Admissions
Program Inquiries
Interested in a particular program? Visit the program website to learn more:
Application Inquiries
Inquiries related to the online application can be directed to SGPS at:
Email: gradapps@uwo.ca
Phone: 519-850-2341
Fax: 519-661-3730
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization in all aspects of graduate and postdoctoral studies. For more information regarding these commitments please visit grad.uwo.ca/edi-d.
Biochemistry
Master of Science (MSc)Meet Nadya Morrow, MSc student in Biochemistry

Supervisor: Murray Huff
Why did you come to Western for your graduate degree?
I came to Western University to complete my graduate studies because of the great opportunities available to Western students in health science research.
Describe your research.
I investigate how citrus flavonoids, when supplemented to a high-fat diet, favorably alter intestinal lipid metabolism in mice that are prone to atherosclerosis.
Do you engage in volunteer activities?
I help coach a travel basketball team in London.
What’s the best advice you could give to someone considering applying to your graduate program?
I would strongly suggest that you interview with as many investigators, and their lab members, as you can.
Program Websites
Program Contact
Megan Luckovitch (mluckovi@uwo.ca)Graduate Program Administrator
Department of Biochemistry
Western UniversityMedical Sciences Rm 342
London, Ontario N6A 5C1
t. 519-661-2111 ext. 86850
Biochemistry is used to study living systems at the molecular level. The research of our MSc students spans a variety of interconnected fields that aim to understand and treat human disease and improve human health and well-being.
Several groups are studying human genetics, genome dynamics and epigenetics, and the regulation of gene expression, including the regulatory roles of RNA. Others are focused on protein structure and function, proteomics, and cellular signalling. Computational approaches and bioinformatics are becoming increasingly integrated into biochemical research. And new technologies are enabling efforts to engineer biological systems for research and biotechnology, ushering in the exciting new era of synthetic biology that includes the editing and synthesis of genomes, genetic code expansion, and the creation of new biosynthetic pathways and even new organisms.
Program Length
- 3 Terms (Project-based)*
- 6 Terms (Thesis-based)
*Please note: the three-term project-based program is currently not accepting applications.
Program Design
- Full-time study
- Project-based or thesis-based
Funding Information
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the following scholarships (if eligible):
Admission Requirements
- BSc in biochemistry, biology, genetics, chemistry, cell biology, microbiology, physiology or closely related disciplines.
- Minimum 78% GPA in the undergraduate degree.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language:
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Minimum acceptable score is 600 for the paper and pencil version, 250 for the computer version, or 90 for the internet version with no individual score below 22. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). Minimum acceptable score is 6 out of 9.
- The Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). Minimum acceptable score is 80 on each section and an overall score of 85.
- The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). Minimum acceptable score is 60.
Application Deadline
- February 1 - Fall or Summer Term
- June 1 - Fall Term
- October 15 - Winter Term
Acceptance notifications begin as soon as your application is completed and reviewed.
Fields of Research
- Bioinformatics
- Genome Dynamics, Epigenetics, and Gene Expression
- Human Genetics and Clinical Biochemistry
- Macromolecular Structure and Dynamics
- Proteomics
- Signal Transduction and Intercellular Communication