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Academic programmes

The School provides excellence in teaching and research in the Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology.

Undergraduate programmes

The strength of our programme is based on comprehensive introductory courses complemented by a diverse set of advanced courses. A BSc degree in the School of Molecular and Cell Biology (MCB) will provide a student with a sound foundation in the most current and cutting edge fields in Molecular Life Sciences and Biotechnology in the world.

Introductory Life Sciences is  the "core" course that all students are required to complete before gaining access to Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Genetics and Developmental Biology, Microbiology and Biotechnology, and Applied Bioinformatics.

Career opportunities

A BSc in Molecular and Cell Biology provides a foundation for countless postgraduate research opportunities and career paths in fields allied to the Life Sciences. Graduates from MCB work in the medical, pharmaceutical, HIV and cancer research, industrial, environmental and agricultural sector. Typical vocations include clinical research, drug design and discovery, HIV and cancer research, environmental bioremediation, plant genetic engineering and bioprocess development. 

Postgraduate programmes

BSc Honours involves one further year of full-time study, where students are exposed to the world of scientific research. After a successful Honours year, students can proceed to Masters (MSc) and Doctoral (PhD) degrees.

Research opportunities 

A wide range of research areas are available for prospective students to choose from. These include invertebrate pathology, protein structure and function, gene expression in cancer and apoptosis, the molecular basis of development and signal transduction, plant genetic engineering, plant virology, mycorrhizas and fungal plant pathogens, cell growth and differentiation, food and industrial microbiology, biological control, biofilm studies and microbiological studies of necardioforms, evolution and biotechnological application of bacteriophages.

Facilities

The research labs at the School of Molecular and Cell Biology are adequately equipped to enable postgraduate students to perform molecular and cellular research. Some general equipment includes growth rooms, autoclaves, pH meters, laminar flow hoods and tissue culture cabinets. For general molecular DNA work we have thermal cyclers, spectrophotometers, electrophoresis systems, a gel imaging system and an automated sequencer. All MCB postgraduate students have access to a range of microscopes including light, transmission electron, scanning electron, confocal scanning laser, inverted, and fluorescent microscopes. For protein research, some of the available instruments include an isothermal titration caliorimeter, a stopped flow and a fluorescence spectrophotometer.

Applications

MSc and PhD applicants should contact the Senior Administrative Officer natashya.bennett@wits.ac.za before applying to find a supervisor.

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