Learning outcomes

1. The Master is familiar with the common scientific and practical aspects of preclinical drug research and with the main concepts of molecular and cellular research techniques in the field of biomedical sciences.

2. The Master is able to combine clinical and diagnostic data for specific pathologies with molecular and cellular data in order to draw up hypotheses concerning the involved molecular and cellular pathophysiological working mechanisms starting from ‘state of the art literature’, and is able to independently interpret experimental data correctly in the context of that hypothesis.

3. The Master can independently critically analyze and assess a biomedical problem, can independently and meticulously develop research strategies, plan and execute experiments, collect scientific data and analyze these data in a (bio)statistically correct way, interpret these data and draw the right conclusions from (own) experimental findings in order to adjust his/her research plan accordingly.

4. The Master can function autonomously in a research team, in multidisciplinary as well as in international research networks. The Master is able to plan his/her future learning processes autonomously, is able to evaluate and adapt his/her own professional thinking and actions and has an attitude of lifelong learning.

5. The Master can communicate, present and respond to questions about scientific literature data or own research data in a critical and clear way using the correct scientific vocabulary; and this for a broad general audience or for fellow scientists.

6. The Master can accurately report on his scientific research in a lab notebook with a view to the preservation of the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and to the reproducibility and traceability of the work for other researchers. The Master has basic knowledge about regulations regarding innovation and patents and is able to take this into account when planning, executing and publishing his/her research.

7. The Master can assess and evaluate the societal, legal and ethical implications of the research he/she is involved in and make appropriate decisions accordingly. The Master can integrate experiments with laboratory animals in his/her scientific research in a responsible and legally correct way.

8. The Master can understand, analyse and evaluate the impact of the environment and lifestyle factors, including food, on health. He/She can clearly communicate about this on the population level and on the individual level.

9. The Master has in-depth knowledge of and insight in the dangers and risks of chemical substances, of physical and biological factors and of other stressors on man and his environment and in the molecular and physiological working mechanisms that are at its base.

10. The Master can evaluate the risks of new drugs, can draw up safe environmental and food standards, can take measures to manage substances and products that end up in the environment, can set up specific research programmes for the protection of environmental health.