MSc in Preclinical Sciences

Overview

Explore the gateway to your future with our postgraduate programme in preclinical sciences! Our innovative curriculum empowers students with essential knowledge and skills for advanced studies and flourishing careers in specialized fields such as clinical physiology, clinical biochemistry, and molecular microbiology. Our programme is designed to help students in the Kurdistan Region pursue advanced studies as our curriculum is carefully crafted to encompass core courses and specialized tracks, emphasizing hands-on and practical learning experiences. Our esteemed faculty members bring a wealth of expertise, with notable achievements and contributions to research.

Admission Requirements

• Undergraduate Degree: Undergraduate degree in medical sciences (Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Veterinary, Nursing, and Medical-Related Fields – "College of Health Sciences and College of Sciences").
• English Language Proficiency: Minimum English Language requirement is 50 in PTE – 6.0 in IELTS -74 in TOEFL iBT or 105 in Duolingo.
• All applicants are required to submit a valid English language proficiency test from the list above, including graduates of English-medium universities.
• Equalised transcript is required for students who have graduated from international institutions.
• School Interview.
• Entrance exam.
• Undergraduate Degree: Minimum undergraduate average of 50% for Medicine, Dentistry and pharmacy, and minimum undergraduate average of 60% for Veterinary, Nursing and Medical-Related Filds.

• Application Form: Online application form is required.
• Official Transcripts: Provide a copy of your undergraduate transcript with your application.
• Letters of Recommendation: Two recommendation letters are required to be submitted with your application, preferably one of which will be from a university academic.
• A copy of your CV.
• A copy of your passport and national ID.

Curriculum

Curriculum

Entrance Exam

Entry Exam Details:

• Number of Questions: 90
• Question Types:
  1. Single Best Answer Questions (Best of Five): Each question presents 5 options, with only one correct answer.
  2. Extended Matching Questions (EMQs): Each EMQ is centered around a single theme, offering 9 options to answer 3 related questions.
• Time: 2 hours
• Only eligible applicants will be invited to take the entrance examination.

Date: September 13
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: Building B, School of Medicine premises

Master’s (MSc.) Degree in Clinical Biochemistry/Topics

1. Vitamins: Study of essential micronutrients, including types (water-soluble and fat-soluble), biochemical functions, sources, deficiency diseases, and roles in metabolism.
2. Enzymes: Exploration of biological catalysts, covering enzyme structure, function, mechanisms of action, kinetics, factors affecting activity, and clinical significance.
3. Protein Metabolism: Focus on the breakdown and synthesis of proteins, including amino acid metabolism, digestion, absorption, nitrogen balance, urea cycle, and related disorders.
4. Lipid Metabolism: Study of fats and related compounds, covering metabolism of triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesterol, fatty acids, and associated disorders like hyperlipidemia.
5. Carbohydrate Metabolism: Examination of metabolic pathways like glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, citric acid cycle, blood glucose regulation, and clinical aspects like diabetes.
6. Biological Oxidation: Study of cellular energy conversion processes, including oxidative phosphorylation, electron transport chain, and clinical relevance like oxidative stress.
7. Nucleic Acid Metabolism: Focus on DNA and RNA synthesis and breakdown, including purine and pyrimidine metabolism, and disorders like gout.
8. Mineral Metabolism: Examination of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and trace elements, including disorders like osteoporosis and anemia.
9. Clinical Biochemistry (Metabolic Disorders): Covers biochemical basis of disorders related to lipids, protein, nucleic acid, and carbohydrate metabolism.

Master’s (MSc.) Degree in Molecular Microbiology/Topics

1- Fundamentals of Molecular Biology:

• Central Dogma of BiologyDNA Structure, Replication, Function
• RNA Types, Biogenesis, and Transcription
• Translation in Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
• Post translational Modification of proteins
• Essential Molecular Techniques in Research and Diagnostics

Reference: Molecular Biology at a Glance 2021

2-Medical Microbiology:

• The Prokaryotes; Properties, Classification, and Significance
• Medically important microorganisms
• Pathogenic and Opportunistic Bacteria
• Bacterial classification, diagnosis and culture
• Pathogenic and Opportunistic Fungi
• Human Viruses
• Parasite; types, properties and diagnostic methods
• Diagostic microbiology; Microscopic, Biochemical, Serological, and Molecular Techniques

References:

• Jawetz and Melenick, Medical Microbiology 2023 (Chapter 1)
• Diagnosis Microbiology 2025

Master’s (MSc.) Degree in Medical Physiology/Topics

1.  General Principles of Medical Physiology: Homeostasis, internal environment,
   feedback mechanisms, control systems, adaptation and compensation.
2. Cell Physiology: Plasma membrane structure and function, membrane transport,
   osmosis, active transport, membrane potential and cellular excitability.
3.  Receptor Physiology: Receptor types, receptor–ligand interaction, affinity, specificity,
   saturation, upregulation, downregulation and receptor activation.
4. Cellular Signaling: Signal transduction, endocrine, paracrine, autocrine and synaptic
   signaling, second messengers and major receptor-mediated pathways.
5. Cardiovascular Physiology: Cardiac action potential, cardiac cycle, heart sounds,
   cardiac output, blood pressure regulation, vascular tone, reflex control and basic ECG.
6. Respiratory Physiology: Mechanics of breathing, lung volumes and capacities, gas
   exchange, oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, regulation of respiration and ventilation–
   perfusion matching.
7. Renal Physiology: Renal blood flow, glomerular filtration, tubular reabsorption and
   secretion, water and electrolyte balance, urine concentration, acid–base regulation and
   blood pressure control.
8. Endocrine Physiology: Hormone action, hypothalamic–pituitary axis, thyroid, adrenal,
   pancreatic and reproductive hormones, metabolism and calcium homeostasis.
9. Nervous System Physiology: Neuronal excitability, action potentials, synaptic
   transmission, neurotransmitters, sensory pathways, motor control, reflexes and autonomic
   nervous system.
10. Gastrointestinal Physiology: Gastrointestinal motility, secretion, digestion, absorption
    of nutrients, water and electrolytes, gastrointestinal hormones and regulation of digestive
    function.
11. Blood and Immune-Related Physiology: Blood composition, red blood cells,
    hemoglobin, white blood cells, basic immune defense, platelets, hemostasis and blood
    groups.
12. Integrated and Applied Physiology: Body temperature regulation, exercise physiology,
    stress response, system integration and basic clinical correlations of physiological
    dysfunction.

References:

• Hall, J. E., & Hall, M. E. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 15th ed. Elsevier; 2026.
  Note: Elsevier lists publication date as 2025, but copyright year as 2026.
• Tortora, G. J., & Derrickson, B. H. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 16th ed. Wiley; 2020.
• Boron, W. F., & Boulpaep, E. L. Medical Physiology. 4th ed. Elsevier; 2026.
• Barrett, K. E., Barman, S. M., Brooks, H. L., & Yuan, J. X.-J. Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology. 27th ed. McGraw Hill; 2025.
• Medical Physiology: Dr. Sherwan Rahman
  Email: [email protected]
  Tel: 0750 454 1577
• Clinical Biochemistry: Dr. Salar Adnan
  Email: [email protected]
  Tel: 0750 410 1917
• Molecular Microbiology: Dr. Amin Aziz
  Email: [email protected]
  Tel: 0750 447 8627

Skills Development

1. Advanced Knowledge Acquisition: Acquire comprehensive knowledge and understanding of fundamental principles in ( Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, & Molecular Microbio.)
2. Research Proficiency: Dedicate time after semesters to intensive research, allowing students to develop foundational research capabilities to engage in evidence-based practices within (Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Physiology, Medical Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Biology).
3. Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Develop the ability to critically evaluate scientific literature, address research questions, and apply problem-solving strategies within the discipline.
4. Contribution to Scientific Literature: enhance an appreciation for the importance of contributing to scientific literature through well-structured and insightful research outputs.
5. Effective Communication: Develop clear and concise communication skills, both written and oral, to convey scientific concepts and research results.
6. Skill Development: Equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills for successful careers in academia, healthcare, and research, fostering critical thinking, effective communication, and problem-solving abilities.
7. Continuous Professional Development: enhance a commitment to ongoing learning and professional development, ensuring graduates remain current with advancements within their discipline throughout their careers.
8. Preparation for Leadership Roles: provide candidates with the skills and knowledge needed to assume leadership roles in academia, research institutions, and the broader scientific community.