BIOM20001 Molecular and Cellular Biomedicine
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 25 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 40%: mostly coursework
- About 11 class hours a week
- 40% group work
Is BIOM20001 hard?
BIOM20001: Harder. Not counted by Bachelor of Science, so it isn't on its lists. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it’s hard (10 reviews), Reviewers say it takes a lot of time, 3 other hurdle tasks, 11 class hours a week.
What you learn
How cells work at the molecular level, and what goes wrong in infection, immunity and disease.
After it you can
- Use biochemistry, genetics and cell biology to explain normal cells
- Explain how infections and the immune system change cells and tissues
- Work in a team to interpret lab results and case studies
What you need first
(BIOL10002 and CHEM10006) and (BIOM10002 or BIOL10003)
What it leads to
- ANSC30001 Animal Disease Biotechnology 1
- ANSC30002 Animal Disease Biotechnology 2
- ANSC30006 Production Animal Health
- BCMB30001 Protein Structure and Function
- BCMB30002 Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics
- BCMB30004 Cell Signalling and Neurochemistry
- BCMB30010 Advanced Techniques in Molecular Science
- BCMB30011 Cellular Metabolism and Disease
- BCMB30012 Current Advances in Molecular Science
- BIOL30001 Reproductive Physiology
- BIOL30002 Experimental Animal Biology
- BIOM30001 Frontiers in Biomedicine
- BIOM30002 Biomedicine: Molecule to Malady
- BMEN30011 Introduction to MedTech Innovation
- BOTA30005 Plant Molecular Biology & Biotechnology
- CEDB30002 Principles of Cell Biology
- CEDB30003 Experimental Developmental Biology
- CEDB30004 Advances in Stem Cell Biology
- MIIM20002 Microbes, Infections and Responses
- MIIM30002 Principles of Immunology
- MIIM30011 Medical Microbiology: Bacteriology
- MIIM30014 Medical Microbiology: Virology
- MIIM30015 Techniques in Immunology
- MIIM30016 Techniques in Microbiology
- MIIM30017 Medical Microbiology: Parasitology
- NEUR30005 Developmental Neurobiology
- PATH30001 Mechanisms of Human Disease
- VETS30016 Veterinary Bioscience: Digestive System
- VETS30029 Veterinary Bioscience: Cells to Systems
- VETS30030 Introduction to Professional Practice
- VETS30031 Animal Production Systems 1
Can’t be taken together with
- BCMB20002 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- CEDB20003 Fundamentals of Cell Biology
- MIIM20001 Principles of Microbiology & Immunology
- PATH20001 Exploring Human Disease
- BCMB20006
Careers
Helps toward: Dietitian, Laboratory scientist, Biochemist, Microbiologist, Zoologist, Psychologist, Veterinarian, Biomedical Engineer, Biotechnologist
How it’s assessed
Assignments 10%, Tests 50%, Final exam 40%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 10 students on StudentVIP (2017–2024)
- A double-credit (25 point) subject covering biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology and pathology. Nearly everyone called it very content-heavy and demanding.
- Topics build on each other and integrate around themes like cancer, so the common advice is to keep up weekly. Frequent topic tests (MSTs) help force that.
- Assessment changed around 2024: reflection reports and a group exam were added. Reviewers liked it with a good group, but the group is assigned and luck matters.
- Delivery is uneven across topics; the cell biology block, taught mostly through self-paced e-learning, drew the most complaints in 2023-2024.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate BIOM20001
Quick answers
- When is BIOM20001 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking BIOM20001?
- Needs (BIOL10002 and CHEM10006) and (BIOM10002 or BIOL10003).
- Does BIOM20001 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 40% of the mark. Assessment: Assignments 10%, Tests 50%, Final exam 40%.
- Is BIOM20001 hard?
- From 10 student reviews on StudentVIP: A double-credit (25 point) subject covering biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology and pathology. Nearly everyone called it very content-heavy and demanding.
- What do students say about BIOM20001?
- A double-credit (25 point) subject covering biochemistry, genetics, cell biology, microbiology, immunology and pathology. Nearly everyone called it very content-heavy and demanding. Topics build on each other and integrate around themes like cancer, so the common advice is to keep up weekly. Frequent topic tests (MSTs) help force that. Assessment changed around 2024: reflection reports and a group exam were added. Reviewers liked it with a good group, but the group is assigned and luck matters.
- How many class hours a week does BIOM20001 have?
- 11 h a week in class
- Can I take BIOM20001 as breadth?
- No, it isn’t listed as breadth for any course.
- What can I take after BIOM20001?
- 31 subjects need it first, for example ANSC30001, ANSC30002, ANSC30006, BCMB30001.
- Can I rate BIOM20001?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
PickMySubjects is a free, unofficial planner made by a UniMelb graduate.