New graduate studies program in translational research - An option offered exclusively at the IRCM

MONTREAL, Jan. 21, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - Beginning this summer, students will be able to pursue graduate studies in the new molecular biology Master's program, Molecular and Cellular Medicine option, at the Université de Montréal. This option will allow students to receive multidisciplinary training focused on translational research and based on a rotation system with the possibility of fast-tracking from a Master's to a doctoral program. This structure, unique in Montréal, is offered exclusively through the IRCM.

The IRCM is a renowned research centre in translational research, which bridges the gap between the basic research conducted in laboratories and the needs of the clinical practice. Students will therefore be able to master new technologies in basic research while also gaining a better understanding of the current challenges in healthcare.

"The Molecular and Cellular Medicine option, with its one-year curriculum, offers a novel academic approach with research internships in the IRCM's laboratories, which are focused on human diseases. After their first year of intensive training, students will benefit from a large skillset that will help them actively choose their doctoral project and research director," says Timothy L. Reudelhuber, Executive Director of Academic Affairs at the IRCM.

"Another advantage is that this new program will include training in core facilities and practical experience in translational medicine, which means students will be directly exposed to the clinical environment, the concepts of personalized medicine and the ethical issues involved in clinical research," adds Danielle Méthot, program coordinator at the IRCM.

With this program, the IRCM will continue to recruit the best students from here and abroad. The new option can accommodate eight to ten students, which limits this made-to-measure training program to the best applicants. The Molecular and Cellular Medicine option is part of the Faculty of Medicine's molecular biology programs (programmes de biologie moléculaire) at the Université de Montréal.

About the IRCM
Founded in 1967, the IRCM (www.ircm.qc.ca) welcomes over 150 Master's and doctoral students, and approximately 60 postdoctoral fellows. IRCM students are generally registered at the Université de Montréal or McGill University. The IRCM is known for the quality of its graduate studies training programs and its renowned research professors. The IRCM is comprised of 37 research units, grouped together in five research divisions specialized in various fields, namely cancer, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (obesity, diabetes), immunity and viral infections (HIV/AIDS and HPV), neuroethics, neurobiology and development, systems biology and medicinal chemistry. It also houses three specialized research clinics (hypertension, diabetes and obesity, and cholesterol), eight core facilities and three research platforms with state-of-the-art equipment. The IRCM is affiliated with the Université de Montréal and also maintains a long-standing association with McGill University. The IRCM clinic is associated to the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM).

SOURCE: Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal

For further information:

Julie Langelier
Communications Officer (IRCM)
[e-mail]
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