License in Life Sciences: Track: Molecular and Cellular Biology (LMCB)

Last update date: Friday 21 August 2026
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General Objective:

The Licencein Life Sciences aims to provide students, regardless of their backgrounds, with essential fundamental and technological knowledge to gain a global understanding of life, from the molecular scale to ecosystems. This training equips students with scientific skills and technical know-how, preparing them to succeed in various Master’s programs or engineering schools. Pursuing a Master’s degree in Research in Biology and Biotechnology, specializing in Food and Health (established at ISBB since 2018-2019) is also possible. The Molecular and Cellular Biology integrates a set of specific modules (microbiology, laboratory practices, biotechnology…) that enable students to specialize in bioanalysis, production, and development. The Life Sciences License is a multidisciplinary program that provides basic knowledge, concepts, and methods necessary to approach major areas of modern biology. It prepares students for professional integration in fields as diverse as fundamental research, pharmaceutical and biomedical research, the pharmaceutical and agri-food industries, environmental biology, bio-conservation, and even teaching (from kindergarten to university).

Specific Objectives:

The Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) pathway within the Life Sciences License’sprogram provides solid training to acquire both general theoretical and practical knowledge in fundamental and experimental biology, as well as applied biology (biotechnology, agri-food, and health). The MCB pathway focuses on the study of biological processes at the molecular level (biomolecule structure, structure/function relationships), supported by teaching at the interface of several disciplines: biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, biophysics, bioinformatics, chemistry, and microbiology. Graduates of this pathway will have acquired analytical skills and an understanding of complex phenomena and learned to master essential tools such as bioinformatics and scientific English. They will also have gained methods for working independently and as part of a team, thus developing the adaptability and leadership skills required in their professional careers. One of the specific goals of this academic degree is to ensure a general biology education focused on understanding life functions, from organisms to cellular and molecular levels, and oriented towards the Biology-Health domain. This program covers both the fundamentals and recent developments in various life science disciplines (biochemistry, molecular biology, cellular biology, developmental biology, organism biology, genetics, microbiology, physiology, biostatistics...) and also incorporates basic knowledge in chemistry, physics, and mathematics. The first and second years (L1 & L2) are designed to provide students with strong foundations in science while developing their ability to work independently by acquiring transversal (practical methods, communication, general knowledge...) and supplementary skills (English, IT...). The curriculum structure allows students to refine their professional projects each semester through an increasing number of specialized teaching units. This progressive approach naturally leads students to specialize in the field that aligns with their professional project as the semesters advance.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the program, graduates should be able to:

Understand the structure and physicochemical and biological properties of biomolecules.
Know the concepts of cellular energetics and metabolic regulation.
Understand intra- and inter-molecular interactions.
Use common spectrophotometric techniques for analysis and dosage, master standard separation and purification methods. Localize and measure enzymatic activity, measure reaction rates.
Master concepts regarding genome structure and maintenance, gene expression, and its regulation.
Know and use gene cloning, mutagenesis, and techniques for identifying DNA/protein and protein/protein interactions. Implement basic molecular biology techniques.
Understand and use microbiological techniques for applications in quality control and biotechnology.
Understand and apply basic techniques in cell biology.
Query sequence and protein/nucleotide structure databases.
Use data acquisition and analysis software.

Organizational Skills:

Work independently (develop a personal training project, set priorities, manage time).
Conduct research using information and communication technologies.
Implement a project: define objectives and context, execute and evaluate the action.

General Scientific Skills:

Conduct a study: define a problem, build and develop an argument, interpret results, synthesize findings with abstract thinking, and propose extensions.
Implement an experimental approach: use common measurement tools and techniques, identify error sources, analyze experimental data and model them, validate models by comparing predictions with experimental results.
Use data acquisition and analysis software.
Use mathematical and statistical tools.
Adopt a multidisciplinary approach to solve complex problems.

Transversal Skills:

Participate in team management.
Communicate the economic impacts of quality and risk management.
Adapt to socio-professional and intercultural environments, both national and international, and take initiative.
Identify the process of knowledge production, dissemination, and valorization.
Respect principles of ethics, deontology, and environmental responsibility.
Work in teams and networks, both autonomously and with responsibility, for project execution.
Identify and position oneself within professional fields related to the program and recognize potential pathways to enter them.
Characterize and promote one’s identity, competencies, and professional project according to context.
Analyze actions in professional situations, self-assess to improve practices.
Use digital tools and adhere to cybersecurity protocols for acquiring, processing, producing, and disseminating information, and for internal and external collaboration.
Identify, select, and critically analyze various resources in the field of specialization for documenting a topic and synthesizing data for exploitation.
Develop arguments critically.
Express oneself fluently in both written and spoken French.
Communicate clearly and unambiguously in both French and at least one foreign language.
Knowledge in human resources, management, and project management tools.