I earned my bachelor's degree at the small Biotechnology Faculty at MSU. Since Skoltech's education system is very different from that of a classic Russian university, I was nervous that it would be difficult to adapt. But the Life Science faculty and administration were very kind and supportive, which defined my experience at Skoltech. The master's program provided a variety of experiences (wet biology, entrepreneurship, bioinformatics), and after my gap year, I felt like it was something very exciting and new rather than a return to familiar disciplines. The Life Science faculty is a small community, and it feels like professors are interested in their own work and in you "winning."

The Skoltech Life Sciences master's program equips you with everything you need to excel in scientific research or technological entrepreneurship: project-based learning, a flexible curriculum, renowned faculty, and hands-on innovation courses. What I love most about Skoltech is its inspiring, supportive community — where you can find research collaborators or startup soulmates among colleagues, and seek advice from any faculty member, all of whom will always be happy to help. During my master's and PhD studies at Skoltech, I discovered my passion at the intersection of biology and entrepreneurship. Skoltech's activities and mentorship from its professors enabled me to grow as an innovator and launch a biotech startup with a team of my Skoltech colleagues.

I’ve always wanted to study the human brain, but coming from a bioinformatics background, I needed a place where I could actually learn how to record and analyze brain signals. I’m very grateful for the opportunity to study in the Life Sciences program (Neuro track) and work in the Neuro Center BCI lab — it gave me exactly that kind of hands-on experience.
What I especially liked was the flexibility in choosing courses: it helped me gradually shift my focus toward neuroscience and build a strong interdisciplinary background. I think adding more dedicated neuroscience courses would make the program even stronger.

Since I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Biology in Brazil, I was looking for an MSc program that could combine a high-profile line up of professors performing cutting-edge research and a program that could allow me to envision doing research in a startup/industrial environment. Well, no other place could better combine both worlds than Skoltech! The challenging curriculum, from which I could choose the most specific disciplines for my goals, clearly improved my knowledge and skills towards performing serious research and applying it for market purposes. I am grateful for world-class STEM education business-related studies the remarkable experience I got from the Biotechnology program at Skoltech!

For me Skoltech Life Sciences Master program was a breakthrough to a real science. My background was in Biophysics, I didn't have an on-hand experience in molecular biology or biotechnology and the first months at the program were a deep dive into the area. I loved that at Skoltech you are not only given with an opportunity to study, but challenged with practical courses, individual projects, presentations. We learned to read the topnotch articles, understand the research methodology, find some disadvantages (if any) without the fear that we are the ones who didn't understood something. Skoltech conferences, seminars and lectures of the top specialists, academic mobility program – all that provides students with a chance to become a part of the scientific community. And the most telling fact revealing my gratitude and respect for Skoltech is that two years after graduation I came back for my PhD.