Academics

General Requirements of the GCB Program

Students in GCB take courses, do lab rotations with GCB faculty, and attend the research seminars sponsored by the Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBI), the seminar series of their host department, as well as weekly student-faculty “chalk talks”.
 

The GCB curriculum combines several required courses specifically designed for the GCB program and additional courses available from other programs. In the first year, students take three courses and participate in one lab rotation each semester. During the second year, the lab rotation is replaced by pre-dissertation research in the student’s thesis lab under the direction of their mentor.

In view of the highly varied academic backgrounds of students in GCB, members of the Advising Committee meet with each student individually once per semester (Year 1 and 2) and plan courses and rotations. Under the GCB curriculum, students are required to complete a minimum of ten classes. The advising committee helps design a course schedule for each student that matches his/her needs and interests, aided in part by the completion and discussion of the NIH-required Individual Development Plan.