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The European Master of Science course in Radiation Biology Klaus R Trott Gray Laboratory Cancer Research Trust, Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood, United Kingdom

The European Master of Science course in radiation biology is jointly organized and taught by leading radiobiologists from 5 universities in 5 different European countries. This development was initiated and supported by the European Commission. Since 2000, the course has been organized by the Gray Cancer Institute in association with University College London. The other partner Universities are the University of Leiden (The Netherlands), the Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium), the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität München (Germany) and the Universität Salzburg (Austria).

The overall aim of the European MSc course in radiation biology is to maintain and expand the expertise within Europe in the radiobiological basis of radiation protection and of radiation oncology and to produce experts with a sufficient breadth of knowledge in all areas of „classical" and molecular radiation biology. Since no single institution in Europe could run such a course alone, a cooperative action of several universities from different EU member states has been developed for this purpose.

Since its beginning in 1993, nearly 80 postgraduate students attended the European Master course. The maximum number each year is 10. Candidates are carefully selected to achieve a fair distribution of students among European countries and among different first degrees, i.e. medicine, physics and biology.

The whole course takes one-year full time. Formal teaching is 4 –6 h daily for 6 months. Teaching of the present course which started in October 2002 with 9 postgraduate students from 8 different Western and Eastern European countries (4 medical, 3 physical, 2 biological postgraduates) is subdivided among the 5 participating universities:

• It starts at the Gray Cancer Institute and University College London. 13 weeks of teaching cover cellular and molecular radiation biology and radiation physics, as well as comprehensive modules on the biological basis of radiation oncology and of radiation protection, on radiation genetics and on radiation effects in utero.
• Three weeks in the department of Radiation Genetics and Chemical Mutagenesis in Leiden concentrate on modern research techniques in molecular radiation genetics and cytogenetics. It gives students practical experience e.g. in pulse field electrophoresis for detection of double strand breaks, in the analysis of radiation-induced mutations using PCR-based sequencing techniques, and of radiation-induced chromosomal abnormalities employing FISH and premature chromosome condensation.
• During 2 weeks at the hospital Saint-Luc in Brussels, the radiobiological basis of radiotherapy, diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine is taught in a clinical environment.
• One week at the Institute of Physics and Biophysics in Salzburg is devoted to radon metrology and radon epidemiology.
• During 4 weeks at the Institute of Radiobiology of Munich University, 2 weeks are given to teaching radiation epidemiology, 1 week to radioecology and 1 week to molecular radiation carcinogenesis.

Written examinations are held at University College London end of April. Between May and August, students undertake a research project, which may be done in any of the partner institutions or in other laboratories in Europe. A dissertation on the research project is submitted in September. The research projects cover a wide range of topics from molecular biology to radioecology. The final oral examination takes place in mid September.

The lecturers who have been active in this course are convinced of its importance for the future of radiobiological teaching and research in Europe. In addition to providing a core of comprehensively educated radiobiologists for the different European countries, the programme also encourages close international cooperation between both teachers and students. The high quality of training, the MSc students received during their studies is well recognized and, in the past, has helped them to obtain good positions after successful completion of the course. The majority proceeded to do a PhD, more than 80% stayed within the general field of radiation studies.

For further information

Professor Klaus R Trott
Gray Laboratory Cancer Research Trust
Mount Vernon Hospital
Northwood HA6 2JR
United Kingdom

e-mail: trott@gci.ac.uk
see web: www.gci.ac.uk/home.html