In addition, students are encouraged to attend weekly seminars and talk with advanced graduate students about their research in order to better understand the various programs. New students also participate in a laboratory rotation program, involving 3 five-week rotations in laboratories of Biochemistry and other MCB faculty. The laboratories are chosen on the basis of the information presented in the Faculty Research Presentations as well as informal interactions with the faculty. The faculty believe these laboratory rotations are essential by helping the new students become more rapidly integrated into the department and learning more about the operations of the laboratories they may wish to join. This experience will also be important in the selection of graduate students to laboratories, since it will provide the new students with an excellent opportunity to interact with the faculty.
Students select a research advisor at the end of the first semester in the program.
These Departments have affiliated themselves into a single school in order to provide their graduate students with a broad range of training and research opportunities. Students admitted to any of the participating Ph.D. programs can select faculty research advisors from over 60 faculty in the School. All entering Ph.D. students are fully supported financially during the first semester without any teaching requirement. This enables students to participate in laboratory rotations and take a Core Curriculum, designed specifically for entering graduate students. This course work emphasizes advanced molecular biochemistry and genetics and provides a solid foundation for research in all areas of contemporary biology.