Systems biology in Part III

Part III Systems Biology is a fourth year undergraduate course open to students who have completed biological or physical NST Part II courses, or who transfer after taking Part II of the Mathematical or Computer Science triposes, or Part IIA of the Engineering Tripos.

Systems Biology is an integrated approach to the study of biology through experiment and the use of computer models with both predictive and explanatory power. It is interdisciplinary, requiring the participation of biological, physical, mathematical, engineering and computational sciences.

The Part III Systems Biology Course takes c. 24 students per year. The students who take this course will typically have completed Part II courses in a variety subjects within the Natural Sciences Tripos, or the Mathematical Tripos.

Registration and entry

Please note that places are limited, the course is typically over-subscribed and entry is competitive.

This web form is used to apply to Part III Systems Biology. It should be open for responses during Lent with a submission deadline of the final day of Lent term.

Offers, subject to obtaining at least a 2.i at Part II, will be made by the first day of Easter term.

Those not offered places will be held on a waiting list. Each year a number of offer holders take up PhD places or do not achieve the required 2.i at Part II. Final offers will be made as a gathered field taking Part II results into account. This will be done so that there is just enough time for students to take up their offers, or else to graduate.

Those from other Triposes are advised to read the module outlines below carefully and to contact the Systems Biology Course Administrator (see below) for access to past examination papers.

Course overview

Introductory module (INT): the first module of the course starts with an introduction that deals with the concepts, history, and future aspirations of systems biology. You will have lectures that deal with the nature of modern biological science in relation to the concepts, methods, and tools of Systems Biology. Practical classes in the Python and R languages that underpin the course are included together with some data handling and visualisation.

Data Acquisition and Handling (DAH): molecular systems biology attempts to gain a global view of cells through the identification and measurement of thousands of different molecular species such as nucleic acids, proteins and metabolites. This module will present techniques used to acquire data through transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics, as well as high-throughput genetics. Handling and analysis of the resulting large datasets presents challenges. Therefore, this module emphasises the practical aspects of dealing with these types of data. Large-scale approaches are generally applied to cell populations, and can lack spatial and temporal resolution. The module will also introduce complementary approaches that provide spatial information, including in vivo analysis of single cells using advanced microscopy.

Modelling and Analysis of networks (MAN): this module focuses on mathematical and statistical methods used to evaluate and analyse large-scale data sets and use them for the reconstruction of biological networks. Methods for the analysis of metabolic, gene- regulatory, and large-scale networks will be introduced.

Modelling in Biology (MIB): the final module aims to introduce students to modelling and computational simulation approaches. The design, simulation, and analysis of biological models using some of the main computational techniques are introduced. Finally, all the strands of the course are integrated in an assessed group mini-project in which students could, for instance, design a biological system and study its behaviour through modelling, or build an executable model of a particular biological process and analyse its behaviour.

Seminars: a seminar programme runs every two weeks in Michaelmas and Lent terms, with seminars delivered by experts in the field. The purpose of these is to broaden your experience of cutting edge research, and to see some of the material you have been taught in a real-world research setting. Seminar speakers are not asked to provide examination questions, but you are expected to attend the seminars and examiners may hope to find material from them in exam answers. The seminar speakers will be hoping for your questions and should be available to chat with informally afterwards.

Research Project: The project will run for 12 weeks across the year: the second half of Michaelmas term is available for full-time project work, while in Lent the project runs alongside taught material. The project may consist of any (agreed) combination of practical, theoretical or analytical work. Each project will have a research group leader as overall (senior) supervisor. They day-to-day supervisor may be the research group leader but is often a post-doctoral researcher or senior graduate student. The research project is assessed by means of a written dissertation and on performance during the project.

Assessment

     Four written papers:

  •    Paper 1 (two hours): integrative essays on biological and physical sciences subjects (10%)
  •    Paper 2 (three hours): questions on DAH module (15%)
  •    Paper 3 (three hours): practical exam on MAN module (15%)

  •    Paper 4 (three and a quarter hours): data interpretation and grant proposal (15%)

    Team-based design project for MIB module (15%)

    Research project (30%)

For the programme specification and admission requirements for Part III Systems Biology see:

Natural Sciences Tripos, Year Four - Part III

Natural Sciences Tripos Course Hub

Contact us

In case of questions please contact the Part III Systems Biology Administrator via sysbiol-admin@cam.ac.uk

Page updated 25/06/2026