2026-2027

Master in Biomedical Sciences

Schedule

regular course
ECTS Credits 120

Presentation
Programme
Admission requirements
Teaching profile
Opportunities

You are viewing the program for

Master120 in Biomedical Sciences, professional focus in Clinical Research

Overview

Taught in English, the 120-credit Master in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on clinical research is based around the research carried out on human beings. This Master is offered by UNamur but also relies on the expertise of the University of Liège, which provides many courses related to this professional focus. Thus, courses are taught at both universities.

Your degree programme will boast a significant professional dimension thanks to visits to companies and hospitals, practical projects and a 3 to 4-month internship in a laboratory, hospital or company in Belgium or abroad.

You will also have the opportunity to write a thesis based on 10 months personal project, which you will carry out in a university research group or a clinical setting, from design to completion.

Why choose this program?

Unique programme in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation with strong links to the biopharmaceutical and biotechnological industries;
Belgian and international specialists as professors;
Integrated practical sessions;
Specialised studies in the field of drug development, including basic and translational research, biotechnology (scale-up and 3D reconstruction), quality assurance and regulatory affairs;
Rapid integration into the world of work, thanks to company and hospital visits and a placement;
An excellent command of field-based English;
An official qualification as a bio-technician in handling laboratory animals and managing experiments, in addition to your Masters degree;
Experience abroad;
Many elective courses in cutting-edge fields;.
Access to a third study cycle: PhD (Doctorate) in Biomedical sciences.

Your goals

To lead scientific projects which aim for better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms in physiological and pathological conditions: to analyse data, interpret the results and share discoveries with the worldwide scientific community;
To master every stage of the development of new therapies, in particular biotechnology or cell-related therapies;
To develop biomarkers related to different therapies, for example using genetics and pharmacogenomics;
To lead and monitor preclinical or clinical trials and to be responsible for the administrative management of testing;
To ensure the production quality of biotechnological and biosimilar products, cell therapies (stem cells), gene therapies, tissue engineering, medical devices (implants, drug delivery devices, etc.) and so on;
To monitor the quality, safety and efficiency of a drug before it is placed on the market.

Other master's programs in biomedical sciences

The University of Namur offers the following master’s programs:

You are viewing the program for

Master 120 in Biomedical Sciences, professional focus in fundamental and preclinical research

Overview

Taught in English, the 120-credit Master in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on fundamental and preclinical research focuses your learning on the laboratory phase of research into new disease-causing mechanisms, as well as products and techniques before they are tested on humans. It is based on a solid grounding in fundamental research, biopharmaceutics, biotechnology and preclinical studies. Students can choose one main orientation among three tracks:

Biotechnology and Bioindustries
Cancers and Metabolic diseases
Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology

your degree programme will boast a significant professional dimension thanks to visits to companies and hospitals, practical projects and a 3 to 4-month internship in a laboratory, hospital or company in Belgium or abroad.

You will also have the opportunity to write a thesis based on 10 months personal project, which you will carry out in a university research group or a clinical setting, from design to completion.

Why choose this program?

Unique programme in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation with strong links to the biopharmaceutical and biotechnological industries;
Belgian and international specialists as professors;
Integrated practical sessions;
Specialised studies in the field of drug development, including basic and translational research, biotechnology (scale-up and 3D reconstruction), quality assurance and regulatory affairs;
Rapid integration into the world of work, thanks to company and hospital visits and a placement;
An excellent command of field-based English;
An official qualification as a bio-technician in handling laboratory animals and managing experiments, in addition to your Masters degree;
Experience abroad;
Many elective courses in cutting-edge fields;.
Access to a third study cycle: PhD (Doctorate) in Biomedical sciences.

Your goals

To lead scientific projects which aim for better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms in physiological and pathological conditions: to analyse data, interpret the results and share discoveries with the worldwide scientific community;
To master every stage of the development of new therapies, in particular biotechnology or cell-related therapies;
To develop biomarkers related to different therapies, for example using genetics and pharmacogenomics;
To lead and monitor preclinical or clinical trials and to be responsible for the administrative management of testing;
To ensure the production quality of biotechnological and biosimilar products, cell therapies (stem cells), gene therapies, tissue engineering, medical devices (implants, drug delivery devices, etc.) and so on;
To monitor the quality, safety and efficiency of a drug before it is placed on the market.

Other master's programs in biomedical sciences

The University of Namur offers the following master’s programs:

Cycle
Block 1
Block 2

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Clinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
					1	2
	SBIM2004-1	Medical Psychology		5h th. + 10h ex.	2
	SBIM2006-1	Pathophysiology		30h th.	3
	SBIM2005-1	Regulatory Framework for (Bio)Safety and Biorisk Management in Clinical Research		13h th. + 2h ex.	1
	SBIM2007-1	Clinical Trials of Medical Devices		20h th. + 10h ex.	3
	INFO9005-1	Bioinformatic Skills		10h th. + 20h ex.	2
	SBIM2009-1	Patient and Researcher Interplay		20h th.	3
	SBIM2010-1	Intellectual Property and Patent		20h th.	2
	SBIM2011-1	Writing and Reading Skills		15h th. + 30h ex.	3
	SBIM2012-1	Biomarkers and Surrogate Markers in Clinical Research		25h th. + 10h ex.	3
	SBIM2013-1	Evidence Based Medicine		10h th.	1
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM202	Clinical Project Management	Beaudart Charlotte	12h th.		2
	MSBMM201	Clinical Research Associate Training	Beaudart Charlotte	15h th.		2
	MSBMM200	Critical Analysis of Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	20h th.		3

EMOTION

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Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
				1	2
MSBMM230	Dermatology in the 21st century	Gillet Jean-Pierre Beaudart Charlotte	18h th.		3
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial	Beaudart Charlotte	30h th.		4
MSBMM233	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte			30

Core Curriculum

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
					1	2
	MSBMM114	Introduction to Scientific Research	Boonen Marielle Beaudart Charlotte		12
	MSBMM113	Bioethics	Pontarotti Gaëlle	20h th.	2
	MSBMM108	Quality Assurance : GMP, GCP, GLP and Auditing		24h th.	3
	MSBMM104	Statistics Applied to Preclinical and Clinical Studies		20h th. + 20h ex.	4
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM103	Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	24h th. + 30h ex.	6
	MSBMM102	Preclinical Drug Development	Gillet Jean-Pierre	24h th. + 30h ex.	6
	MSBMM101	Pharmacotherapy		36h th.	4
	MSBMM209	Professional Internship	Gillet Jean-Pierre			20
	MSBMM208	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte Boonen Marielle			23
	MSBMM217	Pharmaco-Economy and Health Technology Assessment		20h th.		2
	MSBMM216	Pharmacovigilance	Dogne Jean-Michel	20h th.		2

Elective Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
				1	2
SSPSM203	Philosophy of Life Sciences	Pontarotti Gaëlle	12h th.		3
SBIOM208	Anticancer Therapies		15h th.		2
SFCMM201	Training of master animal handlers	Vermeylen Anne	40h th.		3
MSBMM214	Integrative Approach of Organelle Pathology	Boonen Marielle	12h th.		3
MSBMM210	Advanced English (Level B2 and above)	Malcolm Ophélie	30h th.		3
MSBMM220	Interdisciplinary Program in Healthcare Innovation		20h th.		4
SVETM209	Molecular Virology	Muylkens Benoît Gillet Nicolas	15h th.		2
SCDLM202_Partim	Refresher course in Dutch (level B1)	Tréfois Cindy	30h th.		3
MSBMM221	Lecture series in dermato-cosmetic sciences	Gillet Jean-Pierre	12h th.		2
MSBMM222	Biomarkers and surrogate markers in clinical dermatology trials	Libon Florence	12h th.		2
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial	Beaudart Charlotte	30h th.		4
MSBMM224	Meta-analysis of interventional studies	Beaudart Charlotte	24h th.		3

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Clinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

Code	Name	Credits	Hours/Quarter
			1	2
SBIM2004-1	Medical Psychology	2		5h th. + 10h ex.
SBIM2006-1	Pathophysiology	3	30h th.
SBIM2005-1	Regulatory Framework for (Bio)Safety and Biorisk Management in Clinical Research	1	13h th. + 2h ex.
SBIM2007-1	Clinical Trials of Medical Devices	3	20h th. + 10h ex.
INFO9005-1	Bioinformatic Skills	2	10h th. + 20h ex.
SBIM2009-1	Patient and Researcher Interplay	3		20h th.
SBIM2010-1	Intellectual Property and Patent	2	20h th.
SBIM2011-1	Writing and Reading Skills	3		15h th. + 30h ex.
SBIM2012-1	Biomarkers and Surrogate Markers in Clinical Research	3	25h th. + 10h ex.
SBIM2013-1	Evidence Based Medicine	1		10h th.

Core Curriculum

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
					1	2
	MSBMM114	Introduction to Scientific Research	Boonen Marielle Beaudart Charlotte	12
	MSBMM113	Bioethics	Pontarotti Gaëlle	2	20h th.
	MSBMM108	Quality Assurance : GMP, GCP, GLP and Auditing		3	24h th.
	MSBMM104	Statistics Applied to Preclinical and Clinical Studies		4		20h th. + 20h ex.
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM103	Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	6	24h th. + 30h ex.
	MSBMM102	Preclinical Drug Development	Gillet Jean-Pierre	6	24h th. + 30h ex.
	MSBMM101	Pharmacotherapy		4		36h th.

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Clinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
					1	2
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM202	Clinical Project Management	Beaudart Charlotte	2	12h th.
	MSBMM201	Clinical Research Associate Training	Beaudart Charlotte	2	15h th.
	MSBMM200	Critical Analysis of Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	3	20h th.

EMOTION

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
MSBMM230	Dermatology in the 21st century	Gillet Jean-Pierre Beaudart Charlotte	3	18h th.
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial		4	30h th.
MSBMM233	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte	30

Core Curriculum

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
MSBMM209	Professional Internship	Gillet Jean-Pierre	20
MSBMM208	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte Boonen Marielle	23
MSBMM217	Pharmaco-Economy and Health Technology Assessment		2		20h th.
MSBMM216	Pharmacovigilance	Dogne Jean-Michel	2		20h th.

Elective Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
SSPSM203	Philosophy of Life Sciences	Pontarotti Gaëlle	3	12h th.
SBIOM208	Anticancer Therapies		2	15h th.
SFCMM201	Training of master animal handlers	Vermeylen Anne	3	40h th.
MSBMM214	Integrative Approach of Organelle Pathology	Boonen Marielle	3	12h th.
MSBMM210	Advanced English (Level B2 and above)	Malcolm Ophélie	3	30h th.
MSBMM220	Interdisciplinary Program in Healthcare Innovation		4		20h th.
SVETM209	Molecular Virology	Muylkens Benoît Gillet Nicolas	2	15h th.
SCDLM202_Partim	Refresher course in Dutch (level B1)	Tréfois Cindy	3	30h th.
MSBMM221	Lecture series in dermato-cosmetic sciences	Gillet Jean-Pierre	2	12h th.
MSBMM222	Biomarkers and surrogate markers in clinical dermatology trials	Libon Florence	2	12h th.
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial	Beaudart Charlotte	4	30h th.
MSBMM224	Meta-analysis of interventional studies	Beaudart Charlotte	3	24h th.

Cycle
Block 1
Block 2

Collapse all

Uncollapse all

Preclinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
					1	2
	MSBMM107	Biotechnology : Principles and Scale-up	Gillet Jean-Pierre	20h th. + 30h ex.	5
	MSBMM106	Biopharmaceuticals	Masereel Bernard	12h th.	2
	MSBMM105	Laboratory Research Training	Gillet Jean-Pierre		4
	MSBMM119	Current Topics in Molecular Cell Biology	Boonen Marielle	12h th.	2
Soft skills Image	MSBMM123	Comparative Pathophysiology	Kirschvink Nathalie	12h th.	2
	MSBMM115	Drug and Society	Malonne Hugues	12h th.	2
	MSBMM207	Project Management : Development of Biomarkers	Gillet Jean-Pierre	12h th.		2
	MSBMM205	Vaccinology, Immunotherapy		20h th.		3
	MSBMM234	Biobanks, Personalized Medicine		15h th.		2

Basic Research Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
					1	2
	SBIOM134	Protein Structure and Function	Wouters Johan De Bolle Xavier	22h th.	2
	SBIOM133	Glycobiology	Vincent Stéphane	22h th.	2
	SBIOM128	Hot Topics in Microbiomes, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases	Arnould Thierry	22h th.	2
	SBIOM124	Host Pathogen Interactions	Gillet Nicolas	22h th.	2
	SBIOM122	Cancer	Michiels Carine	22h th.	2
	SBIOM121	Organelle Dysfunction as the Basis of Diseases	Arnould Thierry	22h th.	2
	SBIOM120	Stem Cells and Differentiation	Renard Patricia	22h th.	2
	SFCMM101	Training in animal experimentation at technician level: techniques, alternative methods, legislation and ethics	Vermeylen Anne	40h th.	3
	MSBMM118	Cell Models	Boonen Marielle	12h th.	2
	MSBMM120	Cancer Biomarkers : Unlocking Diagnostics and Therapeutic Strategies	Hennequart Marc Balligand Thomas	24h th.	2
Sustainable development Image English Friendly Courses Image	SMEDM137	Molecular mechanisms of neurological diseases	Nicaise Charles	22h th.	3

Core curriculum

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
					1	2
	MSBMM114	Introduction to Scientific Research	Boonen Marielle Beaudart Charlotte		12
	MSBMM113	Bioethics	Pontarotti Gaëlle	20h th.	2
	MSBMM108	Quality Assurance : GMP, GCP, GLP and Auditing		24h th.	3
	MSBMM104	Statistics Applied to Preclinical and Clinical Studies		20h th. + 20h ex.	4
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM103	Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	24h th. + 30h ex.	6
	MSBMM102	Preclinical Drug Development	Gillet Jean-Pierre	24h th. + 30h ex.	6
	MSBMM101	Pharmacotherapy		36h th.	4
	MSBMM209	Professional Internship	Gillet Jean-Pierre			20
	MSBMM208	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte Boonen Marielle			23
	MSBMM217	Pharmaco-Economy and Health Technology Assessment		20h th.		2
	MSBMM216	Pharmacovigilance	Dogne Jean-Michel	20h th.		2

Elective Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Th.+Ex.	Credits/Block
				1	2
SVETM209	Molecular Virology	Muylkens Benoît Gillet Nicolas	15h th.		2
SSPSM203	Philosophy of Life Sciences	Pontarotti Gaëlle	12h th.		3
SBIOM208	Anticancer Therapies		15h th.		2
SFCMM201	Training of master animal handlers	Vermeylen Anne	40h th.		3
MSBMM214	Integrative Approach of Organelle Pathology	Boonen Marielle	12h th.		3
MSBMM210	Advanced English (Level B2 and above)	Malcolm Ophélie	30h th.		3
MSBMM220	Interdisciplinary Program in Healthcare Innovation		20h th.		4
SCDLM202_Partim	Refresher course in Dutch (level B1)	Tréfois Cindy	30h th.		3
MSBMM221	Lecture series in dermato-cosmetic sciences	Gillet Jean-Pierre	12h th.		2
MSBMM222	Biomarkers and surrogate markers in clinical dermatology trials	Libon Florence	12h th.		2
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial	Beaudart Charlotte	30h th.		4
MSBMM224	Meta-analysis of interventional studies	Beaudart Charlotte	24h th.		3

Collapse all

Uncollapse all

Preclinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
					1	2
	MSBMM107	Biotechnology : Principles and Scale-up	Gillet Jean-Pierre	5	20h th. + 30h ex.
	MSBMM106	Biopharmaceuticals	Masereel Bernard	2		12h th.
	MSBMM105	Laboratory Research Training	Gillet Jean-Pierre	4
	MSBMM119	Current Topics in Molecular Cell Biology	Boonen Marielle	2		12h th.
Soft skills Image	MSBMM123	Comparative Pathophysiology	Kirschvink Nathalie	2	12h th.
	MSBMM115	Drug and Society	Malonne Hugues	2		12h th.

Basic Research Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
					1	2
	SBIOM134	Protein Structure and Function	Wouters Johan De Bolle Xavier	2	22h th.
	SBIOM133	Glycobiology	Vincent Stéphane	2	22h th.
	SBIOM128	Hot Topics in Microbiomes, Diabetes and Cardiovascular Diseases	Arnould Thierry	2	22h th.
	SBIOM124	Host Pathogen Interactions	Gillet Nicolas	2	22h th.
	SBIOM122	Cancer	Michiels Carine	2	22h th.
	SBIOM121	Organelle Dysfunction as the Basis of Diseases	Arnould Thierry	2	22h th.
	SBIOM120	Stem Cells and Differentiation	Renard Patricia	2	22h th.
	SFCMM101	Training in animal experimentation at technician level: techniques, alternative methods, legislation and ethics	Vermeylen Anne	3		40h th.
	MSBMM118	Cell Models	Boonen Marielle	2	12h th.
	MSBMM120	Cancer Biomarkers : Unlocking Diagnostics and Therapeutic Strategies	Hennequart Marc Balligand Thomas	2	24h th.
Sustainable development Image English Friendly Courses Image	SMEDM137	Molecular mechanisms of neurological diseases	Nicaise Charles	3	22h th.

Core curriculum

Left to read

	Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
					1	2
	MSBMM114	Introduction to Scientific Research	Boonen Marielle Beaudart Charlotte	12
	MSBMM113	Bioethics	Pontarotti Gaëlle	2	20h th.
	MSBMM108	Quality Assurance : GMP, GCP, GLP and Auditing		3	24h th.
	MSBMM104	Statistics Applied to Preclinical and Clinical Studies		4		20h th. + 20h ex.
Sustainable development Image	MSBMM103	Clinical Trials	Beaudart Charlotte	6	24h th. + 30h ex.
	MSBMM102	Preclinical Drug Development	Gillet Jean-Pierre	6	24h th. + 30h ex.
	MSBMM101	Pharmacotherapy		4		36h th.

Collapse all

Uncollapse all

Preclinical Research (Professional Focus)

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
MSBMM207	Project Management : Development of Biomarkers	Gillet Jean-Pierre	2		12h th.
MSBMM205	Vaccinology, Immunotherapy		3		20h th.
MSBMM234	Biobanks, Personalized Medicine		2		15h th.

Core curriculum

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
MSBMM209	Professional Internship	Gillet Jean-Pierre	20
MSBMM208	Master Thesis	Beaudart Charlotte Boonen Marielle	23
MSBMM217	Pharmaco-Economy and Health Technology Assessment		2		20h th.
MSBMM216	Pharmacovigilance	Dogne Jean-Michel	2		20h th.

Elective Modules

The student chooses 6 credits in the following list.

Left to read

Code	Name	Staff	Credits	Hours/Quarter
				1	2
SVETM209	Molecular Virology	Muylkens Benoît Gillet Nicolas	2	15h th.
SSPSM203	Philosophy of Life Sciences	Pontarotti Gaëlle	3	12h th.
SBIOM208	Anticancer Therapies		2	15h th.
SFCMM201	Training of master animal handlers	Vermeylen Anne	3	40h th.
MSBMM214	Integrative Approach of Organelle Pathology	Boonen Marielle	3	12h th.
MSBMM210	Advanced English (Level B2 and above)	Malcolm Ophélie	3	30h th.
MSBMM220	Interdisciplinary Program in Healthcare Innovation		4		20h th.
SCDLM202_Partim	Refresher course in Dutch (level B1)	Tréfois Cindy	3	30h th.
MSBMM221	Lecture series in dermato-cosmetic sciences	Gillet Jean-Pierre	2	12h th.
MSBMM222	Biomarkers and surrogate markers in clinical dermatology trials	Libon Florence	2	12h th.
MSBMM232	A Case Study of Clinical Trial	Beaudart Charlotte	4	30h th.
MSBMM224	Meta-analysis of interventional studies	Beaudart Charlotte	3	24h th.

Admission requirements

Si vous avez un diplôme belge

ACCÈS DIRECT

bachelier en sciences biomédicales ;

ACCÈS moyennant un éventuel COMPLÉMENT DE 15 CRÉDITS maximum

bachelier en sciences pharmaceutiques, médecine, médecine vétérinaire, sciences biologiques, sciences dentaires, kinésithérapie et réadaptation, sciences de la motricité, sciences chimiques ;
master en ingénieur civil en chimie et science des matériaux, sciences de la santé publique, kinésithérapie et réadaptation.

ACCÈS moyennant un COMPLÉMENT DE 15 À 30 CRÉDITS

bachelier (type court) en sage-femme, infirmier responsable en soins généraux ;
bachelier de spécialisation (type court) en anesthésie, soins intensifs et aide médicale urgente.

ACCÈS moyennant un COMPLÉMENT DE 30 À 60 CRÉDITS

bachelier (type court) en diététique, ergothérapie, soins infirmiers, technologie en imagerie médicale, technologue de laboratoire médical ;
bachelier (type court) en chimie orientation biochimie, biotechnologie, chimie appliquée, environnement;
bachelier (promotion sociale) en soins infirmiers pour titulaires du brevet d'infirmier hospitalier.

ACCÈS SUR DOSSIER

autre diplômé de l’enseignement supérieur de la Communauté française de Belgique, tel que le bachelier (type court) en agronomie, orientation agro-industries et biotechnologies moyennant des éventuelles unités d'enseignement supplémentaires ;
diplômé de l’enseignement supérieur hors Communauté française de Belgique, dans ce cas, des unités d'enseignement supplémentaires relevant du bachelier en sciences biomédicales peuvent êtres imposées au candidat par conséquent, celui-ci est tenu de maitriser le français ;
sur base de VAE (Valorisation des acquis de l'expérience).

Pour les admissions en master, il y a lieu de prendre contact avec le service des inscriptions.

Si vous avez un diplôme non-belge

If you have a degree from an institution outside of Belgium, you will need to complete and return the admissions request form before 30 September (31 March for students from outside the European Union).

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Students with a first degree obtained in Belgium

> DIRECT ACCESS

Bachelor in Biomedical Sciences.

> ACCESS subject to a maximum of 15 ADDITIONAL CREDITS

Bachelor in Pharmacy, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Biology, Dentistry, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Motor Sciences, Chemistry;
Master in Chemical and Materials Science Engineering, Public Health, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation.

> ACCESS subject to AN ADDITIONAL 15 TO 30 CREDITS

Bachelor in Midwife, Nurse Responsible for General Care;
Advanced Bachelor in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Medical Aid.

> ACCESS subject to AN ADDITIONAL 30 TO 60 CREDITS

Bachelor in Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Nursing, Medical Imaging Technologist, Medical Laboratory Technologist;
Bachelor in Chemistry orientation Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Applied Chemistry, Environment;
Bachelor in Nursing for holders of the certificate of Hospital Nurse.

> ACCESS BY APPLICATION

other higher education qualifications obtained in the French Community of Belgium, such as the bachelor's degree (short programme) in agronomy, specialising in agro-industries and biotechnologies, with the possibility of additional teaching units ;
higher education qualifications obtained outside of the French Community of Belgium, in this case, additional teaching units relating to the Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Sciences may be required of the candidate. Consequently, the candidate is required to have a good command of French ;
on the basis of VAE (‘Valorisation des acquis de l’expérience’ – recognition of previous experience)

For admission to Masters degrees, please contact the Admission Service.

Students with a first degree obtained outside of Belgium

Description

The 120-credit Master in Biomedical Sciences focusing on Fundamental and Preclinical Research centers the learning of the student on the laboratory phase of research that aims to identify the causes and consequences of diseases, putative drug targets, or products and techniques before they are tested on humans. It is based on a solid grounding in fundamental research (in fields such as cancerology, molecular and cellular pathobiology, metabolic diseases…), biopharmaceutics (pharmacotherapy, health technology assessment, biosynthetic drugs and pharmacovigilance), biotechnology and therapy (clinical and non-clinical experimental approaches).

The 120-credit Master in Biomedical Sciences with a focus on Clinical Research is based around the research carried out on human beings when products and techniques are sufficiently far-advanced. This Master is offered by UNamur but also relies on the expertise of the University of Liège, which provides some courses related to this specialised focus.

International mobility and openness

Students have the opportunity to spend part of their Master studying abroad, within the context of the Erasmus study programme.

Teaching methods

This Master comprises a few core lectures, complemented by courses selected by the students from a large list of topics organized in four main orientations: Biotechnology and Bioindustries – Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology – Cancers and Metabolic diseases – Clinical research management. The emphasis is on interactive learning, via a series of practical and personal projects.

Students also have the opportunity to gain practical experience in handling animals, thanks to training which leads to professional certificates in laboratory animal sciences.

The degree programme will boast a significant professional dimension thanks to practical projects and a 3-4-month placement

(focus on Fundamental and Preclinical Research) in a laboratory or company in Belgium or abroad;
(focus on Clinical Research) in a laboratory, hospital or clinical research organisation in Belgium or abroad.

The student will also have the opportunity to write a thesis based on their work in a research laboratory, working on a personal project right through from design to completion during 10 months.

Aims and objectives

Focus on Fundamental and Preclinical Research :

Biotechnology and Bioindustries – Cancers and Metabolic Diseases – Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology

To lead scientific projects which aim for greater understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying human health and diseases: to analyse raw data, interpret the results and present observations clearly – these projects include basic and translational research projects;
To master every stage of the development of new therapies, in particular biotechnology- or cell-related therapies;
To develop biomarkers related to different therapies, for example using genetics and pharmacogenomics;
To lead and monitor early stage (target identification) and preclinical research development of new drugs and to be responsible for the administrative management of testing;
To ensure the production quality of biotechnological and biosimilar products, cell therapies (stem cells), gene therapies, tissue engineering, medical devices (implants, drug delivery devices, etc.) and so on;
To monitor the quality, safety and efficiency of a drug before it is placed on the market.

Focus on Clinical Research :

To develop an advanced understanding of biomedical sciences as they relate to clinical research
To understand all the steps of drug development
To master the principles of clinical trial design, including phases, methodologies, and regulatory frameworks
To lead and manage clinical trials and to be responsible for the administrative management of testing;
To acquire the ability to critically evaluate scientific literature and assess the validity, reliability, and ethical integrity of clinical studies

Assessment

Year 1:

In January, students take exams based on the subjects studied during the first semester. In June, students take exams based on the subjects studied in the second semester.

For some subjects, there are regular evaluations based on reports submitted after each session of practical projects. Marks awarded for these practical projects represent a significant percentage of the final marks.

Students begin work on a thesis during the second semester and submit a report regarding progress made on this project in June (the evaluation takes place in front of a jury).

In case of failed evaluations during the January session (for first semester courses) and/or during the June session (second semester evaluations), the evaluation can be presented again in August.

Year 2:

The students pursue their thesis work during the first semester. In January, students take exams based on the subjects studied during the first semester, and submit, then defend their completed thesis in front of a jury. The next courses are taught at the beginning of the second semester, prior to the internship, which concludes by a report submitted in June. Evaluations of the second semester take place in June.

In case of failed evaluations during the January session (for first semester courses) and/or during the June session (second semester evaluations), the evaluation can be presented again in August.

Career opportunities in biomedical sciences

Biomedical Sciences can lead to many different careers, mainly in the area of research, either basic or applied. This research is carried out at universities, university hospitals, government agencies (e.g. public health institutes, drug and health product agencies, health policy bodies, etc.), and in laboratories in the biopharmaceutical, biotechnological, nutrition or cosmetics sector.

Basic biomedical research aims to understand, via an experimental approach, how the human being

works at the level of cells and molecules. It comprises many fields (cancerology, neurobiology, metabolic diseases, genetics, stem cells…) and its conclusions may one day lead to clinical applications.

Applied biomedical research puts into practice the advances made in basic research. Its objective is to improve the way conditions are diagnosed and treated. For example, it might aim to design new vaccines or new diagnostic tests. It also paves the way for careers in the pharmaceutical or cosmetics industries.

Clinical research management involves the setting up and coordination of clinical trials in hospitals, clinical research organisations and the biopharmaceutical industry, and can lead to the following careers:

clinical trials assistant - assists investigating doctors in carrying out clinical trials;
clinical project manager - executes the clinical trial development plan, in accordance with regulations and deadlines;
clinical research associate - sets up and monitors the clinical trials in a particular project, whilst ensuring the quality of the data gathered in compliance with regulations;
data manager - responsible for the processing, validation, and management of data collected in the context of clinical trials, as well as data supporting diagnostic decision-making in personalized medicine.

As well as research, the clinical sector offers a large number of other career paths: toxicology, nutrition, clinical biology, bioengineering, medical imaging, etc., as well as medical data management.

Biomedical Sciences can also lead to many other opportunities in the fields of research and development, production, insurance and quality control, regulatory affairs, intellectual property, consultancy, medical representation, teaching, and so on.

Importantly, the Master in Biomedical Sciences allows you to further your studies with a third cycle (Doctorate in Biomedical Sciences) or to take an interuniversity certificate in Health Product Regulatory Affairs, offered jointly by UNamur and ULiège.

Career opportunities in biomedical sciences

Basic biomedical research aims to understand, via an experimental approach, how the human being

clinical trials assistant - assists investigating doctors in carrying out clinical trials;
clinical project manager - executes the clinical trial development plan, in accordance with regulations and deadlines;
clinical research associate - sets up and monitors the clinical trials in a particular project, whilst ensuring the quality of the data gathered in compliance with regulations;
data manager - responsible for the processing, validation, and management of data collected in the context of clinical trials, as well as data supporting diagnostic decision-making in personalized medicine.