Poland’s First Master’s Program in Biological Therapeutics – Applications Now Open at the University of Warsaw
A unique opportunity in life sciences education has arrived. The full-time Biological Therapeutics Master’s programme combines rigorous theoretical foundations with hands-on training in advanced biotechnology — including the development of biological drugs and targeted therapies, the key instruments of 21st-century medicine.
Biological Therapeutics is a new two-year full-time Master's degree programme at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Warsaw. This interdisciplinary programme is a joint initiative of the University of Warsaw and the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB). The academic staff will include the authors of the first entirely Polish article in the field of life sciences of the 21st century, published in Nature in April 2025. Studying under the guidance of these scientists will ensure synergy between theory and practice. Lecturers will also include experts from the biopharmaceutical industry.
Setting the highest standards in education
“Biological Therapeutics is a unique, first-of-its-kind, interdisciplinary Master's programme in Poland, designed for education of a new generation of biopharmaceutical specialists,’ says Dr Seweryn Mroczek, from the Institute of Genetics and Biotechnology at the University of Warsaw, and the RNA Biology Laboratory (ERA Chairs Group) at IIMCB. ‘The programme prepares students to work on the development of modern biological drugs, both within the scientific community and the advanced pharmaceutical industry. We combine a solid theoretical foundation with practical laboratory training based on the latest molecular biology technologies, ensuring the highest quality standards,” adds the biologist.
Students of Biological Therapeutics will gain the comprehensive knowledge and skills necessary for designing and synthesising biological drugs based on nucleic acids and proteins. Particular emphasis will be placed on mRNA therapies and monoclonal antibodies. Students will explore the molecular mechanisms of action of these drugs and use biophysical methods to optimise production processes and design preclinical studies using cell cultures and animal models. They will also learn about the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, which allows for the precise 'cutting' and 'insertion' of DNA fragments and is used to study genes and create new therapies.
“These studies are intended for individuals from a variety of scientific disciplines, including biology, chemistry, biophysics and bioinformatics. Our goal is to equip students with the skills needed to design and evaluate biological drugs. The programme is conducted entirely in English, in accordance with international academic and industrial standards. It's not just science; it's an introduction to the fascinating world of RNA and protein therapies that are already transforming medicine today,” says Prof. Andrzej Dziembowski, Head of the RNA Biology Laboratory at IIMCB and a researcher at the University of Warsaw.
A gateway to the medicine of the future|
The programme will develop laboratory skills and the ability to independently plan and conduct experiments and implement and supervise biological drug production processes in accordance with quality and regulatory requirements. Graduates will be prepared for roles in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, research and diagnostic laboratories, cosmetics companies, and other knowledge-based life science sectors.
Laboratory classes, which will be organised in blocks, will be conducted in the laboratories of the University of Warsaw and IIMCB on the Ochota campus in Warsaw. This will enable multi-stage experiments to be carried out, from the design and synthesis of prototype therapeutics to their preclinical analysis. Students will have access to research infrastructure, including the IN-MOL-CELL service laboratories at IIMCB and the Faculty of Physics' modern teaching laboratories at the University of Warsaw.
'When I was studying pharmacy, there was no such field of study, which I really wish there had been. Today, I understand how important it is to combine theoretical knowledge with modern applications. Applying for the Biological Therapeutics programme is worthwhile,” says Karolina Kasztelan, a research assistant at the RNA Biology Laboratory at IIMCB.
Recruitment will begin on 19 August 2025. The application process includes a written exam on 16 September 2025 and an interview on 18 September 2025.
Admission details: https://tinyurl.com/Biological-Therapeutics
This degree programme is conducted within the “Integrated Teaching & Learning Development Programme – ZIP 2.0”. It is co-financed by the European Social Fund as part of the European Funds for Social Development Programme 2021–2027 (FERS) (contract no.: FERS.01.05-IP.08-0365/23-00). Studying in this programme provides additional opportunities to develop passions and competencies that are valuable in a rapidly changing job market.
