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.
  3. BMB 508 (Macromolecular Biophysics I) - required (Fall, first year).
  4. BMB 509 (Macromolecular Biophysics II) - required (Spring, first year)

  5. BMB 598 (Tutorial) - required. This course may also be taken one time for elective credit.

  6. BMB 650 (Current Biochemical Topics - Raiziss Rounds) - required. This course may also be taken one time for elective credit.

  7. BMB 705 (Prelim Exam Prep Course) - required and taken in the spring semester of the second year.

  8. 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

Principles and Applications of Biophysics and Biochemistry

Van Duyne/Wand

BMB 518

Protein Conformational Diseases

Argon/Ischiropoulus

Marmorstein/Skordalakes

1

Wilson

1

BMB 567

Bioinorganic Chemistry

Therien

1

Wehrli

1

Capobianco

1

Fundamentals of Magnetic Resonance

Reddy

1

Reddy

1

BMB 604

Statistical Mechanics

Schotland

1

Life and the Electronmagnetic Spectrum

Vanderkooi

1/2

Advanced X-ray Diffraction Methods

Van Duyne

1/2

Membrane Biochemistry

Lemmon

1/2

BMB 616

Metabolic Pathways: Clinical Aspects of Energy Metabolism

Lewis/Nelson

1

BMB 618

NMR in Structural Biology

Wand

1/2

BMB 619

Protein Folding  

Englander/Axelsen

1/2

BMB 620

Molecular Beacons

Chance/Glickson/Lu

1

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

Van Duyne/Sharp

1/2

BMB 628

Principles of Scientific Instruments 

Liebman

1/2

 

Non-Lecture Courses:

BMB 571

Seminar Course

Staff

1

BMB 598

Tutorial

Black

1

1

BMB 699

Lab Rotation

Ferguson

1

BMB 705

Prelim Exam Preparation Course

DeGrado

1/2

BMB 799

Independent Study (Yrs 1-2)

Staff

1

Independent Study (Yrs 3-5)

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

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

Fall Semester

  • BIOM 600 Cell Biology
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation I
  • BMB 571 Seminar

Spring Semester

  • BMB 508 Macromolecular Biophysics
  • CAMB 555 Eukaryotic Gene Expression
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation II
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Summer

  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation III

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

  • BIOL 526 Experimental Molecular Biology
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 571 Seminar
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Spring Semester

  • CAMB 530 Cell Cancer Seminar
  • PHRM 520 Molecular Pharmacology
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 799 Independent Study


Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 2

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

  • BIOM 600 Cell Biology
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 601 Fundamentals of Magnetic Resonance
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation I

Spring Semester

  • BMB 508 Macromolecular Biophysics
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation II

Summer

  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation III

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

  • CHEM 557 Mechanisms of Enzyme Reaction
  • BMB 571 Seminar
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Spring Semester

  • BMB 610 Life and the Electronmagnetic Spectrum
  • BMB 612 Macromolecular Modeling
  • BMB 571 Seminar
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Preliminary Exam


SAMPLE 3

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

  • BIOM 600 Cell Biology
  • BMB 550 Signal Transduction
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation I

Spring Semester

  • CAMB 555 Eukaryotic Gene Expression
  • BMB 604 Seminar
  • BMB 508 Macromolecular Biophysics
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation II

Summer

  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation III

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

  • CAMB 531 Cell Physiology Seminar
  • CHEM 557 Mechanisms of Enzyme Reaction
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Spring Semester

  • CHEM 666 Biological NMR Spectroscopy
  • BMB 604 Seminar
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 4

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

  • BIOM 600 Cell Biology
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation I
  • PHYS 531 Quantum Mechanics
  • BMB 598 Tutorial

Spring Semester

  • BMB 508 Macromolecular Biophysics
  • BMB 603 Advanced Topics In Magnetic Resonance
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation II
  • BMB 598 Tutorial

Summer

  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation III

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

  • BMB 601 Fundamentals of Magnetic Resonance
  • CHEM 555 Biological Macromolecules
  • BMB 545 Biomedical Imaging
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Spring Semester

  • BMB 610 Life and the Electronmagnetic Spectrum
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Preliminary Exam

SAMPLE 5

YEAR 1

Fall Semester

  • BIOM 600 Cell Biology
  • CHEM 525 Molecular Spectroscopy
  • BMB 650 Current Biochemical Topics
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation I

Spring Semester

  • BMB 508 Macromolecular Biophysics
  • BMB 598 Tutorial
  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation II
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Summer

  • BMB 699 Lab Rotation III

YEAR 2

Fall Semester

  • CHEM 521 Statistical Mechanics
  • CHEM 523 Quantum Mechanics
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Spring Semester

  • BMB 610 Life and the Electronmagnetic Spectrum
  • BMB 799 Independent Study

Preliminary Exam