DEPARTMENT OF MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
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address
(14662) D206, Dasolgwan, 43, Jibong-ro, Bucheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea -
hours of operation
Mon-Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm (lunch 12:00-1:00 pm) -
tel
+82 2 2164 4350 -
e-mail
lifesci@catholic.ac.kr
About the Department
The Department of Medical and Biological Sciences was established to train professionals who can conduct both basic and applied research in biomedical sciences. Based on the fundamentals of life sciences and the application of biotechnology, the department aims to foster R&D (Research & Development) professionals who have the basic skills of scientific inquiry and can conduct basic and applied research in the biomedical sciences, such as vaccines, diagnostic technologies, stem cell research and application, therapeutic drug development and production, and genome and bioinformation utilization technologies to identify the causes of human diseases and prevent and treat them. The department aims to foster field-oriented R&D talents in the biomedical and biotechnology fields by introducing a joint industry-academia education system in collaboration with biotech companies and national research institutes. In particular, through the development of interdisciplinary courses such as medicine, pharmacy, artificial intelligence, and disease-related big data, short-term practical training at domestic and foreign biotech companies and university laboratories, and continuous expansion of English lecture courses, the department strives to foster talents with creative and convergent future global R&D capabilities in preparation for the coming era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. During the first and third years, students take basic courses to become experts in the biomedical and biotechnology fields, and from the fourth year onward, they choose one of the industrial manpower training programs, professional research manpower training practicum, or industry-academic cooperation practicum (graduate school-academic cooperation program) to complete experimental-based (R&D field-oriented) classes at external research institutes/companies and on-campus professors' laboratories, thus preparing them for graduate school or employment, depending on their career goals.
Major Course Guide
Year 1 │ Introduction to Biomedical Sciences
Professors from all departments team-teach to introduce their research areas and the biomedical sciences as a whole to help incoming students better understand their majors, identify with the department, and explore their career paths.
Year 2 │ Biochemistry 1 & 2
Biochemistry is a subject that seeks to understand the biosynthesis and degradation, structure, chemical and biological features, and functions of the biomolecules (amino acids, proteins, fatty acids and lipids, carbohydrates, genes-DNA & RNA, etc.) that make up the basic unit of life, the cell, and how these molecules interact to make and sustain life, i.e., to scientifically explain life reactions and life phenomena, and is a core fundamental subject for all fields that deal with life, including biomedical and biological sciences, biotechnology, medicine, and pharmacy.
Year 3 │ Basic Medical Sciences
This course is a comprehensive course in general physiology, which covers the basic principles of life at the cellular, organ, and organismal levels, and pathophysiology, which identifies the causes of major diseases.
Year 3 │ Genomics
Learn the basic concepts and research methods for deciphering the structure of genomes, analyzing information, comparing genomes, and studying genome function, and learn about the structure, function, and regulation of expression of genomes, which contain all of the information in living organisms.
Year 4 │ Antibody Therapeutics and Production
This course is a comprehensive introduction to the principles of action, development cases, and future prospects of protein therapeutics (recombinant protein therapeutics, biosimilars, antibody therapeutics, etc.)
Year 4 │ Special Topics in Drug Development
This course is a general introduction to the process of drug development, research techniques, licensing process, R&D practices, current trends, and future prospects.
Year 4 │ Academic Co-op
This is a program that allows students to learn the research field through on-site work experience in the laboratories of biomedical and biotechnology-related industries and to be employed by the same company in the future (full scholarship for two years for classes related to the master's degree, and priority for employment at the training company after the master's degree).
Curriculum
| Year 1 | Introduction to Biomedical Sciences, General Biology 1, 2, General Biology Lab 1, 2, Philosophy of Science and Bioethics, Understanding Life |
|---|---|
| Year 2 | Medical Microbiology, Medical Terminology, Medical Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry 1,2, Cell Biology, Cellular Mechanisms, Zoology, Genetics, Medical Molecular Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Phylogenetics, Biomedical Science Lab 1 (Biochemistry) |
| Year 3 | Immunology, Biology Teaching Methods, Genomics, Medical Molecular Diagnostics, Physiology, Stem Cell Biology, Introduction to Basic Medicine, Biomedical Science Laboratory 2 (Cell Culture), Introduction to Medical Informatics, Biomedical Science Laboratory 3 (Genetics, Molecular Biology), Molecular Virology, Biomedical Materials Research and Instruction, Oncology, Biomolecular Structural Biology, Stem Cell Research Design, Glycobiology, Transcriptomics, Medical Student Physics, Biomedical Science Laboratory 4 (Genome, Bioinformatics) |
| Year 4 | Biomedical Science Field Practicum1,2,3,4,5, Neurobiology, Gene Therapy, General Toxicology and Nonclinical Design, Molecular Endocrinology, Antibody Therapeutics and Production, Industrial Training Program, Bioactive Natural Products, Human and Environmental Ecology, Biomedical Advanced Research Practicum1,2, Professional Training Practicum, Industry-Academia Cooperative Practicum (selected), Vaccinology, Special Topics in Drug Development, Clinical Design, Molecular Modeling-Based Drug Development, Resource Biotechnology, Microbiome and Disease |
Careers after Graduation
| Education & research | Due to the nature of the bio industry, which is an advanced knowledge-based and research-based field, most bio companies and national research institutes require master's degree or higher when hiring new employees, and 60-70% of graduates go on to graduate school to gain some professional research experience and work as university professors, professional researchers at national research institutes or corporate research institutes. | |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | Master's degree or higher | Research and development (R&D) professionals in laboratories and drug development departments of biotechnology companies (biotech), pharmaceutical companies, nutraceutical companies, functional biologics companies, etc. |
| Undergraduate degree | Non-research positions in quality control (QC), production, academic, clinical/diagnostic, etc. departments in the above companies, as well as academic and sales management in companies specializing in bio-equipment/reagents. | |
| Other | Research staff in central and local governments and municipalities | |
Subject-Related Certifications
| Undergraduate | Dietitian, Hygienist, Food Technician, Nutritionist, Nutrition Teacher, Health Educator |
|---|---|
| Graduate students | Clinical Dietitian |
Departmental Talent
Based on Catholic University's goal of fostering "ethical leaders with a respect for human life and creativity," our department strives to focus on education and research with the aim of educating "next-generation global biomedical R&D innovation leaders with creativity and interdisciplinary capabilities based on a respect for human life and ethics.
High School Courses Related to Major
| General Electives | Career Electives |
|---|---|
| Speech and Writing, English I, Math I, Chemistry I, Life Sciences | Chemistry II, Life Science II |
Academic Activities
Grade Points
- Intensive major : 69 grade points
- Double major : 1st major, 2nd major 36 grade points or more each
- Total grade points: At least 130 grade points
- Graduation standard GPA : 2.00 GPA above previous year
Comprehensive Test
An annual academic presentation competition allows students to broaden their understanding of their major field and actively participate in academic activities. Career seminars are organized by student organizations and majors twice a year