Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular biology and genetics together form the scientific foundation for understanding life at its most fundamental level. Molecular biology examines the molecules that carry and execute biological information, principally DNA, RNA, and proteins, and asks how genes are expressed, regulated, and replicated. Genetics studies inheritance and variation, asking how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how genetic differences contribute to variation in development, physiology, and disease.

The two disciplines are deeply intertwined, and together they underpin modern medicine, biotechnology, agriculture, and our understanding of evolution.

At the University of East Anglia, this three-year, full-time programme develops your understanding of both molecular biology and genetics in depth, within a research-active biological sciences environment. You will study gene structure and function, the mechanisms of DNA replication and repair, transcription and translation, gene regulation, epigenetics, genomics, and the tools used to investigate and manipulate genetic systems. You will also develop strong laboratory skills, learning to work with the techniques that modern molecular genetics demands, including PCR, sequencing, microscopy, and bioinformatic analysis.

UEA has a strong research tradition in biological sciences and you will benefit from working in a department where these questions are actively investigated.

Graduates in molecular biology and genetics go on to careers in academic research, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, clinical genetics, forensic science, cancer research, agricultural biotechnology, and science communication. The rigorous scientific training and laboratory skills the programme develops are highly valued across the life sciences sector. Many graduates proceed to postgraduate research degrees, contributing directly to the fast-moving science of molecular biology and genomics.

The degree is also a strong foundation for conversion courses in medicine and related health professions.