Objectives and competences

The master's programme in Bioinformatics for Health Sciences is designed to provide professionals and researchers with skills and abilities geared towards the development of new computational strategies and IT systems for use in biomedical research.

One of the key features of this programme is the large percentage of optional subjects it offers, allowing students to train in a wide range of bioinformatics disciplines. At the same time, it has a clear professional orientation as witnessed by the inclusion of compulsory subjects on the design, management and exploitation of scientific research.

Basic information

TypeMaster's degree
Faculty or schoolFaculty of Biology
Branch of knowledge
  • Biomedical sciences
  • Computer and systems engineering
  • Mathematics and statistics
Mode of delivery
  • Face-to-face
Credits120
Number of places available30
Length of course2 academic years
Language(s) of instructionEnglish
CoordinationMARTA CASCANTE SERRATOSA
Course detailsIndicators
Open pre-enrolmentNo
Open enrolmentNo
Lead to doctoral studiesYes
Admission for applicants not holding a degree qualificationNo
Main university information Master's degree course homepage
InteruniversityYes
Main universityUniversitat Pompeu Fabra
Universities
  • Universitat Barcelona
  • Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Bridging coursesNo

Objectives and competences

Objectives

This master's degree program is designed to provide professionals with the knowledge and skills to develop new computational strategies and computer systems used for biomedical research and health care, with particular emphasis on computer systems related to research and development in medicines and on the health care applications of "omic" technologies.

Competences

This master's degree comprises five main areas of study:


  • Genome bioinformatics: analysis, alignment, comparison and automatic annotation of biological sequences; analysis of genome evolution and variation; molecular biology databases.

  • Structural bioinformatics: introduction to the experimental methods used in the structural prediction of biomolecules, with ab initio protein modelling and homology modelling, and the simulation of biomolecular systems, including energy predictions and molecular interaction.

  • Computational systems biology: description of biological networks and gene, protein and metabolic network modelling; analysis of large bodies of data in "omic" technologies.

  • Pharmaceutical chemoinformatics: molecular library management and its virtual filters, computer-assisted drug design and quantitative and 3D quantitative structure-activity relationship correlation.

  • Biomedical computing: clinical-health information systems, biomedical image analysis, studies in genotype-phenotype relations and computer systems to assist decision making procedures in health care.


This master's degree will also include training in general interest, cross-disciplinary subjects such as algorithms and programming, data analysis and management, text mining and notions of bioethics and data protection applied to bioinformatics.

Access and admission

Applicant profile and access requirements

Recommended applicant profile

Access requirements and conditions

General requirements
In accordance with Article 16 of Royal Decree 1393/2007, of 29 October, students wishing to be admitted to a university master's degree must hold one of the following qualifications:

  • Official Spanish university degree.

  • A degree issued by a higher education institution within the European Higher Education Area framework that authorizes the holder to access university master's degree courses in the country of issue.

  • A qualification issued by an institution outside the framework of the European Higher Education Area. In this case, applicants must request homologation of the degree to its equivalent official Spanish university qualification or obtain express approval from the University of Barcelona, which will conduct a study of equivalence to ensure that the degree is of a comparable level to an official Spanish university qualification and that it grants access to university master's degree study in the country of issue. Admission shall not, in any case, imply that prior qualifications have been recognized as equivalent to a Spanish master's degree and does not confer recognition for any purposes other than that of admission to the master's degree course.

Pre-enrolment

Calendar

The pre-enrolment period opens as of January and closes, at the latest, in September. Each centre and each master's degree can establish their specific periods within this general period.

Required documentation

Selection criteria

Notification

Enrolment

As a general rule, at the UB you will be required to enrol online. Remember that you can lose your place if you do not enrol on the day you have been assigned

Course curriculum

Subjects and course plans

Distribution of credits

Type ECTS
Compulsory 20
Optional 60
Compulsory placements 0
Compulsory final project 40
TOTAL 120

List of subjects

Subject Type Language Credits
Specialization: Bioinformatics for Health Sciences
Advanced Bioinformatics and Genomics Optional 5
Applied Genomics: Genome-Fenome Analysis in Human Health Optional 5
Bioinformatic Principles and Genome Analysis Compulsory 5
Biomedical Data Analysis Optional 5
Computational Modelling in Systems Biology Optional 5
Computer-Assisted Drug Discovery Optional 5
Databases and Web Design Optional 5
Final Master Thesis Compulsory 10
Genomics and Systems Optional 5
Information Extraction in 'OMIC' Technologies Compulsory 5
Introduction to Algorithms Optional 5
Introduction to Biomedicine Optional 5
Introduction to Perl Optional 5
Introduction to Python 3 Optional 5
Molecular Simulations Optional 5
Research in Bioinformatics Compulsory 30
Research Project Design and Management Compulsory 15
Science in Action Compulsory 5
Structural Bioinformatics Compulsory 5
Subjects in Biocomputation Optional 5
Subjects in Mathematics Optional 5

Previous years

Placements

Placements in a company or another type of organization are an integral part of university studies, providing first-hand experience of working methodologies in students' chosen professional fields. They offer invaluable practical experience for the transition into work after graduation.



Placements are supervised by tutors and subject to assessment. They are therefore included in the academic record.  There is also an option to complete non-curricular placements of up to 500 hours, which can be extended to 900 hours. For both curricular and non-curricular placements, an educational cooperation agreement is signed between the UB and the company, institution or other organization at which the placement will be carried out.



Institutional information


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