Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

Programme overview

Molecular Biology and Biotechnology programme connects fundamental research with its applications and integrates genetics, gene technology, cell biology, molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, systems biology, biotechnology and bioinformatics.
The programme focuses to provide all necessary knowledge needed to promote broad range expertise, erudition, and intellectual sense of satisfaction during studies, practice and work. During this program, you acquire in-depth knowledge and skills via theoretical and practical training.
You become highly competent in the field of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, with excellent perspectives for an independent career in an academic or industrial research environment.

Applications of biology have become more relevant and widely applied in the last decades in the development of technologies and tools for the Knowledge society, in the biomedical production process control, as well as in searching for optimal solutions in various fields of molecular biosciences. The analysis of successful career examples shows that the best specialists in higher education, science, biotechnological industry, or other spheres have master’s degrees in biology, which allows them to apply knowledge and methods for analysis of the underlying processes in their employment domain. The programme also seeks to confer deep interest in biology and genetics, apply it at various circumstances, and to maintain professional competencies during lifelong learning. Constantly changing the research environment, the emerging requirements of professional development, use of the latest technologies and the communication opportunities force researchers to know the physical structure of the living world, understand the biological phenomena from perspective of laws of physics and chemistry.

Why Molecular Biology and Biotechnology programme?

• Molecular biologyand biotechnology encompass the study of life, and will suit anyone with an interest in living organisms.
• Specialised study subjects, allowing for in-depth study of the science behind all living things.
• You will have the opportunity to study a broad range of molecular biology and biotechnology at a theoretical and a practical level.
• You will have courses with many lab-hours, which will allow you to gain hands-on skills.
• You will be able to use creatively bio-information technologies for analysis, digital description and simulation of biological objects, to use biological databases, to systematize the collected information.

Feedback of lecturer

Molecular biology and biotechnology open for students doors to most recent inventions of modern bioscience.
Prof. Algimantas Paulauskas, Head of the programme

Professors

All teachers were/are research project promoters or managers.

• Dr. S. Šatkauskas, currently manages high-level international research projects funded under the 2014-2020 Measures of the EU Investment Operational Program No. 01.2.2-LMT-K-718 and 09.3.3-LMT-K-712 activities, in which students of the analysed programs also participate.
• Dr. G. Saulis is an international 2021 – 2024. Leader of the partnership part of the project EuroNanoMed III ” Molecular harvesting with electroporation, microfluidics and nanoparticles for diagnostics and therapy of heterogeneous solid tumors (EURONANOMED2020-124) “.
• Dr. G. Saulis and Dr. P. Ruzgys is currently leading the projects of research groups on “Systems Biology Methods for Modelling and Analysing Cell Electroporation and Related Processes (S-MIP-20-29)” and “Development of High-Frequency Dielectrophoresis and Electrosensitization-Based Nanoelectroporation Technologies for Targeted Drug and Gene Transfer, respectively. (S-MIP-19-13)”.

Competencies acquired

Graduates of the programme are able to:

• Work with living cells, organisms, populations. To evaluate processes taking place inside of the cell, work with cell cultures under laboratory conditions, to apply obtained results for modelling of biological systems, to evaluate intercellular interconnections, relations between single individuals and populations.
• Comprehend evolution of biological objects, lows in heredity and variability, features and molecular principles of congenital diseases, and to know how to apply them for investigation of biological diversity, structure of living organisms, functioning and evolution.
• According to collected data and molecular analysis to evaluate population’s structures, environmental impact on populations, interrelations between populations and individual species.
• Apply modern investigation methods, to work according principles of good laboratory practice, rules of bioethics, to collect, process, preserve and prepare research material under laboratory and field conditions.
• Apply acquired knowledge to solve emerging problems, to recognize, analyse biological problems, to plan strategies to solve these problems, to plan and carry out various measurements, process and interpret biological data, to classify and present these data.
• Solve qualitative and quantitative problems by using acquired mathematical and computational skills and special computer software, DNA gene base.
• Use creatively bio-information technologies for analysis, digital description and simulation of biological objects, to use biological databases, to systematize the collected information.
• Analyse molecular diversity, structure, composition, to characterize biological systems, their functioning and interaction: genomics, proteomics, metabolomics.
• Understand principles of immune and other systems, their structures, integration with other vital systems of biological objects.

Career opportunities

The graduate of the Molecular biology and biotechnology program has a good knowledge of modern molecular biotechnology methods, is able not only to model molecular processes, but also to design biotechnological systems and plants. Also, able to plan and conduct modelling and experimental research, analysing or solving a particular biotechnological problem, and to find, interpret and systematize the scientific literature, critically analyse and evaluate data from different sources and practical experiments and draw conclusions, engage in professional biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals and the food industry, as well as biotechnology, biopharmaceuticals and environmental research and study institutions. After graduation, graduates are able to develop new products and technologies, work in highly responsible work in research and study institutions and industries related to biotechnology, biomedicine and the food industry, or continue their doctoral studies.

The programme  provides graduates with several general areas:

• Companies related to molecular biology, biotechnology, biopharmaceutics and food industry.
• Regulatory and monitoring agencies in the different departments of the national government.
• R&D (research and development) and quality control departments of companies operating in the sectors of medicine, pharmaceutical sciences, cosmetics, agriculture, food and biotechnology as well as hospitals, private laboratories and in vitro fertilization (test tube baby) centers.
• Research and study organizations dealing with various activities related to molecular biology, biotechnology, bioinformatics, biopharmaceutics, and environment preservation.
• International companies dealing with the design and production of equipments used in the field of molecular biology and genetics or medicine.
• Study opportunities at PhD Degree level related to biotechnological and biomedical sciences.

Programme structure

Curriculum

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree diploma or equivalent degree in one of these fields: Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Genetics, Microbiology, Botany, Zoology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biophysics, Pharmacy. ECTS courses may be required for agronomy, veterinary, pedagogical science, and other bachelors.
• Proof of English Language: applicant has to present document proving B2 level (TOEFL 87-109 iBT/534-633 PBT, IELTS 5-6,5, Cambridge English First (FCE) 161-180, BEC Vantage 161-180, Michigan ECCE (min. 650), PTE General Level 3, TOEIC Listening & Reading 785, TOEIC Speaking & Writing 310, Duolingo 100-125, EnglishScore 400-499) if the applicant is not native speaker and/or had not received education in English.
• Admission score is counted based on: Motivation letter* 0,3 + Arithmetic average of bachelor’s degree diploma supplement all subjects* 0,4 + English grade* 0,3.