Is this programme right for you?

How did you choose your programme?
– I have always been interested in chemistry and more specifically biochemistry. When I started, I knew that there was a program in biophysics and when I finished my bachelor's degree, I hesitated between it and the biochemistry master's program. I chose the biophysics master because I wrote my Bachelor's thesis with a supervisor who is part of the biophysics research and I have not regretted it!

What is the best thing about studying at Uppsala University?
– That everyone really wants you to succeed. Almost everything can be solved if you let them know in time, and you can really see that the lecturers and lab teachers care.

What is most challenging?
– The eternal question: how do I know if I'm studying enough? I have found this to be one of the hardest things about studying in general, constantly feeling stressed because you can always do more. I try to deal with it by giving myself clear working days, I start studying around 8–9 in the morning and go home at 17–18, I try to make sure I meet other people and study together and I use my calendar all the time.

Describe the student life!
– It's incredibly diverse! Whether you want to sit and read in a library on a Saturday night or go out dancing on a Tuesday, it's possible. Nations organise lots of sittings (dinners) and gasques where you get to dress up and eat good food and meet new people, but they also have cafes and pubs where you can just show up and have a coffee or a cheap meal. The science student union also organises a lot of events, such as the rafting on the last day of April and a rebus rally.

Name three things you are doing this week!
– I'm going to study for exams, meet some friends for dinner and go for a long run this weekend, the weather has been absolutely fantastic the last few days so I thought I'd enjoy it to the fullest!

What is your reason for studying, or your ultimate goal?
– I think I want to continue with a PhD, or find a job in pharmaceutical development or protein design.

What advice and tips would you give to someone thinking about applying for this program?
– Interdisciplinarity is tough, and as a chemist, I read a lot of physics in the first semester. But don't be afraid of that! We are a small program where almost everyone knows everyone, and there is always someone nearby who is happy to help you so they don't have to think about their own studies for a while. We also have relatively regular pub nights where we can meet and socialise with those who are in a different year than you.

Three quick questions:
What is your favourite place in Uppsala?
– Hågadalen.

What is the best student tradition at Uppsala University?
– Last of April, with rafting, picnic in the park and the ceremonial donning of the student cap at Carolina Rediviva at 15 o'clock.

Where is the best place to study?
– I can't reveal that! But the quiet places in building 9 at Campus Ångström are very good if you need to work very focused. Otherwise, I like to sit in the large room in building 18, there is almost always room there.

Fall 2023

What do you work with?
– I am a researcher and lecturer at the Department of Physics and Astronomy. My interest is in the field of X-ray photon science and molecular biophysics, where I study the ultrafast interactions between intense X-ray lasers and biological matter.

Why is this programme starting?
– The master programme was initiated by a collaboration between the teachers and researchers in physics, biology and chemistry, who have realised the benefits of collaboration between disciplines. The current technological progress and the advances in research now require interdisciplinary thinking, which we aim to achieve in this programme.

– When we teach our students and present our current research, they are excited about the opportunity to cross over into another field of their interest and use their knowledge. For example physics students will study and analyse complex biological phenomena and biology students will study fundamental physical processes behind the biological phenomena.

What will be taught in the programme?
– A simplistic answer would be: physics, biology, biochemistry, computer science and all in between. We build on our expertise in investigating macromolecular structure and function, and the goal is to teach physical methods and build models to explore and solve complex problems in biomolecular systems. Apart from introductory courses, there are courses on biophotonics, molecular dynamics, and experimental methods in biophysics, such as microscopy, spectroscopy, tomography, X-ray based methods. There are opportunities to go deeper into the physics of complex systems, the science of X-ray lasers, or how to handle Big Data in life sciences. Our goal is to develop the skills of working and communicating in an interdisciplinary environment, as well as in an international setting.

What do you think of the labour market for the graduates of the programme?
– A Master’s degree in biophysics is a great starting point for a PhD degree, and we foresee many opportunities to continue as a post-graduate student in Sweden and internationally. Uppsala has a strong research community in biophysics, and the teachers in the programme are also outstanding researchers with a wide research network. Outside the university environment, there are good opportunities to continue with R&D in biotech companies. Both in our courses and in the programme development, we collaborate with representatives from local biotech companies to find out how we can best prepare the students for the future labour market.

Do you have any advice for those who are thinking about applying to the programme?
– Yes. Dare to cross the border between the classical disciplines and pursue your interest in science. If you dream to solve complex problems that require diverse knowledge, you can do that. You can learn new things in a connected field and you can apply your own knowledge to solve them.

Fall 2021