The Biomedical Sciences programme trains highly skilled scientists who are able to conduct research in a wide biomedical field and supervise such research in academic, clinical or industrial settings.

Students can specialize in two different paths: 

• Neurosciences.
• Infectious and Tropical Diseases.

The focus of both programmes is on research.

You will spend half of your study time on practical research while doing internships and on writing a dissertation. Collaboration between the Institute for Tropical Medicine and the university laboratories provides you with the unique opportunity to participate in high-level research on HIV, malaria and other infectious and imported diseases.

In addition, you are offered the opportunity to study abroad for part of the programme. The field of biomedical sciences studies both the healthy and sick human and the relevant animal models.

Your programme:

Biomedical sciences can be distinguished from biology, bio-engineering and veterinary sciences by means of the clear emphasis on humans. The programme does not focus on acquiring clinical skills, as this is covered in medicine and pharmacy, but prepares you to conduct technological or scientific research in a clinical context.

In Antwerp, the biomedical sciences programme is a multidisciplinary programme taught by lecturers from the faculties of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, Medicine and Sciences.

• In the Infectious and Tropical Diseases specialisation, you acquire a good understanding of various aspects of host-parasite interaction (immunology, pathology, clinical aspects) and learn to recognise patterns in the epidemiology of (tropical) diseases, as well as relating them to ecological conditions, and on this basis you also learn to evaluate or propose strategies for disease control.
• In the Neurosciences specialisation, you study the underlying neuronal structures and mechanisms of behaviour and memory as well as the diagnosis, appearance and pathogenesis of various neurological and psychiatric disorders. You learn to develop experimental research, based on animal models, for example, with a view to investigating the neural substrate of behaviour and cognition.

You learn to describe and analyse a tropical biomedical scientific problem independently, to report on it and propose solutions, which may contribute to product development in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, such as vaccine research, drug screening and diagnostics.

Job opportunities:

Because of the level of specialisation, many graduates in the biomedical sector go on to do a PhD. Some continue working on scientific research, while others find jobs in:

• the biotech or pharmaceutical industries

• the business community

• scientific institutions

• government

• hospitals

• and especially education

Graduates often go on to work as researchers at the Institute for Tropical Medicine, or in pharmaceutical companies and university labs where tropical diseases and imported diseases in general are studied. They may also continue to work on a PhD thesis, after which they can go to work for pharmaceutical and biotech companies as researchers or research leaders.

Your future:

Graduates often go on to work as researchers at the Institute for Tropical Medicine, or in pharmaceutical or biotech companies and university labs where tropical diseases and imported diseases in general are studied.