MCDB emphasizes an integrative approach to the discipline, encompassing the molecular, cellular, and organismic levels of organization. Students undergo training in a core of courses in molecular biology, cell biology, developmental biology and biochemistry. A typical graduate program begins with a course-intensive first year of study, followed by some additional elective coursework in the second year. Prior to each quarter during their first year, students meet individually with one of two Rotation Advising Committees. The committee can also serve to evaluate the individual progress of students as the academic year progresses.
Students normally pass the doctoral candidacy examination during the third year.
Additional studies are focused on research and preparation of the doctoral dissertation. Research areas are determined by faculty research programs. The program annually publishes a list of faculty research interests, including appropriate references to recent research publications, an abbreviated version of which appears at the end of this brochure. The MCDB Seminar Series, co-sponsored by the Department of Molecular Genetics, is a focal point of the program and is widely regarded as the best seminar program of its kind on campus. It features external speakers of the highest quality, including members of the National Academy of Sciences and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, giving faculty and students the opportunity to make contact with some of the best scientists in the country and to keep abreast of current thinking in a wide range of disciplines.