research Project: MRes Translational Neuroscience
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
Students undertake modules to the value of 180 credits. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded an MRes in Translational Neuroscience.
Accessibility
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services team.
What this course will give you
The programme is delivered by the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, a specialist postgraduate institute and a worldwide centre of excellence in clinical research across neurological diseases, including movement disorders (e.g. Parkinson's disease), multiple sclerosis, motor neurone disease, neuro-inflammation, epilepsy, stroke, Huntington disease, cognitive dysfunction, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias.
Topics will include:
- Phases of drug development
- Pre-clinical to clinical research, with a particular focus on “First-in Human”and early phase clinical trials
- Study designs and endpoints
- Biomarkers and safety assessments in clinical trials
- Principles of Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Pharmacovigilance
- Research governance
- Medical statistics
- Fundamental principles for using the correct use of enabling technologies within the context of medical research and drug development (e.g. genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, clinical study designs, biomarkers, imaging, electrophysiology, etc.).
Students will be taught by experts in the field and have the opportunity to network with internationally recognised opinion leaders in neurology and neurodegeneration. A list of researchers you can work with can be obtained by contacting our Education team.
By the end of the programme students will gain a thorough understanding of the challenges involved in setting up research projects, and learn how to design, implement, analyse and report clinical studies. Undertaking an extended piece of primary research alongside internationally recognised researchers is particularly attractive to students wishing to pursue doctoral or clinical research. The focus on translational neurology, from within the specialist research setting of the University College London Hospital Clinical Research Facility and the UCL Institute of Neurology Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre, is also of note.
The foundation of your career
Whatever your chosen career pathway, the MRes in Translational Neuroscience will equip graduates to either get a first step on the ladder, change career directions or help them become more experienced with a specific expertise.
Employability
The programme is designed to cater to graduates in medicine and biomedical sciences who wish to gain valuable training in clinical research before embarking on a clinical PhD programme, medical training, or professional work in clinical trials. The successful completion of the MRes may also enhance opportunities for graduates to enter medical school or for MBBS graduates to progress to specialist medical training.
Networking
The Queen Square Institute of Neurology is home to some of the world's most influential academics. By studying with us, students will have the opportunity to be part of the next generation of experts in neuroscience. We are home to some of the world's most influential researchers and offer a wealth of scientific and clinical expertise, from laboratory benches through to patient care.
Many of our lecturers are also NHS consultants working at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery which is a leading centre for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with a wide range of neurological conditions.