School of Medical Sciences

Information about Master's Programme in Experimental Medicine

This programme is offered every other year and the most recent intake of students was in the autumn of 2024. Unless decided otherwise, the programme will be offered again in the autumn of 2026 with applications welcome in the autumn of 2025. Below is a presentation of how the programme is currently organised.

This two-year MSc programme offers you both broad and specialised knowledge in experimental medicine. During your second year, you select between one of four profiles: Cardiovascular Biomedicine, Inflammation in Health and Disease, Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interactions, or Vaccine Development.

Cardiovascular Biomedicine

Inflammation in Health and Disease

Nutrition-Gut-Brain Interaction

Vaccine Development

Specific entry requirements

Bachelor of Science in Biomedicine, Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Science, Master of Science in Medicine, or Master of Science in Veterinary Medicine. Alternatively, a first-cycle qualification comprising at least 180 credits of which at least 90 credits are for specialised study in one of the main fields of study biomedicine, biomedical laboratory science, biology or medicine. The applicant must also have qualifications corresponding to the course “English 6” or “English B” from the Swedish Upper Secondary School.

Tuition fees

EU citizens
If you have citizenship in a European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) country, or Switzerland, you are NOT required to pay application or tuition fees.

Non - EU citizens
Tuition fee, first instalment: 83387 SEK

Total fee: 333548 SEK

Summary

The Master’s programme in Experimental Medicine gives you a broad insight into general aspects that affect public health in today’s society. You will gain knowledge and skills in modern experimental medical and laboratory science, as well as in-depth knowledge of cell biology, immunology, human genetics and bioinformatics, and translational medicine. The theoretical content in the courses is often contextualised with inflammatory mechanisms and their implication for public health.

This programme is research preparatory and the Master’s degree gives you insights research and development, and prepares you for an international career in academia, industry, government, and healthcare.

Teaching on the Master’s programme is interactive with an active dialogue between teachers and students. The curriculum is student-centered with a blend of laborations, lectures, written assignments, seminars, journal clubs and PBL group work, all designed to cultivating a curious research oriented mind. Your teachers are active researchers, who take their knowledge and current research into the classroom. The programme focuses on the application of theoretical knowledge as well as individual practical skills in order to translate theory into a contextual understanding of experimental medicine and the profile specialisation of your choice. The programme is offered by the School of Medical Sciences and the language of instruction is English.

During the second year of the MSc programme, students select one of the four profiles hosted by strong and well-established research groups at the School of Medical Sciences allowing you to immerse yourself in a specific topic of research. In addition to specific course work within the profile, you will conduct a comprehensive individual MSc degree project in a research project of your choice.

As a student on the Master’s Programme in Experimental Medicine, you are offered a personal mentoring programme. This is designed to help you progress throughout the programme, in terms of defining current and future goals, prospects, and career planning.

This two-year programme comprises 120 credits and leads to a Degree of Master of Science (120 credits). The main field of study for the degree is medicine. For year two, students choose between four profiles: Cardiovascular biomedicine, Inflammation in health and disease, and Nutrition-gut-brain interaction or Vaccine Development.

The programme opens with the course Medicine, second cycle, Cell and Molecular Biology in Inflammatory Processes, 30 credits. Students then taken the courses Medicine, second cycle, Human Genomics and Functional Genomics Data, 7.5 credits; and Medicine, second cycle, Translational Medicine, 15 credits; followed by Medicine, second cycle, Personalised Medicine and System Biology, 7.5 credits.

For students opting for the profile Cardiovascular biomedicine, year two opens with the course Medicine, second cycle, Cardiovascular System in Health and Disease, 15 credits. For students opting for the profile Inflammation in health and disease, year two opens with the course Medicine, second cycle, Inflammatory responses, 15 credits. For students opting for the profile Nutrition-gut-brain interaction, year two opens with the course Medicine, second cycle, Nutrition-Gut-Brain Physiology, 15 credits. For students opting for the profile Vaccine Development, year two opens with the course Medicine, second cycle, Vaccine Design and Development, 15 credits. All profiles conclude with the course Medicine, second cycle, Degree Project in Medicine, 45 credits.

Specific entry requirements: Bachelor of Science in Biomedicine, Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Laboratory Science, Master of Science in Medicine, or Master of Science in Veterinary Medicine. Alternatively, a first-cycle qualification comprising at least 180 credits of which at least 90 credits are for specialised study in one of the main fields of study biomedicine, biomedical laboratory science, biology or medicine. The applicant must also have qualifications corresponding to the course “English 6” or “English B” from the Swedish Upper Secondary School.

First semester: Autumn semester 2024

Pace of study: Full Time

Level: Second Cycle

Study places: 30

Selection: Number of credits obtained within the qualifying main field of study no later than on the closing date for applications.

Study venue: Örebro

School: School of Medical Sciences

Qualifications: Degree of Master of Arts/Science [120 credits]

Language of instruction: The language of instruction is English.

Head of programme: Alexander Persson

This MSc programme will prepare you for an international career in either academia, with the option of pursuing PhD studies, or in the public or private sectors, seeking employment with authorities, the pharmaceutical or biotechnical industry, government, or healthcare.

: This MSc programme is deeply embedded in research and you will be very well prepared for future PhD studies after you graduate. However, Örebro University cannot promise any PhD positions automatically for graduates from the Master’s programme. We can however help you to create the personal networks needed to be successful in a future research career.
: Yes, of course. However, your first point of contact is the study advisor. They can then put you in direct contact with one of our students.
: In short yes. But during the profile year and the degree project, you are free to undertake your studies anywhere in the world. The most important thing is that it is a project you are really interested in. Many of our students do their projects at other universities in Sweden.
: Most students have no problem at all finding a project. We think it is important that you find a project that you are really interested in and the coordinators can help you with contacts to find the right lab and project for you.
: Absolutely! In fact, all teachers on the programme are active researchers and they will bring their newest research into the teaching and involve you in it.
: The teaching involves several hands-on wet labs where you will design, perform and interpret the results of various experiments. In addition, during the profile year your work is performed at a lab in a project of your choosing. Moreover, in silico analyses will be performed aiming at training you in the work with large datasets and computer-based methods.
: Teaching entails both lectures, dry labs, wet labs, tutorial groups, demonstrations and seminars. Different teaching methods are used to best approach each topic. However, the Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach is the overarching pedagogic model.
: You apply through www.universityadmissions.se, you will find all information about the application process under the tab “Find out more”.
: You can find information about different types of scholarships on www.studyinsweden.se.
: You will find all necessary information on https://www.universityadmissions.se/en/entry-requirements/english-language-requirements/.
: We are sorry, but we cannot evaluate your eligibility before a complete application is made through www.universityadmissions.se.

Kirsten Kruger

The program provided insight into research that I needed as a clinician and also was specifically focused on the gut-brain axis. I graduated in June 2020 after doing my master's thesis at the Nutrition-Gut-Brain-Research Centre at Orebro University, after which I worked as a research assistant for the same project as my thesis. I started my PhD in May 2021 at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. The PhD is part of a Marie Curie-funded International Training Network, "SmartAge", which explores the gut-brain axis to maintain cognitive function in the elderly. My project looks at the impact of late-life nutritional interventions on the microbiome and cognition.

Loureen Oduor

Here we try to map out various proteins that are differentially expressed in atherosclerotic plaques and try to define their roles in disease progression. I am grateful to the learning I got from Örebro and the overall experiences as an international student in Sweden.

Mohamad Youness

During the summers of 2018 and 2019, I got the chance to work as a research assistant in the Cardiovascular Research Centre. Additionally, with the help of my professors, I performed my Master’s thesis at Karolinska Institute as a guest researcher studying neuronal genes expression in human carotid atherosclerotic plaques. I started my Ph.D. studies in January 2020 at the Experimental Cardiology department at KU Leuven, Belgium. My project aims to characterize cardiac fibroblasts populations in human heart failure to identify unique molecular targets for reducing interstitial fibrosis.

I believe that my experience at Örebro University (courses and training, summer jobs, mobility opportunities, guidance) equipped me with many skills to become a competent researcher.

Kedeye Tuerxun

Innate Immunity in Health and Disease, in August 2016. This program provided me the opportunity to improve my knowledge in research on both theoretical and practical level. After graduation, I shortly worked as a research assistant before I started my PhD study here at iRiSC in July 2020.

The PhD project is part of the inflammation project, X-HiDE, which is to establish an internationally competitive Center of Excellence exploring inflammation. My study has the focused on the role of human monocytic cells during immunosuppression.

Marianne Haug

The program at Örebro caught my interest due to its interactive teaching style and its main focus on inflammation as the underlying denominator for many diseases. Among the three offered profiles, my choice was inflammation in health and disease. The last part of the studies included an individually performed research thesis project, which I performed in Kirsty Spalding Lab at Karolinska Institute where I investigated mitochondrial characteristics of human mature white adipocytes during in vitro browning.

After graduation I got the opportunity to work as a bioengineer at a biotechnology company Anocca AB, where we developed next-generation immunotherapies by focusing on the delivery of T-cell receptor-modified T-cell therapies (TCR-T) in oncology.

Six months later, from the beginning of 2023, I am back at Örebro University where I started my PhD project with the title “Drug discovery targeting inflammatory mechanisms in cardiovascular disease”.

Jishamol Thazhath Veettil

I’m very interested in cardiovascular medicine and was happy to be enrolled in the Master’s programme in experimental medicine with the emphasis on cardiovascular medicine at Örebro University.

The master’s programme is designed in a way that you will gain a solid knowledge about different aspects of practical ‘hands-on’ research along with the required theoretical basics and background knowledge. My final master’s thesis project I’ve performed under the supervision of Geena Paramel in the group of Allan Sirsjö. My thesis was entitled 'Cholesterol crystal uptake in vascular smooth muscle cells modulates local immune responses', and I graduated in June 2022.

Currently, I am further pursuing my thesis project as a research assistant with Geena Paramel at the School of Medical Sciences here at Örebro University. I’m happy to announce that I’ve got funding for continuing my research, and that my project has been selected as an oral ‘Science at a glance’ presentation at the 91st European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) Congress 2023 in Manheim, Germany.

My Nguyen

The Experimental Medicine program at Örebro University was a great choice due to its diversified profiles. I chose the ‘Inflammation in Health and Disease’ profile since inflammation has a huge impact in many diseases, which broadly vary from infectious illnesses to currently prevalent metabolic diseases. Investigating inflammation may not only elucidate the complicated pathophysiology but also give us the key to potential nouveau therapy. I graduated in 2023 with a thesis that focused on examining the nasopharyngeal microbiome in COVID-19 patients in Örebro University Hospital.

Örebro students did their master’s thesis in Barcelona and Porto: “A fantastic opportunity"

Maria Absim and Gabriela Pereira studied in the international master’s programme in experimental medicine at Örebro University – and both applied for and received Erasmus funding to gather data and write their thesis abroad.

Lily Bahati Kampani from Malawi, Chihor Ngov from Cambodia, and Ncedo Mncedisi Ndlovu from Zimbabwe.

“I’ve achieved my dream – to study in Europe and receive an education of the highest quality”

Over 60 students graduating from an international master’s programme.

Master's programme open for research: “We're thrilled to be at Örebro University”

For Jishamol Veettil and Myrto Chatzopoulou, the Master's Programme in Experimental Medicine was the starting point for a career in research at Örebro University. Now they work in the laboratory alongside teachers from their study programme.

“Everyone here is so inviting and generous with their knowledge,” says Myrto Chatzopoulou.

Camilla Mellander, Head of Department for Promotion of Sweden, Trade and CSR at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Grace Turyasingura.

Global Swede Award to medical master's student

Some 20 international students who have distinguished themselves in areas related to innovation and entrepreneurship, and proven themselves to be excellent representatives of both their own country and of Sweden received their awards at the Global Swede ceremony. It was organised by the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the Swedish Institute. One of the students was Grace Turyasingura.

She has a Bachelor’s degree in biomedical laboratory technology from Makerere University in Uganda. She is currently in her final year of the Master’s programme Innate Immunity in Health and Disease at Örebro University.

“I love doing research. That’s what I would like to do in the future. If it’s possible, I would like to do my PhD here in Sweden,” says Grace.

The grounds given for her nomination is that Grace is a dedicated person with a passion for life science. She has distinguished herself on all courses.

“I have learnt a whole new way of thinking here in Sweden. In Uganda, it is common for teachers to spell out the facts to you and you get to learn the correct answer. In Sweden, there is a more problem-based approach to learning,” says Grace.

She believes her critical thinking skills have grown and she is pleasantly surprised at how much she has learnt.

Parallel to her studies, she has been involved in the Örebro Exchange Student welcome programme, worked with various charity events in Örebro and Stockholm, and been an ambassador of the international Master’s programme on which she is a student.

“What we all have in common is that we have combined our academic studies with a social engagement and involvement both within and outside the university. We were encouraged to continue doing so and to be pioneers in our native countries to boost the exchange with Sweden. ”

“I would like to thank my professor who nominated me – it was a fantastic day.”

Text: Linda Harradine
Photo: Per E Karlsson
Translation: Charlotta Hambre-Knight

Global Swede is an initiative to help build relationships in the long term with international students in Sweden. The initiative builds bridges of transnational and multicultural networks which in the long term will contribute to Swedish trade and promote future solutions to the challenges ahead.

The Global Swede alumni are part of a wider alumni network, administered by the Swedish Institute, of currently 15,000 people from 140 countries. 2018, the Global Swede award was presented for the eighth year running.

Swedish Minister for EU Affairs and Trade Ann Linde, the Director-General of the Swedish Institute Annika Rembe, and Head of Department for Promotion of Sweden, Trade and CSR at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Camilla Mellander, attended the ceremony.

Grace Turyasingura, master's graduate and research student.

Building a research bridge between Sweden and Uganda

In 2016, Grace came to Sweden to study the medical master’s programme at Örebro University, specialising in innate immunity in health and disease. After she completed her studies, she remained at the University as a research assistant.

During her studies, she distinguished herself as a dedicated student with good academic success and with her passion for life science. And it was on those grounds that she was nominated by the school for the Global Swede Award, which she received in May this year – along with some 20 other international students – at a ceremony organised by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the Swedish Institute.

“This award could give me some great opportunities. In the future, I envision my role as being a research bridge between Uganda and Sweden.”

As such, she wants to implement cooperation between the two countries on various projects for mutual benefit. Since there are more diseases present in Uganda than in Sweden, there is a broader base from which to collect samples. Sweden, on the other hand, has the technology and research expertise to analyse these collected sample materials. It is through such cooperative research results that she wants to contribute to designing better treatment methods to ultimately improve health conditions in Uganda.

Master’s degree as a stepping stone

After completing her Bachelor’s degree in biomedical laboratory technology in Uganda, it was a natural step for her to continue towards a Master’s degree. Her goal was to study abroad – and at Örebro University she found the right programme.

“I had already decided my programme before I chose the university. Since I knew I wanted to study the innate immune system and Örebro University had a programme with the courses I wanted to study, so the choice wasn’t difficult.”

Once she found the right programme, she began searching for available scholarships and saw the Swedish Institute’s scholarship programme.

“The Master’s here was a stepping stone and I’ve really seen how many opportunities it has opened for me as well.”

Differences in culture

Grace Turyasingura explains that there are major differences in culture between Uganda and Sweden. Uganda has a formal academic hierarchy; students address professors and PhDs by title and surname. Here in Sweden, she could be less formal with her teachers, which gave rise to good cooperation. Teachers both observed her knowledge as a student and considered her wellbeing as a human.

“In Uganda, students are expected to be able to cooperate with teachers. In Sweden, the view is that students should be comfortable in their working relationship with their supervisors.”

Grace Turyasingura feels that a significant advantage with the programme in Örebro is its use of problem-based learning (PBL). Applying the PBL teaching method, students are presented with a question or assignment to reflect on and search for solutions.

“It’s an excellent way of combining learning and critical thinking. When I have an assignment, it’s good that I can also listen to my fellow students’ take on the same problem. It helps me to see a solution from another point of view and allows me to think outside the box.”

Text and photo: Anna Asplund
Translation: Jerry Gray

Time flies and we have graduated another successful class. As usual, the summer sun was smiling upon us at the farewell ceremony for our International Masters. It has been a wonderful two years with this spirited and engaged class and we are once again reminded what a privilege it is to welcome students from all over the world each year and guide them through the programme, leading up to the emotional examination day when it has all come together.

Katarina Persson, Anna Lindblad och Isak Demirel

A big congratulations to Anna from the programme management!

Currently many former students from the programme are conducting their PhD studies all over the world and we are looking forward to taking part of their work. We are very proud of you Anna and it is always something special with the first. A big congratulations to Anna from the programme management!

Another successful class graduation

The graduation dinner downtown was a splendid occation to say farewell, thank you and good luck to our students.

The Master's Programme in Experimental Medicine.

International student graduation: “Studying in Örebro has been fantastic!”

Fifty students graduated from the international master’s programme at Örebro University and were honoured during a ceremony last Friday. The celebration included classical Swedish summer music performed by students from the School of Music, speeches, handing out rose bouquets, congratulatory certificates, and a farewell bag with memorabilia from the university. In addition to Sweden, the master’s students come from Austria, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Malawi, Pakistan, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Tunisia, and Ukraine. Many also had family members attending the celebration.

Warm reception in Örebro

Myrto Stavroula Chatzopoulou from Greece belongs to the first group to graduate from the newly restarted Master’s Programme in Experimental Medicine. She says it was a special time to start her studies in the middle of the pandemic but that she received a warm reception in Örebro.

“The International Office had arranged a friendly introductory programme. There’s a network of international master’s students from the year before who were our student buddies and helped us adjust to the university and Swedish life. So, I made some good friends right from the start,” she explains.

Myrto Stavroula Chatzopoulou describes Örebro as the perfect student city, just big enough to bike everywhere and with beautiful parks, forests, and sights just around the corner.

“One of my favourite spots is Wadköping, an open-air museum where you can stroll around small, red, typical Swedish houses next to the river and feel like you’re back in the 1700s.”

“Studying in Örebro is one of my best decisions ever”
She is delighted with her studies in Örebro.

“Studying the Master’s Programme in Experimental Medicine is one of my best decisions ever. It’s a training programme for researchers and designed by researchers. It’s very much centred on problem-based learning (PBL) sessions that expand your knowledge and critical thinking. I’ve also had the chance to gather experience in the lab while working on the thesis – and improving both my technical and writing skills,” says Myrto Stavroula Chatzopoulou.

She is currently waiting for a decision on whether she will be admitted to the doctoral programme at Örebro University.

“It had been a wonderful experience studying here in Örebro, so of course, I’m considering the opportunity to stay here,” she says.

“Met some amazing people from all over the world”
Fabian Schneider from Germany has graduated from the Master’s Programme in Strategic Communication. He tells us about his mixed feelings. On the one hand, he is happy to have reached his goal while at the same time feeling melancholic that an intense and very special period of life has come to its end.

“I’ve met some amazing people from all over the world and appreciate how we supported one other the entire time. Some have become very close friends, and although it’s natural, it’s still difficult that we’re splitting up, not knowing when we’ll see each other again. So I’d like to thank all my teachers and classmates from the international programmes for this special time. It’s great that we’re all here together to celebrate this day. When we look back in a few years, I’m pretty sure we’ll always remember our time here in Örebro.,” he says.

Staying at Örebro University

Fabian Schneider knows he will remain in Örebro even after his education. He has got a job as an international student assistant at Örebro University and, in that role, will take care of new international students coming here to study.

“I’m so happy to have been given this chance. I’m really looking forward to using my experience to support others – not the least because my own time as a student here has meant so much to me,” he says.

Work in Stockholm

Maëva Letessier from France has also studied the Master’s Programme in Strategic Communication. She is proud to have graduated, especially since the coronavirus pandemic meant that teaching was partly remote.

“My time in Örebro has been filled with joy. I had fantastic fun with wonderful friends. Even if it was a challenge during the pandemic with remote learning, I’ll always remember Örebro and the wonderful nature around us, like Ånnaboda.”

Maëva Letessier currently works as a marketing coordinator of influencers for the French market. The Stockholm-based company sells posters and frames.

“I’ll always remember the amazing friends I have made here. We’ve developed strong ties, and I know we’ll meet every time they’re in Stockholm or when I come to Örebro,” she says.

Received scholarship

Swedish Johan Lundberg graduated from the Master’s Programme in Information Systems – Information Security Management back in 2020 and took the opportunity to celebrate when a physical graduation ceremony could finally be arranged.

“It feels great. Both the feeling of getting my master’s degree and receiving a commendable scholarship from Örebro Enskilda Handelsförenings Stiftelse for my master’s thesis. I could never have imagined this when I started my Komvux studies many years ago. I’m super happy!” he says.

Today, Johan Lundberg works with IT security architecture and information security in Stockholm, helping companies and authorities with high IT security requirements.

Appreciates the international perspective

“My studies helped me understand cybersecurity from a greater perspective where confidentiality, integrity and availability must interact to ensure good information security. The best thing about the master’s studies at Örebro University is the broad perspective of the programme and the opportunity to exchange knowledge with classmates from different parts of the world. Personally, this gave me the right conditions to discover internationally sustainable solutions to the tasks we worked on together. The teachers and guest lecturers were very enthusiastic. Still, the most valuable thing I’ll carry with me from Örebro University is how fun it is to study. And I never thought I’d say that” he says, laughing.

Text: Anna Lorentzon
Translation: Jerry Gray
Photo: Katrin Wieder

X-HiDE – a research bridge between students and companies

International interactive programme with inflammation in focus

This two-year international Master's Programme in Experimental Medicine has inflammation as a mutual focus, offering students both broad and specialised knowledge in experimental medicine. The programme is a mix of lectures and problem-based learning combined with an interactive dialogue between teachers and students. Since it is an international programme, participating students come from various parts of the world.

“The professors encourage us to ask questions, engage in discussions and share our thoughts. Also, I like that my classmates have unique yet diverse experiences in science-related fields,” says Linda Alchami, a student from the United States, who currently is enrolled in the programme.

The programme’s teachers are active researchers who take their current research into the classroom. Several are involved in the newly started X-HiDE project, a centre for inflammation research that received SEK 48 million in funding from the Knowledge Foundation.

X-HiDE – an inflammation project with a hands-on perspective

The primary aim of X-HiDE is to establish an internationally competitive Centre of Excellence where researchers, physicians, students, and companies collaborate on exploring inflammation. Therefore, X-HiDE has a robust teaching perspective and offers essential knowledge, perspectives, and career opportunities for students at all levels, beginning in autumn 2020.

“X-HiDE is like a recruitment base for both universities and companies. We want to recruit talented master's students who have the ambition to pursue an academic research career and companies want to recruit students with state-of-the-art knowledge” explains Alexander Persson, coordinator in X-HiDE and Director of the Master's Programme in Experimental Medicine.

Linda Alchami has a bachelor’s degree in cellular biology and a master's degree in occupational therapy and is currently in her first semester of the Programme of Experimental Medicine.

“I chose to study the master's programme because I wanted to improve my research skills, study science in a deeper level to improve my future career opportunities, and due to the fact, it was all taught in English. Also, I wanted to make new experiences in Sweden and Örebro University is a young, growing university, even at an international level”, explains Linda Alchami.

Companies teach students

It is a commonplace that students become isolated from the business world during their studies. To counteract this, X-HiDE provides students with the opportunity to meet potential future employers. Several of X-HiDE’s collaboration partners have an outstanding teaching experience and will contribute to training on up-to-date methodology and research approaches as well as offering a placement for exam work. “We know that many companies want to involve students in research projects and several of them will give lectures at the university and arrange study visits at their pharmaceutical or biotechnical industries,” says Katarina Persson, Project Education Manager.

Text: Elvira Andersson
Photo: Örebro University

Link to original article