Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

M.Sc. in Biomolecular Science

Focus on the fundamentals of molecular and cellular processes

How to provide safe, stable food and how to produce crops in a stable way? How to develop treatments for age-related diseases or infections? How to find solutions to emerging problems, such as antibiotic resistance and chemical pollutants in our soils? These are all demanding challenges that modern society faces. And it’s our priority to find solutions.

With a thorough understanding of molecular and cellular processes and a focus on fundamentals, you have a solid background to innovate and develop biotechnological solutions or treatments for these issues. Moreover, today’s biomolecular scientists are increasingly exposed to huge volumes of data from high-throughput methods, which require a critical scientific approach. To this end, it is vital that molecular and cell biology graduates are well-prepared to enter the lab within an interdisciplinary life sciences research community.

This master combines both compulsory core courses, most of them in the first year to provide knowledge in molecular biology, and a selection of elective courses to be able to delve deeper in specific topics.

You’ll be taught through a series of lectures, research tutorials, work groups, demonstrations, lab visits, lab and computer practicals, as well as onsite training and mentoring. Laboratory internships and an extensive literature study also form major components of the programme, under the mentorship and guidance of a researcher of your choice. You are also encouraged to consider going abroad for your internship in the final year. Your lecturers can help you find a suitable lab through their own extensive research networks.

Important topics within the field of biomolecular sciences

A new method to fight tuberculosis

After a period of relative calmness, tuberculosis seems to be on the advance again, causing currently some 2 million casualties per year. 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis' excretes different proteins all playing a role in disease development. Knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of excretion can be applied in the development of new drugs to fight the bacteria.

Regulation of gene expression

It is a miracle how a single fertilized egg cell develops into a complex organism and how undifferentiated stem cells can be assigned to take their role in this process. Expression and regulation of genes in eukaryotes are controlled by transcription factors, but in addition, there is also post-transcriptional control. Unraveling these regulatory networks will open up huge possibilities in biomedical and biotechnological research.

Microplastics in human blood
We do not know how harmful microplastics really are, but we do know that they can be found everywhere and in increasing concentrations. Three quarters of tested blood donors had detectable quantities of plastic particles in their blood, with polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, and polymers of styrene as most common types. The next question is how easy it is for these particles to move from the bloodstream into tissues such as in organs like the brain.

Busy traffic within cells

Within our cells, there is ongoing and busy traffic of nutrients, organelles, and signaling compounds, driven by motor proteins. In order to visualize, count and track these motor proteins and figure out how they cooperate in their job advanced new microscopy methods have been and still need to be developed.

Internships

There are lots of opportunities for internships during the program. Your placement can take place on campus, at our affiliated Amsterdam University Medical Centre (VUmc), or at any relevant research group in the Netherlands. Those of you without much practical (internship) experience are advised to do your first internship at VU Amsterdam, where you’ll receive more guidance from our staff. In general, you’re expected to work more independently at an off-campus medical center or company.

During the first semester, you’ll apply for internships by contacting lecturers from your courses or interesting research groups you find online yourself. Opportunities include:

• AIMMS institute
• Amsterdam University Medical Centre (or the other Dutch medical centres, such as LUMC, , UMC and Erasmus MC)
• Research institutes like NKI, ACTA (dentistry), AMOLF, KIT or Sanquin

You can take your second internship abroad when you’re more experienced in research. Organizing an internship abroad takes some time and planning in advance, but you can consult our International Office for more information closer to the time.

Seek solutions to fundamental life sciences research questions

As a graduate of the Biomolecular Sciences program, you’ll be well trained to seek solutions to fundamental life sciences research questions. You’ll have excellent research and scientific writing skills, as well as specialist knowledge in your area of scientific expertise.

The life sciences domain has burgeoned in recent years, so a Master’s degree (in addition to your Bachelor’s) is an absolute must to demonstrate the extensive lab experience and critical-thinking skills that you’ll need to conduct Ph.D. research. To prepare you for a career in the academic or scientific sector, you’ll come up with your own professional development plan and learning portfolio as part of a core course (spanning both years of the program) on professionalism in biomolecular sciences.

What can you do after your Master's degree?

Following a Ph.D. program

Upon graduation from the Master’s program, you could continue your academic career in life sciences research and apply for a Ph.D. position. If you choose to stay at VU Amsterdam for your Ph.D., the AIMMS Ph.D. program will further train you for your future career in academia or at other research institutes.

Highly motivated and aspiring to a career in research or academia? Consider a postdoctoral research position after completing your Ph.D. Further study is essential to obtain higher research positions at universities. Roles like a university lecturer, senior lecturer, or professor, and many jobs in higher-level industries (DSM, Unilever) are held by people with a Ph.D. in molecular biology or biochemistry.

Start working

Alternatively, you could use your skills and expertise in life sciences to work as a specialist in a life sciences or pharmacology company or organization. You could become a medical product specialist, junior technical scientist, IT specialist, and data scientist, or junior researcher at pharmaceutical companies and biotechnology startups.

For more information about our (upcoming) open days and webinars please visit us

Each year we organise an online session for aspiring Master's students that covers all you need to know about the application process and beyond. This year, the International Master's webinar will take place on Tuesday 15 October at 16:00 (CET).

During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to:

• Discover what it is like to study at VU Amsterdam;
• Learn everything you need to know about the admission and application process;
• Get the latest insights on scholarship opportunities;
• Hear first-hand experiences from one of our current international students about being a student in the Netherlands' dynamic capital city.