One minute biotechnologists are decoding the human genome, the next they are creating indestructible food crops. Forget the particle physicists searching for the origins of the universe. If you want to be at the frontiers of science, if you want to explore the mysteries of life, combat disease, eradicate famine and clean up the planet, the biotech industry is the place to be. And an MSc in biotechnology is one route into this scientific revolution.

So what is biotechnology? The UK BioIndustry Association offers a definition: “Bioscience is the development of products or services that are derived from the study of living systems, or the use of living systems in research, development and/or manufacturing activities.”

There is something in biotech to interest most scientists because it encompasses biology, chemistry, biochemistry, physics, plus a few other sciences for good measure. And a biotechnology MSc comes in a variety of flavours, from straight biotechnology through to more focused programmes such as crop or environmental biotechnology.

The University of Salford recently introduced an MSc in biotechnology. Modules include drug discovery, design and development, the identification of important natural products, as well as structural bioinformatics, proteomics and microarrays.

Technical as they sound, the modules cover subjects with the potential to make a big impact. “Take something like proteomics – studying and discovering proteins,” says John Hadfield, a lecturer in molecular bioscience and programme director of the biotechnology MSc at Salford.

Determining what a new protein does is crucial. “Does it cause a disease, and, if so, are there drugs we can use to try and stop it working? Or does it prevent a disease, in which case how can we make drugs that promote this protein in people who do not produce sufficient amounts naturally?”

On a strong programme, students should learn a range of the most advanced techniques. At Oxford Brookes, Sanjoy Dhananjay has recently completed the university’s one-year full-time biotechnology MSc. “There is a good blend of theoretical and practical knowledge,” he says. “The course helped me to learn new techniques that are used industrially, and provided theoretical knowledge about those techniques and their uses in the industry.”

Because of the emphasis on commercial uses, many courses include a focus on entrepreneurship and business. Salford, Oxford Brookes and Nottingham all offer crop biotechnology and entrepreneurship courses.

In an industry dominated by small entrepreneurial companies, postgraduates need some commercial acumen. John Peberdy, emeritus professor of enterprise at Nottingham, who teaches on the crop biotechnology and entrepreneurship MSc course, says subjects covered include “innovative ideas, creative problem solving, the importance of intellectual property, how to identify and enter markets, competition, market niches and finance – all the core elements of producing a business plan”.