Skip to main content
Oxford University

Department of Biochemistry

The Department of Biochemistry comprises over 45 research groups and around 400 researchers and support staff, including approximately 100 graduate students.

The Biochemistry building

The Biochemistry building. Credit: Oxford University Images

Overview

The Department of Biochemistry is a vibrant research and teaching department and benefits from state-of-the-art research facilities in its stunning purpose-built building. These include advanced fluorescence microscopy, advanced proteomics, NMR spectroscopy, molecular biophysics, cryo-electron microscopy, and crystallography.

Research in the department is very broad and encompasses all aspects of modern molecular and cellular biochemistry, from atomic resolution biophysics to cell biology and imaging. The quality of research is outstanding, as demonstrated by an impressive publications output and the international standing of many of the department's researchers.

A (post)graduate introduction to biochemistry at Oxford, featuring DPhil student Jonathan Brooks-Bartlett. A vibrant research and teaching department, it benefits from state-of-the-art research facilities in its stunning purpose-built building. Its outstanding research encompasses all aspects of modern molecular and cellular biochemistry.

Courses offered

The courses shown below are offered at postgraduate-level.

CourseMode of studyExpected length
Biochemistry DPhil
Biochemistry		Full time3-4 years
Biochemistry MSc by Research
Biochemistry		Full time1-3 years
Biochemistry (Skaggs-Oxford Programme) DPhil
Biochemistry		Full time5 years
Medicine DM
Biochemistry, Clinical Medicine, Clinical Neurosciences, Experimental Psychology, Medicine (Radcliffe Department of Medicine), Oncology, Paediatrics, Pathology, Pharmacology, Physiology, Anatomy and Genetics, Population Health, Primary Care Health Sciences, Psychiatry, Surgical Sciences, Women's and Reproductive Health		Part time2-8 years

Full time — Closed
Graduate

DPhil in Biochemistry

The DPhil in Biochemistry is a research-based course focused on lab projects in areas such as molecular and cellular biology, molecular biophysics, and structural biology, with no taught components and direct entry into research groups.

Expected length: Full time: 3-4 years
Expected start date: 1 October 2026 
English language level: Standard level required

Full time — Open
Graduate

MSc by Research in Biochemistry

The MSc by Research in Biochemistry is a research course focused on lab-based projects in areas molecular and cellular biology, molecular biophysics, and structural biology, with no formal taught components.

Expected length: Full time: 1-3 years
Expected start date: 1 October 2026 
English language level: Standard level required

Graduate

DPhil in Biochemistry (Skaggs-Oxford Programme)

The Skaggs-Oxford Programme is a five-year research course at Scripps Research based in either La Jolla, California or Jupiter, Florida, and the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford, leading to the award of a joint PhD/DPhil degree.

Expected length: Full time: 5 years
Expected start date: 1 October 2026 
English language level: Standard level required

Medical Sciences Division

The Medical Sciences Division houses some of the strongest biomedical research in the world; Oxford is repeatedly placed first in clinical, pre-clinical and health in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.

The Medical Sciences Division at Oxford is an internationally recognised centre of excellence for biomedical and clinical research and teaching, made up of 16 departments.

The Medical Sciences Division's departments and institutes in Oxford and overseas are home to some of the strongest biomedical research in the world, regularly appearing at the highest levels in world rankings and rated world-leading and internationally excellent.

The division’s 2,000 researchers cover a wide range of research, from atomic-resolution molecular structural biology to epidemiology as applied to very large populations. This enables students to work on virtually any biomedical problem.

The division provides a stimulating and challenging environment for more than 2,000 talented graduate students with excellent new facilities and close personal supervision by world-class researchers. To complement research supervision and course teaching there is a wide range of facilities aimed at the personal and professional development of students, strengthening their existing skills and developing new skills.

All candidates who apply by the December or January deadline shown on the course page are automatically considered for full funding awards, irrespective of their nationality. The majority of students accepted by the Medical Sciences Division secure full funding, covering both fees and living expenses.

Further information