Cell Biology

Prerequisites

Successful applicants must have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Biology or allied sciences.  Students entering the Cell Biology program will be expected to have demonstrated academic excellence in their prior training and on the Graduate Record Exam.  In addition, they are expected to have some experience in independent laboratory research. Prospective students should apply for admission through the Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Graduate Program.

Ph.D. Requirements

All students are required to successfully complete the Core Course in Integrative Biosciences (BIMS 6000) in their first semester, and will complete up to three laboratory research rotations to select a dissertation laboratory.  This is followed by modular courses in the Spring of the first year and Fall of the second year.  In addition to the required modules for the Cell Biology degree (listed below), a wide variety of modules offered by all of the Biomedical Sciences programs are available that may be relevant to the particular research project being undertaken for the dissertation.  The second year culminates in the qualifying exam, in which students are evaluated both on a written document and an oral exam for advancement to candidacy for the Ph.D. degree.  Upon completion of the required coursework and successful advancement to candidacy, students may also elect to obtain an M.S. in Biological & Physical Sciences. 

With advancement to candidacy, students then focus on their dissertation research.  One of the primary expectations for the Ph.D. degree in Cell Biology is the ability of the student to carry out independent research while matriculating, with the goal of becoming an independent investigator upon completion of the program. The dissertation must represent an original and significant contribution to science and must be of merit sufficient to achieve publication in a professional peer-reviewed journal.  Students are required to publish a minimum of one article as a first-author in a peer reviewed professional journal prior to the dissertation defense.

Required Courses

• BIMS 6000 - Core Course in Integrative Biosciences Credits: 10  
• BIMS 7100 - Research Ethics Credits: 1  
• BIMS 8995 - Topical Research: Research in Biomedical Sciences Credits: 1 to 12  
• CELL 8450 - Effective science writing for grants and fellowships Credits: 2  
• CELL 8101 - Introduction to Animal Development Credits: 2  
• CELL 8301 - Advanced Topics in Cell Biology Credits: 2  

All BIMS students must complete a minimum of 72 hours of graduate credit. A minimum of 24 out of the 72 credit hours must be graded coursework, and no more than 48 of the 72 credit hours can be comprised of Non-Topical Research.

Dual Degree M.D. and Ph.D.

The Cell Biology Program accepts students in the Medical Science Training Program (dual degree MD and PhD students).

Course Descriptions

Note: The following courses are open to those who plan to work toward a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Cell Biology; admission to most of these courses requires instructor permission. 

• BIMS 6000 - Core Course in Integrative Biosciences Credits: 10
• BIMS 7100 - Research Ethics Credits: 1
• BIMS 8995 - Topical Research: Research in Biomedical Sciences Credits: 1 to 12
• CELL 8450 - Effective science writing for grants and fellowships Credits: 2
• CELL 8101 - Introduction to Animal Development Credits: 2
• CELL 8301 - Advanced Topics in Cell Biology Credits: 2