The doctoral program in nutritional biochemistry trains highly qualified individuals interested in laboratory-oriented approaches to solving nutritional and metabolic problems. Students are required to take graduate courses in biochemistry, physiology, epidemiology, and biostatistics. Students must also take formal course work in two minor fields, one of which must be biochemistry and the other chosen from the other basic medical sciences. Laboratory research is begun at the end of the first year, following rotations in several faculty laboratories. Qualifying examinations include general knowledge of nutrition and the ability to formulate an original research proposal.
Emphasis is on the function and metabolism of nutrients at the molecular level.
This program furnishes thorough training in all if these disciplines, enabling graduates to apply sound epidemiological methods to an ever-increasing number of nutritional problems. Students may elect to have a joint degree in Epidemiology. Students are required to take formal course work in two minor fields, one of which must be epidemiology. Students in a joint program with Epidemiology must satisfy the course requirements in both departments and must select a minor field acceptable to both departments. The thesis will concern a topic in both nutrition and epidemiology.