This is a module common to all students enrolled in the Master's degree, which includes basic and essential aspects of biomedical research. Its contents delve into the ethical principles and rules that should govern the design of the projects, their implementation and the publication of the results.

It also provides essential knowledge of the handling and justification for the use of animal species in research, so that student becomes familiar with design and research procedures using in vivo experimental systems.

It also explains the safety standards and procedures in laboratories, explaining the risks involved in the work and the safe handling of hazardous agents, making users of the products and equipment on laboratory aware of the importance of personal protection, protection of others and protection of the environment.

At the same time, it familiarises students with the techniques and tools essential in biomedical research.

The content of the module is complemented by an introduction to the tools and skills needed to write and speak English in a scientific context. Reading and critical analysis of Materials is encouraged and practical sessions help students to become more proficient in spoken and written English skill .

Starting with the 2026/2027 academic year, the Master's Degree research will offer four specializations that allow students to develop a profile specific profile tailored to their interests:

• specialization program in Cancer

• specialization program Biomedical Biotechnology

• specialization program in Neuroscience and Cognition

• specialization program in Regenerative Medicine and Advanced Therapies

The content of this module structured to provide students with training , either within the specialization program itself or in other specializations. To this end, students have the option of selecting 12 ECTS credit courses that delve deeper into specific aspects of each of the specializations offered.

An essential aspect of biomedical research is a good statistical design and a rigorous analysis of the data, so students, depending on their previous training and the subject of project they are going to take, can choose subjects with different levels of statistics. Through various optional subjects, student students can study specific aspects of different types of pathologies such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, psychiatric disorders or infectious diseases, as well as the different types of animal models used to study human diseases.

The optional nature of this module allows student to acquire very specific technical skills in different fields of biomedical research. Since it is very difficult to establish limits between different areas of knowledge, the possibility is left open for the student to choose any subject of other specialities that may be a suitable complement to their training or for the completion of their Master's Thesis.

Starting in the 2026–27 academic year, the subject Fundamentals of Animal Experimentation I and II (6 ECTS)" will be offered as elective subject Master's Degree students. The use of laboratory animals is governed by a framework that ensures their protection, and researcher responsibility for the animals’ welfare. This subject the subject Animal Experimentation" subject , providing students with the basic knowledge and skills needed to design develop research procedures research utilize in vivo experimental systems.

Students who plan to write a master's thesis involving the use of laboratory animals laboratory take the subject Fundamentals of Animal Experimentation I and II." 

The student will carry out a research project (equivalent to the Master's Thesis) in a specific area under the direction and supervision of a professor or researcher, within a department or laboratory of the Schools of Sciences, Pharmacy and Medicine of the University of Navarra, the Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), the Centre for Research in Nutrition (CIN) and the Clínica Universidad de Navarraor other institutions.

This subject provides student with a real experience of research work in a laboratory putting into practice the knowledge acquired in the subjects studied.

contact From the start of the course, the student student will be put in contact with the researcher responsible for the direction of his/her project, who will inform him/her of the line of research in which he/she is involved, the objectives and guide him/her to the fundamental bibliography related to his/her topic research. In addition, student will have access to laboratory so that you can get to know group and participate in the seminars and other activities of group, where you can begin to learn the techniques that you will use in your research project and carry out some experiments.

At the end of the course, student will present a writtenreport in English and will have to defend the work orally in front of a panel of judges.

This is an original researchproject that can be developed in the framework of the lines of work of:

• Departments university of the University of Navarra (UN)
• Centre for Applied Medical Research. University of Navarra (CIMA)
• Clínica Universidad de Navarra (CUN)
• National or international institutions/companies such as:
  • University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA)
  • The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston
  • Biodonostia, San Sebastian
  • UNAV-CIMA LAB Diagnostics, Pamplona 
  • Mount Sinai Hospital, New York (USA)
  • Roche Basel (Switzerland)
  • University of Bordeaux (France)
  • University of Bern (Switzerland)
  • Queensland University of Technology (Australia)

The agreements with the host centres and universities vary for each academic year as there is no contract subject and continuity.