Approximately 40 graduate students of diverse backgrounds are enrolled in these programs at any one time. In many cases, the laboratory setting includes undergraduates, M.S. students, and doctoral students guided by postdoctoral fellows as well as faculty, creating a dynamic environment with intellectual exchange occurring at many levels. Students begin their studies with a core of courses providing solid grounding in biochemistry, molecular genetics, and cell and developmental biology. Advanced courses based on current scientific literature, as well as regular attendance at seminars presented by scientists from other institutions, round out the formal preparation. Doctoral students gain research experience early, through a series of research rotations which allow them to become familiar with the biological questions asked by faculty in the department and the techniques used to answer those questions.
Students are then in a position to choose and carry out their doctoral research most effectively.
We also encourage M.S. students to do research so that they gain a better understanding of experimental techniques and approaches to questions discussed in their classes, as well as better preparation for careers in research. The core curriculum is an integrated series of five courses encompassing the fundamentals of biochemistry and molecular biology in the context of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell biology.