Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine

Work with world-leading experts to understand how stem cells can be manipulated and engineered to regenerate lost tissues and develop novel treatments for human disease.

Course description

This course is under review for 2024 entry. Please contact the department for further information.

Our Centre for Stem Cell Biology is internationally recognised as a leading facility for stem cell teaching and research. Our scientists have developed clinical grade, human stem cell lines here at the University of Sheffield which are now distributed by the UK Stem Cell bank for potential use in research and medical therapies.

This MSc shares in this expertise to offer in-depth training in the latest in human embryonic stem cell techniques and their uses as a therapeutic approach. It's designed to prepare you for an exciting career at the forefront of regenerative medicine.

Through theoretical and hands-on practical skills training, you’ll explore how to grow and culture human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) and their malignant equivalents, such as embryonal carcinoma cells. You’ll also learn methods for manipulating hPSCs in culture, monitoring and directing their differentiation into new cell types.

Alongside your lab work, you’ll gain an understanding of the current controversies in the field and the limitations and potential applications of tissue engineering for medical applications, drug discovery and food manufacturing.

The main part of the course is your research project where you’ll spend up to five months researching an area of stem cell biology or regenerative medicine that matches your future career aspirations with expert academics and scientists in our state-of-the-art facilities.

Example past research projects include:

• In vitro generation of cardiac neural crest from human pluripotent stem cells
• Identification of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of zebrafish regeneration
• The role of YAP in human pluripotent stem cell fates
• Characterisation of subpopulations of otic progenitors derived from human Embryonic Stem Cells (hESCs)

Please see our University website for the most up-to-date course information: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/postgraduate/taught/courses