Chemical Biology

Chemistry is at the root of all biological processes, and in areas ranging from the development and use of medicines for disease management to food safety and sustainability, it all starts with an understanding of the chemical and biological mechanisms at play. The Master’s programme in Chemical Biology at RUC lays the foundation for understanding the role chemistry plays in biological processes, and how chemical tools are employed to study, understand, and regulate these processes.

Our profile

In this interdisciplinary programme, you will learn to approach biological questions and problems from a chemical perspective by applying chemical tools, methods, and analyses to study, evaluate and regulate biological systems. We work with the latest scientific discoveries emerging from the field of Chemical Biology, together with advanced experimental methods and instruments. Therefore, you will learn concepts and develop skills at the forefront of areas such as organic chemistry, spectroscopy, eukaryotic cell biology, proteomics, and metabolomics. You will also receive training in good experimental practice (GxP) and data analysis, enabling you to perform high quality experiments and evaluate complex data sets.

After completing of this programme, you will have the knowledge and scientific skills required to make a significant contribution to the development and production of medicines, drug delivery systems, and other health and biotechnology related products. Furthermore, you will develop a practical skillset that enables you to work seamlessly with chemical and biological researchers in their respective laboratory settings.

In this programme, you can choose to specialise in Chemistry in biological systems, Protein properties & function or Omics.

Study Environment

As a student in Chemical Biology, you will become part of the Department of Science and Environment, giving you the opportunity to work closely with expert researchers from the disciplines of chemistry, biology, and physics. This interdisciplinarity is uniquely found in the natural sciences programmes at Roskilde University and makes for a vibrant study environment that prepares you for the many professional challenges you will meet in a wide variety of modern companies and research groups.

As Chemical Biology is a relatively small programme, you will have close contact with researchers and supervisors and ample access to state-of-the-art equipment, giving you the perfect setting to pursue your own scientific interests in collaboration with your fellow students. In addition to time spent in the labs and classrooms, you will also have the opportunity to attend events, such as the night café (Natcafé), and participate in activities, such as student organised board game nights.

Career and Qualifications

As a graduate in Chemical Biology, your academic profile and skill set will be attractive to the pharmaceutical, biotech, health, and food sectors, in which your role could involve research, development, production, and control. You will have a unique skillset to work in interdisciplinary settings conducting tasks, such as chemical synthesis and analysis, assays, and biophysical characterization. There are career opportunities in the public and private sector, education, and consultancy. Some of our graduates stay at RUC or go to other universities to carry out PhD studies.

Here are some examples of positions held by previous graduates:

• Principal Scientist at CP Kelco, developing nature-based ingredients for the food industry
• Chemist in Quality Control at pK Chemicals, working with production control
• Head of Lipidomics Core Facility at Danish Cancer Society, overseeing lipidomics services to external customers
• Chemist in Quality Assurance at Novo Nordisk, working with process validation

Brochure about the programme