Academic Programme

Graduate Programme MICAS - Microbiota, Gut, Brain, Food Health - Master's degree

Diplôme national de master contrôlé par l'État

Résumé

Becoming an actor in Health and managing human chronic diseases by targeting the microbiota and the food-health link. Read more

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Details

General information

- Entry: September 2026
- Duration:  2 years
- Place: Nantes
- Langue: French
- Tuition fees
 

International mobility

Erasmus + mobility Internship possible with the Andrès Bello University, Santiago de Chile Internship possible with the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.

Attractiveness grant for international students possible depending on your application: contact us

Laboratories

Life at the Micas Masters

The Micas Master offers an enriching and dynamic experience thanks to :
  • An introductory meeting to discover the programme's objectives and network.
  • Annual events such as the Winter School and the Summer School, encouraging exchanges and intensive learning.
  • A hackathon to stimulate creativity and innovation.
  • Collaboration with a recruitment agency to prepare for professional integration.

Introduction

GP MICAS focuses on understanding the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms linking gut microbiota, diet and health.

The corresponding pathological mechanisms are involved in chronic neurological, inflammatory and metabolic diseases.
The GP MICAS studies the functioning and intestine deregulations, annex organs and the brain, impacted by the microbiota and diet.

The GP MICAS also emphasises preventive nutrition and the concept of the developmental origins of health and disease (DoHAD) as levers to preserve the proper functioning of these organs.
This teaching and research programme is based on the recognised clinical and scientific expertise of the research units in Nantes.
This expertise concerns the following fields: biomedical, neurobiology, microbiota, gastroenterology, metabolism, allergology and nutrition as well as bioinformatics and systems biology.

Year 1: From health and disease to the bench by mobilising different resources covering the latest scientific and methodological advances in the field.

Year 2: From the laboratory to health and disease - Pathophysiology, prevention and therapy, scientific and clinical evidence of the effects of diet and microbiota on health and disease.

During this year, an immersion in the professional field of interest of the student (industry by alternation or academic or industrial research laboratory) will be preserved (or offered).

The Master's programme will allow, depending on their professional project, (1) students graduating from M2 to enter the fields of activity related to food and health, (2) to pursue a doctorate and/or (3) for students from medical and paramedical training, to become aware of the issues of food and microbiota in medical care and practices.

Why joining the Graduate Programme Microbiota, Gut-Brain and Food Health?

Our Graduate Programmes rely on student trainings through basic and translational research.

GP MICAS  scientific areas:

  •  Enteric nervous system and intestinal pathologies
  • Microbiota and its link with the gut in central nervous system and chronic pathologies
  • Developmental origins of health and disease (DoHAD)
  • Preventive effect of diet on microbiota modulation, on chronic diseases and on neurodevelopment and behaviour
  • Metabolism and metabolic diseases in relation to the gutliver axis, the gut-brain axis and the gut-fat axis

International mobility :

  • Erasmus +
  • Internship at Andres Bello University (Chili Santiago)
  • Internship at Birmingham University (UK)

Research and teaching partners:

 

Admission

Entry requirement

Academic requirement

Bachelor’s degree in Life Sciences

Language requirement :

  Minimum level B2 in French (DELF or TCF) required for entry into the Master's programme

Application

Application procedure

Selection: file examination

Application procedure for the 2026-27 academic year :

If you are a French national or a citizen of the European Economic Area + Switzerland, Monaco and Andorra: to find out when the platform opens and closes, and to submit your application, go to the Master's application page.

You are a citizen of a country outside the European Economic Area + Switzerland, Monaco and Andorra :

  • Your country is concerned by the Campus France procedure (cf.: List of countries concerned): you must apply exclusively via the "Etudes en France" platform. Note that applications are generally registered between October and January of the previous year.
  • Your country is not concerned by the Campus France procedure :
    • To apply for M1, please use the Mon Master platform.
    • To apply for M2, please follow the application procedure for international students without access documents (SURF).

For further information, please consult our Admission to Nantes University page.

Additional information :

Tuition fees and Scholarships

Budget estimation

Welcome grant: Graduate programmes offer a €1,500 Welcome Scholarship for the best international students. Please prepare your application carefully to demonstrate your motivation for the programme.

Internship: You may complete your internship abroad, with our financial support depending on the host country and the length of your internship. If you choose to do it in France, you will receive financial support of approximately €600 per month.

Programme

First year of Master

What's next?

Level of education obtained after completion

Bac+5

Competencies acquired

  • Conduct research and analysis of bibliographic and technological resources
  • Design a Biology-Health project in one's field of specialisation
  • Develop an experiment in Health sciences
  • Analyse data collected in a fundamental, clinical or pharmacological research study
  • Promote result and scientific production

Career opportunities

Further studies

After two years of a Master's degree, you will have the choice of developing your own career or pursuing a research project at PhD level.
Career opportunities after obtained a PhD degree
Updated on 11 September 2025.