Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences
About This Programme
MBRU's Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences is a four-year, full-time doctorate at the College of Medicine, part of MBRU's aim to train scientists and support research in the medical and biomedical sciences in the UAE. It focuses on broad themes that draw on MBRU's areas of strength and gives students a foundation in the frontiers of biomedical sciences through coursework and intense laboratory research training. MBRU says it matches each student's interest with an appropriate faculty member from day one, and that research takes place in newly equipped laboratories focused on areas including the genetics of developmental diseases, cancer biology, diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory and infectious diseases, pharmacology, male reproduction, lncRNA, stem cell biology and tissue engineering. Coursework in the first two years covers advanced research methods and ethics, biostatistics, journal club presentations and three electives, and students advance to candidacy through a written research proposal, its oral defence and a comprehensive examination. Thesis research runs from the first semester and fills Years 3 and 4. The programme ends with the dissertation and its public defence in the presence of an external examiner, and before the defence students should have obtained high-quality data publishable in a Q1 or Q2 journal, as determined by their Thesis Advisory Committee.
Course Highlights
- Four-year, full-time PhD: 24 credit hours of coursework and 52 credit hours of dissertation research
- Three electives chosen from eight, including molecular genomics, cancer biology, systems biology and stem cell biology and tissue engineering
- Advancement to candidacy through a research proposal, its oral defence and a comprehensive examination
- MBRU offers a 100% scholarship to a limited number of PhD students
- Students should have data publishable in a Q1 or Q2 journal before the dissertation defence
What You'll Study
The PhD normally takes four years, and under normal circumstances must be completed within six. It comprises 24 credit hours of coursework beyond the master's degree, 18 in required courses and 6 in electives, and 52 credit hours of dissertation research, with at least four laboratory contact hours for each research credit hour. Students must pass the didactic courses with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. They are entitled to six weeks of holiday a year and are expected to work on their dissertation research at other times.
Year 1, Semester 1
Thesis Research carries a continuing grade each semester until the final one.
- PHD701 Advanced Research Methods and Ethics4 credits
- One elective (from the list below)2 credits
- PHD711 Journal Club and Research Presentation Course I2 credits
- PHD739 Thesis Research
Year 1, Semester 2
- PHD702 Biostatistics2 credits
- Two electives (from the list below)4 credits
- PHD712 Journal Club and Research Presentation Course II2 credits
- PHD739 Thesis Research
Year 2, Semester 1
- PHD713 Journal Club and Research Presentation Course III2 credits
- PHD739 Thesis Research
Year 2, Semester 2
Advancement to Candidacy includes the comprehensive examination and the preparation and defence of the written thesis research proposal.
- PHD703 Advancement to Candidacy4 credits
- PHD714 Journal Club and Research Presentation Course IV2 credits
- PHD739 Thesis Research
Years 3 and 4
Thesis research continues in all four semesters; its 52 credit hours are listed in Year 4, Semester 2, with the dissertation writing and defence.
- PHD739 Thesis Research, with dissertation writing and defence52 credits
Electives
Choose three 2-credit electives approved by your PhD Advisory Committee, one of them appropriate to your research topic
- PHD721 Molecular Genomics2 credits
- PHD722 Concepts in Pharmacology and Drug Discovery2 credits
- PHD723 Cancer Biology2 credits
- PHD724 Systems Biology2 credits
- PHD725 Advanced Microbiology and Immunology2 credits
- PHD726 Protein Biochemistry2 credits
- PHD727 Cell Biology2 credits
- PHD728 Stem Cell Biology and Tissue Engineering2 credits
What You'll Learn
Knowledge
- Conceptualise, design, implement and adapt substantial research processes in fields such as cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology, physiology and genomics, using living organisms, cultured human or animal cells, small animals or human specimens
- Analyse and critique the state of learning in a specialised area of biomedical sciences and contribute to its advancement
- Lead contributions to professional knowledge and practice, including in unfamiliar and unpredictable learning contexts in biomedical sciences
Skills
- Use highly developed cognitive and creative expert skills to solve problems in biomedical sciences
- Use highly developed practical skills to solve problems in biomedical sciences
- Devise and implement a research plan to test a novel hypothesis
Competence
- Respond with substantial authority and autonomy to the development of new ideas, processes or systems in challenging and novel work or learning contexts
- Self-evaluate and develop intellectual independence
- Demonstrate leadership in developing new and creative approaches to biomedical sciences, and manage highly complex ethical issues sensitively, leading to informed, fair and valid judgements
Entry Requirements
Applicants sit an entrance exam, onsite for candidates in the UAE and online for those outside it, in two parts: Part A tests master's-level knowledge of core biomedical disciplines, and Part B tests aptitude, critical thinking and scientific reasoning through scenario-based questions. Shortlisted applicants are invited to a personal interview. Applicants submit a CV, undergraduate and postgraduate transcripts and degree certificates, and two recommendation letters from their postgraduate institution.
Careers
MBRU benchmarks the PhD against international university guidelines for appointing academic staff at the starting level of Assistant Professor, research institutions' guidelines for appointing independent researchers at the starting level of Assistant Research Professor, and guidelines for appointing a leading specialist or expert in a specific field.
Accreditation & Professional Recognition
Accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research through the Commission for Academic Accreditation, whose register lists the degree as Active; MBRU's catalog dates the accreditation to April 2021, with the first cohort admitted in August 2021. MBRU sets the programme at Level 8 of the UAE qualifications framework (QFEmirates).
Programme Details
Award
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Biomedical Sciences
Start Date
August (2026-27 classes started on 24 August 2026)
Typical Offer
MSc in biomedical sciences with a cGPA of 3.00, or a bachelor's degree with a cGPA of 3.7
Duration
4 years, full time
Qualification
PhD
Subject Area
Health Sciences
Campus
Dubai Healthcare City
Study Pattern
Full-time
Delivery Format
On campus
Tuition Fee
AED 69,000/yr
MBRU's page shows the 2026-27 timeline, when applications closed on 13 April 2026. The page headlines the programme's tuition as a full scholarship, and MBRU's catalog says it offers a 100% scholarship to a limited number of PhD students. The published fee is AED 69,000 a year for the first three years and AED 55,200 in the final year, payable at the beginning of the academic year; the application fee is AED 1,000 plus AED 50 VAT, and the non-refundable AED 10,000 seat reservation fee is deducted from the first-semester instalment for students who enrol.