Bioinformatics - Master Programme

Research within the medicine, biochemistry, ecology and biology disciplines generates massive amounts of biological data, which leads to high demand for individuals knowledgeable and experienced in bioinformatics. In this Master’s programme you will learn to use modern programming tools and methods to analyse biological data, develop and test hypotheses, and write academic research papers. The programme covers diverse subjects including, but not limited to, biology, medicine, informatics, computer science and statistics. The Master’s programme brings together international students from different educational backgrounds, contributing to an interdisciplinary and nourishing educational environment.

Teaching takes place in computer labs equipped with powerful computers and the latest software. In this nourishing environment, you will learn things like how to analyse genetic data, map genomes, compare expressions of messenger RNA and proteins, find harmful mutations, model proteins, describe the composition of a bacterial community and develop software for bioinformatic applications. You will also have the opportunity, in project format, to implement your knowledge in an international research environment. You will practice both oral and written presentations and obtain ample experience in working alone and in groups. For your project work, you will join our leading research groups and work to solve real-world problems.

Are you interested in Artificial-Intelligence (AI)? Lund University is a leading AI center, and you will have the opportunity to be trained with leading AI scientists and develop Artificial-Intelligence (AI) applications.

The Master’s programme has a high proportion of scheduled lessons, and the interaction with teaching staff and course assistants is relaxed. All of the teaching staff are leading multi-disciplinary researchers, and the programme is continuously updated based on the latest cutting-edge research. Bioinformatics is a critical element of the research environments at the Department of Biology and other departments at Lund University, above all at the Faculty of Medicine.

Most importantly, the program is specifically designed for students with and without computational experience. Some of our most prolific graduates joined the program without ever writing one line of code in their life. All classes are tought in English.

Programme structure

The first year begins with a course on the fundamentals of bioinformatics and sequence analysis, followed by a course on programming in Python. Thereafter you will complete courses on modelling and statistics. During the spring semester, you will delve more deeply into DNA sequencing informatics and then conduct a research project or applied work in bioinformatics.

During the third semester, you can start your degree project or do an additional project. The degree project is worth 30, 45 or 60 credits and is flexible. It is generally done in a research team, but it can also be done in cooperation with a public authority or a company.

In addition, the Master’s programme offers the option of doing an internship, which can provide valuable contacts.

Career prospects

Bioinformatic experts are in short supply, and our sought-for graduates are offered exciting opportunities and competitive salaries. The Bioinformatics MSc programme prepares you for a successful career in research and development in academic institutions or biotechnology and life science-oriented companies. Our MSc Bioinformatics program has a perfect 100% work assignment rate, with more than half of our grades continuing to do a postgraduate degree and others taking leading roles in the biotech industry.