Molecular Biology and Biochemistry Graduate Program
Program Description
Courses
Since students enter our program from diverse backgrounds,
flexibility in designing the right advanced program for each
student is important.
Our curriculum is intended to provide rigorous training in
the basic experimental principles that enable the study of any
biological problem. We recommend that prospective students take
the new Logic of Modern Biology course. This course may be
augmented with the appropriate combinations of the more
specialized courses listed below. Students should also feel free
to enroll in advanced courses offered by other programs that may
provide the necessary background for the development of their
thesis. Your first year advisors will help you with these
choices, and more detailed advice is always available from
program directors and course leaders.
MEDS 497-41 – Molecular Biology and Biochemistry
Journal Club
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In this course, students participate an open and lively forum
where students, postdocs and faculty present and discuss
“cutting edge” papers. Some highlights of last year’s
discussions were; evidence for an RNA cache, microRNAs and heart
disease, new mechanisms in DNA repair, viral escape strategies,
small bacterial RNAs. Dr. Chris Heinen and staff. |
MEDS 444 – Molecular Microbiology
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This course will provide students with a broad understanding of
modern topics in contemporary molecular
microbiology. The course is designed to provide understanding of
microbial principles in the study of bacteria, viruses, fungi
and other eukaryotic parasites with a special emphasis on areas
of current and
emerging importance. The teaching faculty are actively involved
in the fields of virology, bacteriology, parasitology and
mycology.
Dr. Sandra Weller and staff. |
MEDS 309 – Molecular Basis of Disease
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A seminar course that investigates the biochemical basis of
human diseases such as Myasthenia Gravis, Ovarian Cancer, Prion disease, Alzheimer’s
and Fragile X. Students are encouraged to critically evaluate
the current dogma and to formulate novel hypotheses that explain
the disease process. Dr. Henry Furneaux and staff. |
MEDS 369 – Advanced Genetics
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An advanced course emphasizing approaches to the molecular and
genetic analysis of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and their
viruses, Drosophila, and yeast. The application of these
techniques to problems of genome organization, DNA replication,
regulation of gene expression, RNA processing, and
differentiation will be discussed. The course combines lectures
and discussion of current journal articles. Dr. Asis Das and staff. |
MEDS 351 – Cool Techniques in Biochemistry
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The goal of this course is to familiarize the students with a
variety of powerful and sophisticated modern instrumentations to
analyze the properties and interactions of biological
macromolecules in vitro and in vivo. The course will cover the
principle and practice of various experimental techniques,
including titration calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance, fluorescence
correlation spectroscopy, and DNA microarray technology. In each
week, there will be a demonstration of a particular
instrumentation, its operation, data acquisition and analysis.
In the second part of the course, each student will choose one
technique to do a mini-project under the supervision of one
participating faculty member to investigate a specific
biological problem. Dr. Hoch and staff. |
MEDS 368 – Hot Topics in Molecular Biology and
Biochemistry
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These are one credit courses intended to provide the student
with an in-depth knowledge of a fast breaking area of biology
through the discussion of recent papers. |
Laboratory Rotations
Laboratory rotations are a major commitment for each student
during the first year. They provide practical research
experience and exposure to different research approaches and
techniques.
Seminar Program
The program hosts a variety of seminars. The Molecular
Biology and Biochemistry Seminar Series features invited
speakers of international renown. Each year the “Osborne
Lecture” celebrates the work of a female scientist who has made
significant contributions to her field. There is also a monthly
MBB student “Work in Progress” series where students discuss
their latest research in an informal setting.
The General Exam
This examination is the formal gateway to the preparation of
a thesis. In their second year, students write a research
proposal on their proposed thesis topic. This is a remarkable
opportunity for students to display their knowledge and
expertise in experimental design. In many cases, these
examinations have been incorporated into successful fellowship
grant applications. This provides the student with direct
experience in the grant application process, a critical aspect
in career development.
Internet Access
All laboratories have excellent Internet access to the
relevant scientific journals. The majority of our courses
provide online material. Many students are provided with a
laptop to facilitate interaction and communication. The
Computational Laboratory provides facilities for high-end
molecular graphics, protein modeling, and more advanced types of
data analysis.
Happy Hours
Individual labs take turns to host the monthly Happy Hour.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of the free food and
drink and the opportunity to interact with other students,
postdocs and faculty.
Annual Research Retreat
Each year, we hold an off-campus research retreat in which
labs are given the opportunity to present their research work in
the form of seminars and posters. The retreat is run as a
mini-conference which provides an excellent opportunity for
students to hone their skills in oral and poster presentations.
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