Overview

The curriculum is designed to provide a superior graduate level education by tailoring the program to each individual student in order to round out his or her knowledge of biochemistry or molecular biophysics. A central goal is to build on the strengths and interests of the student and prepare the student for dissertation research. By the end of the second year of study, each student should have achieved a general level of understanding of biochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology appropriate for a contemporary biomedical scientist, through appropriate courses and laboratory rotations. After successfully passing a Preliminary Examination at the end of the second year, the student chooses a research topic and advisor and begins full-time dissertation research. Students also participate in research seminars and informal interactions with other graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members, all of which form an important part of graduate education.

General Requirements

  1. Three Laboratory Rotations (BMB 699) are required and should be taken one per semester in the fall, spring and summer of the first year. The first rotation may be carried out in the summer before the first year if a student chooses to matriculate early.
  2. BIOM 600 (Cell Biology) - required (Fall, first year).
  3. BMB 508 (Macromolecular Biophysics I) - required (Fall, first year).
  4. BMB 509 (Macromolecular Biophysics II) - required (Spring, first year)

  5. BMB 650 (Current Biochemical Topics - Raiziss Rounds) - required to be taken one time in Year 1 or Year 2. It may also be taken one time for elective credit.

  6. BMB 705 (Candidacy Exam) - required and taken in the Spring, second year.

  7. A total of 8 additional elective credits are required that may include formal lecture courses and seminars.

Selection of Courses

During the period that the student is taking formal courses, students will meet individually with the Academic Review Committee before the start of each semester. In view of the exceptional diversity of the trainees, the Academic Review Committee will review the background of each student, and in consultation with the student, decide on the curriculum for that student. The goal is to provide a flexible yet structured program so that students of diverse backgrounds will receive the appropriate training for their research interests. Sample curricula

Listing of Courses

1. Courses offered by the Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Graduate Group

Lecture Courses:
Course:
Director
Units

Van Duyne / Wand

1

BMB 509

Macromolecular Biophysics II

Van Duyne / Wand

BMB 518

Protein Conformational Diseases

Argon / Ischiropoulus

Skordalakes / Marmorstein

1

Wilson / Domotor

1

BMB 567

Bioinorganic Chemistry

Dmochowski

1

BMB 580

Mathematical Computational Methods for Modeling Biological Systems

Schotland

1

Wehrli

1

Kissil / Dahmane

1

BMB 590

Biological Physics

Goulian

1

Reddy

1

BMB 604

Statistical Mechanics

Schotland

1

Vanderkooi

1/2

Van Duyne

1/2

Lemmon

1/2

BMB 616

Medical Problems in Modern Biochemistry

Nelson

1

BMB 618

NMR in Structural Biology

Wand

1

BMB 619

Protein Folding  

Axelsen / Englander

1/2

BMB 622

Mechano-Enzymes

Goldman/Ostap

1/2

BMB 624

Ion Channels and Pumps

Kallen/Lu

1/2

BMB 625

Optical Methods in Cell Physiology

Salzberg

1/2

BMB 626

Proteomics

Speicher

1/2

BMB 627

Computer Programming for Biophysicists and Biochemists

Sharp / Van Duyne

1/2

BMB 628

Principles of Scientific Instruments 

Liebman

1/2

BMB 700

Selected Topics in Chemistry

Petersson/Cooperman / DeGrado

1

 

Non-Lecture Courses:

BMB 598

Tutorial

Gitler

1

Black / Shorter

1

BMB 699

Lab Rotation

Shorter

1

BMB 705

Candidacy Exam

DeGrado / Lemmon

1/2

BMB 799

Independent Study (Yrs 1-2)

Staff

1

 

Many of the courses available to Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics students are taught in collaboration with other graduate programs or departments. Topics covered by these courses include molecular genetics of prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the structure and function of proteins and nucleic acids, molecular cell biology, biophysics of macromolecules, regulation of cell growth, membrane structure and function, virology, gene therapy, x-ray diffraction, and spectroscopy. Examples of such courses taken by current and past students are given below. It should be emphasized that this is not an exhaustive listing. A full listing of courses is described in the Course Register.

2. Related courses offered by other Graduate Groups

Courses:

BIOL 526

Experimental Molecular Biology

BIOM 555

Eukaryotic Gene Expression

BIOM 600

Cell Biology and Biochemistry

CAMB 530

Cell Cancer Seminar

CAMB 539

Prokaryotic Gene Expression

CAMB 540

Fundamentals in Virology

CAMB 600

Cell Biology

CAMB 601

Systemic Physiology

CAMB 610

Molecular Basis of Gene Therapy

CAMB 615

Topics in Conformational Diseases

CHEM 524

Quantum Chemistry

CHEM 539

Molecular Spectroscopy

CHEM 557

Mechanisms of Enzymatic Reactions

CHEM 666

Biological NMR

IMUN 506

Immune Mechanisms

INSC 520

Computational Neuroscience

INSC 586

Topics in Molecular Neurology

PHRM 520

Molecular Pharmacology

 

Sample Curricula

SAMPLE 1

YEAR 1

Summer Session, pre-Year 1

BMB 699 Lab Rotation, 1 credit

Fall Semester

BIOM 600 Cell Biology, 1
BMB 508 Macromolecular Biology I, 1
BMB 554 Macromol. Crystallography, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 2, 1

Spring Semester

BIOM 502 Molecular Basis of Disease, 1
CAMB 615 Topics in Conformational Diseases, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 3, 1

Summer Semester

BMB 799 Independent Study, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

BMB 618 NMR in Struct. Biol., –
BMB 619 Protein Folding, –
BMB 627 Computer Programming, –
BMB 650 Raiziss Rounds, 1 
CAMB 601 Advanced Virology Seminar, 1
BMB 799 Independent Study –

Spring Semester

BMB 628 Princ. Scien. Instruments, –
BMB 705 Candidacy Exam, –
BMB 799 Independent Study, 3              

Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 2

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

BIOM 600 Cell Biology, 1
BMB 508 Macromolecular Biology I, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 1, 1

Spring Semester

BIOM 502 Molecular Basis of Disease, 1
CAMB 615 Topics in Conformational Diseases, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 2, 1

Summer

BMB 699 Lab Rotation 3, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

BMB 700 Selected Topics in Chem, 1
BMB 619 Protein Folding, –
BMB 650 Raiziss Rounds, 1
CAMB 530 Cell Growth/Cancer Sem, 1
BMB 799 Independent Study, –

Spring Semester

BMB 626 Proteomics, –
BMB 705 Candidacy Exam, –
BMB 799 Independent Study, 3

Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 3

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

BIOM 600 Cell Biology, 1
BMB 508 Macromolecular Biology I, 1
BMB 554 Macromol Crystallog, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 1, 1

Spring Semester

BIOM 502 Molecular Basis of Disease, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1
CAMB 615 Topics in Conformational Diseases, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 2, 1

Summer

BMB 699 Lab Rotation 3, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

BMB 627 Computer Programming, 1/2
CAMB 609 Vaccines & Immune Therap, 1
CAMB 617 Emerging Infec Diseases, 1
BMB 650 Raiziss Rounds, 1
BMB 799 Independent Study, –

Spring Semester

BMB 611 Adv. X-ray Diffr. Methods, –
BMB 705 Candidacy Exam, –
BMB 799 Independent Study, 3

Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 4

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

BIOM 600 Cell Biology, 1
BMB 508 Macromolecular Biology I, 1
BMB 585 Wistar Cancer Course, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 1, 1

Spring Semester

BMB 601 Fund. Magn. Resonance, 1
CAMB 557 Mech. Bio Catalysis, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 2, 1

Summer

BMB 699 Lab Rotation 3, 1
BMB 598 Tutorial, 1

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

BMB 598 Tutorial, 1
BMB 619 Protein Folding, 1/2
BMB 627 Computing Programming, 1/2
BMB 650 Raiziss Rounds, 1
BMB 799 Independent Study, 1

Spring Semester

BMB 611 Adv. X-ray Diffr. Methods, –
BMB 705 Candidacy Exam, –
BMB 626 Proteomics, –
BMB 799 Independent Study, 1
BMB 699 Lab Rotation 4, 1

Preliminary Exam