London (Spring)Week-Long Study Tour | Biomedicine Program

This week-long Study Tour is designed to show you different aspects of the biomedical profession and illustrate the connections between industry and university research, and how the transition from academic research to business development occurs. London is one of the largest biotechnological clusters in Europe, home to a variety of research institutions, university hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and established and start-up biotech companies.

You will step inside the world of biomedicine by touring labs, visiting biotech companies, and research labs, and hearing from experts in the field. You will also have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in discussions to further develop your understanding of how classroom theories translate into a professional context. The biomedicine study tours will introduce you to the various careers in biotechnology that await you after graduation.

In addition, the academic program is supplemented with some of London’s cultural highlights, giving you the opportunity to learn more about British history and contextualize your studies.

Tour Objectives

  • Learn about the newest and upcoming biotechnology-based methods for diagnosis and treatment of disease
  • Observe the dynamics of drug discovery and development
  • Explore how knowledge and technology are transferred among universities, researchers, and businesses

Possible Activities

  • Discuss with professionals at Spirogen, a clinical stage biotechnology company involved in developing DNA-targeted therapeutics
  • Meet with the Department of Biochemical Engineering of UCL to learn about careers in biomedicine
  • Take a tour of the Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology (LMCB) to see the equipment specialists use everyday up close and speak with laboratory engineers