Cellular Manufacturing & Therapy

Why choose this programme?

“Cell and gene therapy comprise an extraordinary range of technologies that are already having an impact on patients and society and, in many ways, represent the future of medicine. However, these products present many challenges in terms of advanced manufacturing strategies, aseptic processing, automation and product characterisation. This MSc course provides the skills needed to address these challenges"—Professor Frank Barry, Scientific Director of the Regenerative Medicine Institute

Cell and gene therapy was identified as the most exciting therapeutic innovation by 79% of the 151 international biopharmaceutical manufacturers surveyed by the NIBRT, the Irish National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (Trends in Manufacturing Report). The same organizations have difficulty filling available positions, specifically citing the need to hire bioprocess engineers and automation engineers.

The primary objectives of the MSc in Cellular Manufacturing & Therapy at the University of Galway is to A) provide formal training in cellular bioprocessing for clinical application and B) cultivating a rigorous scientific underpinning for the development of a cellular therapy. The course curriculum balances the scientific aspects of cellular therapy (in 3 modules), bioprocessing and manufacturing regulation (in 2 modules) and offers optional modules in cancer biology, business, clinical trials and bio-ethics. A student’s practical skills are developed beyond the classroom laboratory activities with supplemental activities such as workshops in sterile gowning and a 4-month work or laboratory placement, thereby gaining research or enterprise-centric skills. When launching, this MSc programme was the first of its kind worldwide.

Unique position

The MSc in Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy is the one and only course in Ireland offering the following opportunities in support of a career in cellular therapy:

Instruction in the clinical-grade manufacturing of therapeutic cells for clinical application.
Modules in the biology underpinning the therapeutic application of mesenchymal stromal cells, immunotherapy and induced pluripotent stem cells, three types of cellular therapy currently in translation for clinical application.
Instruction by a multidisciplinary team of experts, the first to translate cellular therapies from the bench to clinical application in Ireland.
Four-month work placements where student are embedded in a host environment corresponding to their carer of choice.
New skills

Through the course activities, students will have the opportunity to develop both technical and transferrable skills. Technical skills will be acquired through practical activities and module assessments, including aseptic technique in mammalian cell culture; cryopreserving and thawing cryopreserved cells; plating and expanding adherent and mammalian cells; quantifying cell number, viability, density; pipetting large and small volumes; sterile gowning; data collection, presentation and analysis and technical writing. Transferable skills will be developed through course workshops and group activities, including the ability to meet deadlines; adaptability and flexibility, analysis and decision making, critical thinking and evaluation of the literature, research/scientific integrity, team leadership, networking, organization, public speaking, time management and written communication.

What makes this course unique ...
Modules in the biology underpinning the therapeutic application of mesenchymal stromal cells, immunotherapy and induced pluripotent stem cells, three types of cellular therapy currently in translation for clinical application.
Instruction by a multidisciplinary team of experts, the first to translate cellular therapies from the bench to clinical application in Ireland.
Four-month placement where student are embedded in a host environment corresponding to their carer of choice.

Programme curriculum:

The Cellular Manufacturing & Therapy suite of programmes are available in a 1-year full time format that suit individuals completing their BSc or transitioning between careers. Courses are also available in a two-year part time format or in “microcredits” making it available to employed individuals hoping to upskill while continuing employment. The modules are available in a variety of formats giving accessibility to a wide range of students with different learning styles, including a lecture-based format, a flipped classroom format, in blended learning and fully online.

The Cellular Manufacturing & Therapy suite of courses are on offer as an MSc programme (90 ECTS), as a post-graduate diploma programme (60 ECTS) or as a post-graduate certificate programme (30 ECTS). Both the MSc and post-graduate diploma are available in a one-year full time capacity or 2-year part time capacity. To see the proposed core and optional modules available in each programme starting in the next academic year, please

Year 1 (90 Credits)
Required MD1521: Cellular Manufacturing I
Required MD1522: Cellular Immunotherapy
Required MD1523: Cellular Manufacturing and Therapy Dissertation
Required MD1524: Cellular Manufacturing II
Required MD1526: Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Therapy
Required MD1529: Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapy
Optional MD1527: Independent Study
Optional RPL030: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL040: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL020: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional RPL010: Recognised Prior Learning
Optional MD1528: First in Human, Early Phase Clinical Trials
Optional MD1541: Harnessing the Basic Biology of Cancer for Development of Novel Therapeutics
Optional MD1600: Bio-Ethics
Optional MD550: Informatics I : Retrieval & Appraisal of Scientific Literature
Optional MG529: Introduction To Business

Students must have completed one of the following with a minimum of 2nd class honours (or equivalant):

1) An undergraduate degree in medicine, pharmacy, manufacturing, biology, engineering.
2) An equivalent biomedical science-related undergraduate degree.

Applicants from non-biomedical science related backgrounds will be considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the coordinators.

Students who have a degree without Honours in a related area and have 3+ years of practical experience in the subject area will also be considered for this programme.

For applicants where English is a second language, we will adhere to University of Galway guidelines of requiring IELTS scores of 6.5, TOEFL scores of 88, and/or Pearson PTE scores of 61 with no less than 6.5 in any component.

Initially a shortlisting procedure will be applied to prioritise applicants. Those who do not meet the primary entry criteria as described above will be declined entry into the programme. The remaining applicants will be reviewed in closer detail. Significant weight will be placed on:

A) the applicant’s essay describing their motivation for applying for this course and their career aspirations following the successful completion of the MSc,
B) the applicant’s previous academic performance.

An interview may be conducted.

1 year, full-time; 2 years, part-time.

Next start date September 2024

Potential employers are seeking graduates of this course to fill gaps in their current staffing. To that end, students enrolled in the MSc programme will complete a 4-month long dissertation project that will enable them to develop technical and transferrable skills while networking within a successful organization. Historically, our students were placed in organizations such as the Centre for Cellular Manufacturing Ireland, Galway Blood and Tissue Establishment, Charles River, Stempeutics, Avectas, Cancer Trials Ireland, Regeneron, Intas Pharmaceuticals, Aerogen, Hebei Medical University, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Hi-Tech Health and Valitacell.

Our graduates have successfully secured employment as plant technologists, production assistants, manufacturing biotech associates, cell culture scientists, cell culture technical support, in quality assurance and assay development or as research assistants. They are employed by world leading organizations such as Takeda, Autolus, University of Galway, Fuji Diosynth Biotechnologies, Avectas, Abace-Biology and Charles River laboratories.